Can I become a mortgage lender for free?

No. Creating an NMLS account is free, but licensing is not. A state mortgage loan originator license requires the same fees in every state: a $110 SAFE MLO Test fee, a $35 NMLS processing fee, a $36.25 FBI criminal background check, and a $15 credit report, plus a state application fee and the cost of at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education. Lender and broker company licenses add state fees and, in many states, a surety bond or minimum net worth requirement.