How do I pass the MLO license exam?

Passing requires a score of at least 75% on the 115 scored questions, and the first-time pass rate is 53% as of December 31, 2024. NMLS recommends reviewing the official test content outline, the only study material NMLS publishes. The test covers five content areas: mortgage loan origination activities (27%), federal mortgage-related laws (24%), general mortgage knowledge (20%), ethics (18%), and uniform state content (11%).

To pass the SAFE mortgage loan originator (MLO) test, you must score at least 75% correct. The test is developed by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) and administered by an NMLS-approved provider. If you fail, you may retake it three consecutive times, with each retake at least 30 days after the preceding attempt. After failing three consecutive tests, you must wait at least six months before testing again.

Alaska requires a passing result on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content under AS 06.60.040, so prepare for the national exam rather than a state-specific test. The National Test Component fee is $110 through NMLS. Your 20 hours of pre-licensure education cover the federal law, ethics, and non-traditional mortgage lending content the exam draws from.

Arkansas accepts the single SAFE MLO National Test with Uniform State Content, a 120-item multiple-choice exam with 115 scored questions covering federal mortgage law, ethics, and loan origination. You pass with a score of at least 75%. If you fail, you may retake the test up to 3 consecutive times with at least 30 days between attempts; after 3 consecutive failures you must wait at least 6 months before testing again.

Passing requires a score of 75% or higher on the SAFE MLO National Test with Uniform State Content. The test has 120 multiple-choice questions, of which 115 are scored. The content breaks down as follows: 27% mortgage loan origination activities, 24% federal mortgage-related laws, 20% general mortgage knowledge, 18% ethics, and 11% Uniform State Content. If you fail, you must wait 30 days before each retake and 180 days after every third failed attempt.

Colorado requires the National SAFE MLO Test Component with Uniform State Content and adds no separate state exam. Complete your 20 hours of pre-licensing education first, since applicants who never held a license must finish the coursework within the 3 years before applying. If you fail, the rules allow 3 consecutive retakes, each at least 30 days after the previous attempt; after 3 consecutive failures you must wait at least 6 months before trying again.

You pass by scoring at least 75% on the qualified written test. Connecticut accepts a passing score on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content, or passing scores on both the National and Connecticut State components. Complete the required 21 hours of prelicensing education before testing. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, waiting at least 30 days between attempts; after three consecutive failures you must wait at least 6 months.

You pass the SAFE test by scoring at least 75%. If you fail, Delaware allows 3 consecutive retakes, with each retake at least 30 days after the previous test. After failing 3 consecutive tests, you must wait at least 6 months before testing again. Complete your 20 hours of prelicensing education before you schedule the test.

The SAFE MLO test requires a score of 75% or higher to pass, and results are shown immediately. If you do not pass, you must wait 30 days before retaking the exam; after a third failed attempt, the waiting period extends to 180 days. Completing the full 20 hours of DC pre-licensing education first covers the federal and DC law content the exam tests.

You need a score of at least 75% on the SAFE MLO Test, which 53% of first-time takers pass as of December 31, 2024. The 20-hour prelicensing course covers the test's content areas, including federal law, ethics, and non-traditional lending, and many providers recommend taking the test soon after finishing the course. You may attempt the test three consecutive times, with at least 30 days between attempts; after three straight failures you must wait 6 months. Testing takes place at Prometric centers, and you schedule only after paying the enrollment through NMLS.

The exam is the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test with Uniform State Content, and a score of 75 or higher passes. Complete the 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education first, since the coursework aligns with the test's federal law, ethics, and lending topics. NMLS test performance data show 53% of first-time takers passed as of December 31, 2024, so allow enough study time before scheduling.

You need a score of at least 75% to pass the SAFE MLO test. Hawaii requires passing both the national component and the state component, which is delivered as Uniform State Content within the national exam. You schedule testing through the NMLS website; in Hawaii, test centers run by Prometric and Pearson VUE are located only on Oahu. If you fail, you may retake the test up to three consecutive times, waiting at least 30 days between attempts, and after three failures you must wait at least 6 months before testing again.

The SAFE MLO Test requires a score of 75% or higher to pass. The test contains 120 multiple-choice items, of which 115 are scored, spread across five content areas: Mortgage Loan Origination Activities (27%), Federal Mortgage Related Laws (24%), General Mortgage Knowledge (20%), Ethics (18%), and Uniform State Content (11%). HousingWire reports that only 53% of exam takers pass on the first try, so prepare thoroughly before scheduling.

Illinois accepts the National SAFE MLO Test with Uniform State Content, so you prepare for one national exam and no separate Illinois test. The exam fee is $110. Illinois adds no state-specific hours beyond the standard 20-hour pre-licensing package: 3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours non-traditional lending, and 12 hours of electives.

You need a score of at least 75% to pass the SAFE MLO test for Indiana. If you fail, you must wait 30 days before retaking it, and after 3 consecutive failures you must wait at least 6 months. The test covers federal mortgage-related laws, general mortgage knowledge, loan origination activities, and ethics.

You pass the SAFE MLO test by scoring 75% or higher. Iowa accepts the national test component with Uniform State Content, so a separate Iowa-specific exam is not required. Test topics include federal mortgage-related laws, general mortgage knowledge, loan origination activities, and ethics. If you fail, you may retake the test after at least 30 days, for up to 3 consecutive attempts, and you must wait 6 months after a third consecutive failure.

You pass by scoring 75% or higher on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content. Complete your 20 hours of prelicensing education first, since the coursework covers the federal law, ethics, and nontraditional lending topics the exam tests. No state-specific Kansas test is required beyond the uniform state content.

The SAFE MLO test requires a passing score of 75%, and only 53% of exam takers pass on the first attempt, so prepare thoroughly on federal mortgage laws, general mortgage knowledge, origination activities, and ethics. If you fail, you must wait 30 days before retaking, and after two failed retakes the waiting period becomes six months.

You pass by scoring at least 75% correct answers on the written test developed by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) and administered by an NMLS-approved test provider. The test measures ethics, federal law, Louisiana mortgage law, and fraud, consumer protection, non-traditional mortgage, and fair lending topics. Complete the 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education first. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, each at least 30 days after the preceding attempt; after three failures you must wait 6 months before testing again.

The SAFE test requires a score of at least 75 percent to pass, and Maine accepts the National Test Component with Uniform State Content, so no separate Maine-only exam exists. If you fail, you may retake the test up to 3 consecutive times with at least 30 days between attempts. After 3 consecutive failures, you must wait at least 6 months before testing again.

Maryland's passing score on the SAFE MLO test is at least 75%, the same as the national standard, and Maryland uses the Uniform State Test as its state component, so there is no separate Maryland exam. Complete the full 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education before you test. You may take the test three times, with each retake at least 30 days after the prior attempt; after failing three tests you must wait at least 6 months before testing again.

A passing score on the SAFE MLO Test is 75% or higher. If you do not pass, you may retake the exam three consecutive times, with each attempt at least 30 days after the preceding one. After failing three consecutive times, you must wait at least six months before sitting for the exam again.

You must score 75% or better on the SAFE MLO Test. Michigan accepts passing results on the National and Michigan State test components, the National and Stand-alone Uniform State Test components, or the National Test Component with Uniform State Content. Completing your 20 hours of pre-licensure education, which include 2 hours of Michigan-specific law, covers the material the exam tests.

You pass by scoring at least 75% on the SAFE MLO National Test Component with Uniform State Content, which Minnesota accepts in place of a state-specific test. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, with at least 30 days between attempts. After three consecutive failures, you must wait six months before taking the test again.

You need a score of at least 75% to pass the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test. The national test with Uniform State Content has 120 multiple-choice questions, 115 of them scored, spread across five areas: federal mortgage laws (24%), Uniform State Content (11%), general mortgage knowledge (20%), origination activities (27%), and ethics (18%). If you fail, you may retake it three consecutive times with at least 30 days between attempts, then wait 6 months after a third failure.

Passing requires a score of at least 75% correct answers on the SAFE National Test Component with Uniform State Content, which Missouri accepts in place of a separate state exam. You may retake the test twice, with at least 30 days between attempts. After three consecutive failures, a longer waiting period applies before you can test again.

You pass by scoring at least 75% on the National SAFE MLO Test with Uniform State Content, which Montana uses with no separate state component. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, each at least 30 days after the previous attempt, and a third consecutive failure triggers a 6-month wait before testing again. Prometric administers the exam; Montana's scheduling line is 1-877-671-6657.

The SAFE mortgage loan originator test requires a score of at least 75% to pass. You may take the test three consecutive times, with at least 30 days between sittings; after failing three consecutive times, you must wait 6 months before trying again. The National Test Component with Uniform State Content covers ethics, federal law, state law, fraud, consumer protection, nontraditional mortgage lending, and fair lending.

Nevada requires a passing score of 75% or more on the SAFE MLO National Test with Uniform State Content. The exam has 120 multiple-choice items, 115 of them scored, spread across five content areas: Federal Mortgage Related Laws (24%), Uniform State Content (11%), General Mortgage Knowledge (20%), Mortgage Loan Origination Activities (27%), and Ethics (18%). Nevada does not require a separate state exam beyond the Uniform State Content.

You pass the SAFE MLO test by scoring 75% or better. The test covers ethics, federal law and regulation, state law, fraud, consumer protection, nontraditional mortgages, and fair lending. Roughly half of first-time takers pass, so study each content area before scheduling the test.

The SAFE MLO Test requires a score of 75% or better on the national component, and New Jersey accepts the national test with Uniform State Content in place of a separate state component. Complete the 20 hours of pre-licensure education first, since it covers the tested material. If you fail, you must wait 30 days before retaking the test, and the waiting period grows longer after repeated failed attempts.

The minimum passing score on the SAFE MLO test is 75%. An applicant may take the test up to three consecutive times, with each retest at least 30 days after the preceding test, and after failing three consecutive tests must wait at least 6 months before retesting. Completing the full 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, including New Mexico's 3 state-specific hours, covers the material the test draws from.

You pass by first completing the required 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, including 3 hours of New York law, then taking the SAFE MLO Test, which New York accepts as the National Component with Uniform State Content. MLOs with less than four years of experience must take the education in interactive formats, such as a live classroom or a comprehension-gated course, rather than passive online study. New York also accepts the National test plus either the New York State component or the stand-alone Uniform State Test.

North Carolina requires mortgage loan originator applicants to pass the SAFE test with Uniform State Content within the five years before applying. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, with each retake at least 30 days after the preceding attempt. After three consecutive failures, you must wait at least six months before testing again.

You pass the MLO exam by scoring at least 75% on the SAFE test. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times, each at least 30 days after the preceding attempt. After a third consecutive failure, you must wait at least 6 months before retesting. If you go 5 years or longer without holding a valid license, you must retake the test.

The SAFE MLO test requires a score of 75% or better on the national component. Ohio accepts passing results on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content, or on the National plus separate state components. You should complete your 24 hours of pre-licensure education first, because both test results and education credit expire 5 years after you obtain them.

Oklahoma accepts the SAFE Test's National Component with Uniform State Content, so passing that single exam satisfies both the national and state testing requirements. Prepare with the 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, which cover 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 11 hours of electives, and 1 hour of Oklahoma law. About 53% of first-time test takers pass, according to HousingWire, so allow time to study the federal-law and origination content.

You pass the SAFE MLO test by scoring at least 75% correct answers. Pennsylvania accepts passing results on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content, or on the National plus Pennsylvania State components. You may take the test three consecutive times with 30-day waits between attempts, and after a third consecutive failure you must wait at least six months before retaking it. A passing result expires after five continuous years without a license or registration.

Prepare by completing the required 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education before you sit for the exam, because the course content tracks the test: 3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours non-traditional mortgage lending, plus electives that include 3 hours of South Carolina law. Course providers can take up to 7 days to report completions into NMLS, so finish well before your test date. A passing result on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content is required before you apply.

You pass the SAFE MLO test with a score of 75% or higher. If you fail, you must wait at least 30 days before retaking, and after 3 consecutive failures you must wait at least 6 months before testing again. Tennessee accepts the National component paired with the Tennessee State component, the Stand-alone Uniform State Test, or the National Test Component with Uniform State Content.

To pass the Texas MLO exam, you must earn a passing score on the SAFE MLO National Test Component with Uniform State Content, which NMLS charges $110 to take. Most applicants complete the required pre-licensing education first: 23 hours on the SML path, made up of the 20-hour national course plus 3 hours of Texas law. If you do not pass, you must wait before retaking the test, and each retake costs $110.

Vermont requires a score of at least 75% correct answers to pass the mortgage loan originator (MLO) test. You may take the test three consecutive times, with each retake at least 30 days after the preceding test. After failing three consecutive tests, you must wait at least six months before retesting. The test covers ethics, federal and state law and regulation, and fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending topics.

Passing the SAFE MLO exam takes preparation: NMLS statistics as of December 31, 2024 show a 53% first-time pass rate. In Virginia, preparation starts with the required 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, which includes 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products.

Complete the required 22 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education first, including 4 hours of Washington law, before sitting the SAFE National Test with Uniform State Test content, which costs $110 per the NMLS fee schedule. HousingWire reports a 75% passing score and that only 53% of first-time takers pass. If you fail, you must wait 30 days before retaking the test; after three consecutive failures, you must wait at least six months.

The SAFE MLO test requires a score of at least 75% to pass, and it covers ethics, federal and state law, fraud, consumer protection, fair lending, and nontraditional mortgage products. Complete the required 24 hours of prelicensing education first, since its required subjects mirror the test content. If you fail, you may retake the test three consecutive times with each attempt at least 30 days apart; after three consecutive failures you must wait at least six months before retesting.

Wisconsin requires you to pass the SAFE test with a score of at least 75%. Wisconsin adds no separate state test component: it uses the single SAFE MLO National Test with Uniform State Content. You enroll and pay the $110 test fee through NMLS, then schedule the exam with Prometric, the NMLS-approved test administrator.

A passing score on the SAFE MLO National Test Component with Uniform State Content is at least 75%. If you fail, you may retake the test 3 consecutive times, with each retake at least 30 days after the preceding attempt. After 3 consecutive failures, a 6-month waiting period applies before you can test again.