What courses do I need to take to become a mortgage loan officer?

You must complete at least 20 hours of pre-licensing education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), including 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of other mortgage origination instruction. Many states add state-specific law hours: Texas requires 3, New York 3, and Washington 4. The coursework must be completed before you apply for a license, and it expires if you do not obtain or maintain a license within 3 years.

You must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensure education: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. Alabama does not require any instruction on state-specific law, so any NMLS-approved course meeting the federal 3/3/2 requirements counts toward the Alabama requirement. Courses may be delivered in a classroom, online, or through other NMLS-approved means.

Alaska requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education before you can apply for a mortgage loan originator license. The hours break down as 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (including fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 elective hours. Alaska adds no state-specific course content.

Arizona requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, completed within the 3-year period before you apply. The 20 hours must include 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 4 hours of Arizona law, with the remaining 8 hours covering topics such as lending principles, loan origination, and mortgage arithmetic. The 4 Arizona-law hours count within the 20-hour total, not on top of it.

You must complete a 20-hour NMLS-approved prelicensing course: at least 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 elective hours. Arkansas adds no state-specific law hours beyond the national 20, and it accepts NMLS-approved prelicensing education completed for any other state as credit.

To become a mortgage loan originator in California you need 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education. On the DFPI track, the 20 hours are 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage products, 10 hours of electives, and 2 hours of California law. On the DRE endorsement track there is no state-specific hour: 3 federal law, 3 ethics, 2 nontraditional, and 12 elective hours. Real estate license continuing education cannot be counted toward the requirement.

Colorado requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education before you apply. The breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 2 hours of Colorado state-specific electives, and 10 hours of general electives. The 2 hours of Colorado-specific content may be completed as a standalone course, and it requires a final exam with a passing score of 75%.

You must complete 21 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education: 3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics (including fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours nontraditional mortgage lending, electives, and 1 hour of Connecticut-specific law. The Connecticut hour can be satisfied by a comprehensive Connecticut course or a state-specific elective. If you do not obtain a loan originator license within 3 years of finishing, you must retake the education.

You need 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on lending standards for nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. Delaware requires no state-specific course hours and accepts education approved for any other state. After licensing, you must complete at least 8 hours of continuing education each year, due by December 1.

To become a mortgage loan officer in DC, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of DC law, with the DC hours included in the 20-hour total. The 3 DC-law hours may be satisfied by either a DC comprehensive course or a DC state-specific elective course.

You must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education, which includes 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 2 hours of Florida law, and 10 hours of electives. Florida counts the 2 Florida-law hours within the 20-hour total. After the coursework, you must pass the SAFE MLO test before filing your application.

To become a licensed mortgage loan officer in Georgia, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (including fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Georgia adds no state-specific course requirement. The education expires after 3 consecutive years without a valid license or federal registration.

You need 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education. The required content includes 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of Hawaii state law and rules, 3 hours of ethics covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending, and 2 hours on lending standards for nontraditional mortgage products. The 3 hours of state law count within the 20 hours, not on top of them.

Before applying, complete at least 20 hours of pre-licensure education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS): 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 2 hours of Idaho law, and 10 hours of electives. The 2 Idaho hours count within the 20-hour total. After licensing, you must complete 8 hours of continuing education each year.

You must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Illinois adds no state-specific hours beyond this national baseline.

You must complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives on the DFI track. On the Secretary of State track, 2 of those hours must cover Indiana law. After licensing, you take 8 hours of continuing education each year.

You must complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education, including at minimum 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending, and 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products. Iowa adds no state-specific hours, so any NMLS-approved course satisfies the requirement. The education must be completed during the 3 years before you apply.

Kansas requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics (including fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on lending standards for nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. Each course must be approved by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner or its designee before credit is granted. Kansas adds no hours beyond the national 20-hour requirement.

Kentucky requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education before you submit your loan originator application: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Kentucky adds no state-specific hours beyond the standard federal course, and the commissioner may accept education completed in another state if it met the same requirements.

You need 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Louisiana adds no state-specific hours to the national requirement.

Maine requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. After licensing, you must complete 8 hours of continuing education each year, split 3/2/2/1 across federal law, ethics, non-traditional lending, and an elective, and you cannot repeat the same course in successive years.

Maryland requires 20 hours of prelicensing education from a provider approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS). The breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 3 hours of Maryland mortgage law, 2 hours of Maryland finder's fee law, and 7 hours of electives.

You need 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours on Massachusetts law and regulations, including state consumer protection laws. The 3 Massachusetts hours may be satisfied by either a Massachusetts comprehensive course or a state-specific elective. The education generally expires after 3 years of not holding a federal registration or a license in any jurisdiction.

Michigan requires 20 hours of Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS)-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 10 hours of electives, and 2 hours of Michigan-specific law within the 20-hour total. The Michigan content can be satisfied by either a Michigan comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

You must complete 20 hours of pre-license education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS): 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 elective hours. Minnesota adds no state-specific hours. Courses may be taken online or in a classroom, and education completed under another state's NMLS-approved requirements counts toward Minnesota's requirement.

You must complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education. The 20 hours must include 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 4 hours on the Mississippi S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act. Courses must come from providers approved by NMLS.

Missouri requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. Missouri adds no state-specific hours beyond this SAFE Act baseline. Courses may be classroom, online, or another NMLS-approved format, and 20 hours completed and approved for another state satisfies Missouri's requirement.

You must complete 20 hours of prelicensing education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS): 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 2 hours of Montana-specific law, and elective coursework to fill the remaining hours. The 2 Montana-specific hours may be satisfied with a Montana comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course, and education approved by NMLS for any other state is accepted in Montana.

Nebraska requires 22 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education before you submit your application: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives, plus 2 hours of Nebraska-specific law. You can satisfy the Nebraska-specific hours through a Nebraska comprehensive course or a state-specific elective.

To become an MLO in Nevada you must complete 30 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 4 hours of Nevada law and regulations, and 18 hours of electives. The 4 Nevada-law hours can be satisfied with either a Nevada comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course. Nevada's total of 30 hours exceeds the SAFE Act's 20-hour minimum by 10 hours.

To become a licensed New Hampshire mortgage loan originator, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education. The 20 hours comprise 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 10 hours of electives, with 2 of those hours covering New Hampshire law. You can satisfy the state-law portion through a New Hampshire comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

You need 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, which includes the 4 hours of New Jersey-specific law within the total. The breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, 8 hours of electives, and 4 hours of New Jersey law. You must complete the coursework before submitting your Form MU4 application.

New Mexico requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of New Mexico law. The 3 New Mexico hours count inside the 20-hour total and can be satisfied with either a New Mexico comprehensive course or a state-specific elective.

New York requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, 9 elective hours, and 3 hours of New York law. MLOs with fewer than four years of experience must complete the courses in a live classroom, a fully interactive video or audio conference, or a comprehension-gated format rather than passive online study. New York-specific education cannot be older than three years from the application date.

North Carolina requires 24 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education completed within 3 years before your application: 3 hours of federal statutes and regulations, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 12 hours of electives, and 4 hours of North Carolina statutes and rules. If you hold a valid MLO license in another state, you receive credit for the 20 non-state hours if your continuing education is current, but the 4-hour North Carolina course is still required.

You must complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education before submitting your application. The required breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. North Dakota adds no state-specific hours beyond this national 20-hour package, and prelicensing education that NMLS approved for another state counts toward the North Dakota requirement.

Ohio requires 24 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 12 hours of electives, and 4 hours of Ohio law under the Ohio Residential Mortgage Lending Act. You must complete the coursework before submitting your license application. Education credit expires 5 years after you obtain it, and the application must be approved before that clock resets.

Oklahoma requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 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 state-specific law. The Oklahoma hour counts within the 20 total hours, not in addition to them. After you are licensed, you must complete 8 hours of NMLS-approved continuing education each year to renew.

Oregon requires 20 hours of pre-licensure education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) before you apply: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of lending standards for nontraditional mortgage products, 4 hours of Oregon laws and rules, plus electives. The education expires if 3 years pass without holding a mortgage loan originator license or registration in any jurisdiction, so plan to apply within that window.

You must complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, including 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of Pennsylvania law. The 3 Pennsylvania hours are included within the 20, and you can satisfy them with either a Pennsylvania comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

Rhode Island requires 20 total hours of NMLS-approved prelicensure education, and the 3 hours of Rhode Island law are included inside the 20: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of Rhode Island law. The state hours may be satisfied by either a Rhode Island comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course. No hours are required beyond the 20.

You must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, including 3 hours on South Carolina law. The standard breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, and 9 hours of electives, plus the 3 hours of state-specific content. The state hours may be met with either a comprehensive course or a state-specific elective, and you must select the version that matches your future employer's regulator: SC-BFI for lenders or SC-DCA for brokers. You must also pass the SAFE test with Uniform State Content before applying.

To become a mortgage loan originator in Tennessee, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, including 2 hours of Tennessee state-specific law. The required hours cover 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, with the remainder as electives. The Tennessee law hours sit inside the 20-hour total and may be satisfied through a Tennessee comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

The Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending requires 23 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: the 20-hour SAFE course (3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours non-traditional lending, 12 hours of electives) plus 3 hours on Texas laws, rules, and practice. You can meet the Texas requirement with a 23-hour comprehensive course or a 20-hour course plus a 3-hour Texas elective. Education taken in another state counts only for SAFE-compliant hours, and the coursework must be completed within 3 years before you apply.

To become a Utah mortgage loan originator, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. If you apply through the Utah Division of Real Estate, you must also complete 5 hours of Utah-specific pre-license education from a Utah-approved Mortgage Pre-Licensing School. If you apply through the Utah Department of Financial Institutions, there is no state-specific education requirement.

Vermont requires 20 hours of Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) approved pre-licensing education, including at least 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 2 hours of Vermont law and regulations; the remainder is elective. Education completed for another state under NMLS-approved requirements counts toward Vermont's federal components.

Virginia requires only the standard 20 hours of pre-licensing education from an NMLS-approved provider: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (covering fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives. Virginia adds no state-specific hours. Coursework can be delivered in a classroom, online, or by another Registry-approved method, and expired courses do not count toward the 20 hours.

To become a mortgage loan officer in Washington, you must complete 22 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 4 hours of Washington law, with the remainder as electives. SAFE-required hours completed for any state earn credit in every state, so only the 4 hours of Washington law are state-specific.

You must complete at least 24 hours of approved prelicensing education: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 4 hours on West Virginia mortgage and consumer laws, and 12 hours of additional approved coursework. West Virginia's total exceeds the 20-hour federal minimum because of the 4 state-specific hours.

You must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours on federal law and regulations, 3 hours on ethics, 2 hours on lending standards for nontraditional mortgage products, and the remaining hours as mortgage-industry electives. Wisconsin adds no state-specific course, so any NMLS-approved 20-hour course meets the requirement. After licensing, you complete 8 hours of continuing education each year by December 31.

Wyoming requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (including fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending), 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Wyoming adds no state-specific education hours beyond this national baseline.