Where can I get mortgage broker training and education?

Pre-licensing education for mortgage brokers and loan originators is delivered by course providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS). NMLS itself does not offer education courses, to keep the approval process independent, but applicants search, select, and enroll in approved courses through the NMLS course catalog. The federal minimum is 20 hours, and many states add state-specific hours on top.

Training consists of 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, which Alabama allows in classroom, online, or other NMLS-approved formats. The required breakdown is 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives; Alabama requires no state-specific coursework. NMLS maintains the catalog of approved education providers on its website.

Alaska requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, made up of 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 elective hours. Alaska adds no state-specific law hours, so any NMLS-approved education provider offering the standard 20-hour SAFE course meets the requirement.

You can get the required training through any provider on the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) approved-education list. Arizona requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education that includes 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending standards, and 4 hours of Arizona law. Courses are offered in online self-paced and live webinar formats, and some providers compress the material into a few consecutive days.

Mortgage education in Arkansas runs entirely through NMLS-approved providers; the Arkansas Securities Department maintains no separate state course catalog. Prelicensing education for loan officers is 20 hours, including at least 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage products, and Arkansas adds no state-specific law hours. Courses may be taken in a classroom, online, or through other NMLS-approved means.

You complete the required 20 hours of pre-licensing education through any Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS)-approved provider, in any part of the United States. The 20 hours must include 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products. On the DFPI track, 2 hours of California law count within the 20; on the DRE endorsement track, no state-specific hours are required.

Pre-licensing education must come from schools approved by both NMLS and the Colorado Private Occupational School Board, which oversees schools serving Colorado students. The Colorado Division of Real Estate publishes its approved-education list and course-approval resources on its mortgage loan originator program pages. The 2-hour Colorado-specific course is also available as a standalone option.

You can take Connecticut's required mortgage education through any provider on the NMLS approved-education list. The state requires 21 hours of approved prelicensing education: 3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours nontraditional lending, electives, and 1 hour of Connecticut law. Officers and partners of a mortgage broker company must hold an individual mortgage loan originator license if they meet the statutory definition.

Delaware's 20-hour pre-licensing education must come from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), and approved courses are commonly offered online. The required hours are 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. Delaware accepts education approved for any other state as credit toward its own requirement, and it requires no instruction on Delaware-specific law.

In DC, mortgage education must come from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), and many approved providers deliver the full curriculum online. Individual loan originators complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, including 3 hours of DC law, before applying through NMLS. DC licenses mortgage brokers and lenders as companies separately; the education requirement applies to the individual originators they sponsor.

Mortgage broker training in Florida runs through providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS), which publishes the list of approved providers and courses. An individual needs 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education, including a minimum of 2 hours on Florida law and rules. A company seeking the broker license takes a different path: it files through NMLS, pays a $425 application fee, and designates a principal loan originator with at least 1 year of mortgage experience.

Georgia requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education from an NMLS-approved provider, and the state adds no Georgia-specific hours beyond the standard national course. The coursework covers 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 elective hours. NMLS maintains the approved-provider list in its Resource Center, and the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance publishes the state's education and testing guidance.

Hawaii accepts pre-licensing education from any provider whose course is approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS). Courses may be offered in a classroom, online, or by any other means NMLS approves. The required course is 20 hours and includes 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, and 3 hours of Hawaii state law and rules. A course NMLS approved for another state also counts toward Hawaii's requirement.

Mortgage education in Idaho is delivered through NMLS-approved course providers. To qualify for the state Mortgage Loan Originator License, you must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 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. Providers may take up to 7 days to report a course completion into NMLS, so finish early.

Pre-license education must come from NMLS-approved providers and totals 20 hours: 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. After licensure, 8 hours of NMLS-approved continuing education are required each year, with providers reporting completions within 7 days.

Pre-licensing education comes from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS); the NMLS website lists approved courses, which you can take online or in person, and course prices vary by provider. Indiana requires 20 hours: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage products, and electives, with no Indiana-specific hours on the Department of Financial Institutions track. The Secretary of State track adds 2 hours of Indiana content within the 20 hours.

You can complete the required education through any provider on NMLS's approved-education list. Iowa requires at least 20 hours of prelicensing education, including 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products. Iowa adds no state-specific hours, and prelicensing education approved by NMLS for any other state counts toward Iowa's requirement.

You complete the required 20 hours of prelicensing education through providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), and each course must also be approved by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC) before credit is granted. The 20 hours must include 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives.

Your prelicensing education must come from a provider approved through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS). Kentucky requires 20 hours: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives, with no Kentucky-specific hours added. The Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions accepts these NMLS-approved courses for registration.

Pre-licensing courses come from providers reviewed and approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS); you can browse options in the NMLS Master Course Catalog. Louisiana requires 20 hours (3 federal law, 3 ethics, 2 non-traditional lending, and 12 elective hours) and adds no state-specific hours. Pre-licensing education completed and NMLS-approved for any other state counts toward Louisiana's requirement.

Maine requires 20 hours of prelicensing education approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), with no Maine-specific hours added on top. You can take approved courses in a classroom, online, or by any other delivery method NMLS approves. Courses offered by an employer or its affiliate also count if NMLS approves them.

All mortgage prelicensing education in Maryland must come from a provider approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS); Maryland stopped approving courses and providers itself on January 1, 2010. Courses may be taken in a classroom, online, or any other format NMLS approves, and an employer may provide an approved course. NMLS maintains the catalog of approved courses you can search.

Education must come from a provider approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS). Massachusetts requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-license education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of Massachusetts law. The Massachusetts content can be met through either a comprehensive Massachusetts course or a state-specific elective.

Minnesota accepts only NMLS-approved prelicensing education, so select a provider from the NMLS approved-education list. The required 20 hours can be taken in a classroom, online, or another NMLS-approved format, and employer-provided courses are permitted. Prelicensing education completed under another state's NMLS-approved requirements counts toward Minnesota's requirement.

Mortgage education in Mississippi comes from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS). Individuals seeking a loan originator license take the required 20-hour prelicensing course, including 4 hours of Mississippi S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act law, from an NMLS-approved provider in classroom or online formats. The state regulator, the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance, handles all mortgage licensing through NMLS.

Missouri requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicensing education, and the state's approved-provider list on the NMLS site is where you find qualifying courses. Courses may be classroom, online, or another NMLS-approved format, and employer-provided courses are permitted. The 20 hours break down as 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage products, and 12 hours of electives.

Montana mortgage education is available through NMLS-approved course providers, which you can locate through the NMLS course catalog. The state requires 20 hours of prelicensing education, with the 2 Montana-specific hours counted inside that total. Prelicensing education approved by NMLS for any other state counts toward Montana's requirement.

Mortgage education in Nebraska comes from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), which you can find through the state's approved-education list on the NMLS site. Pre-licensing education totals 22 hours, including 2 hours of Nebraska-specific law. Nebraska also accepts pre-licensing education completed for any other state toward its requirement.

Nevada requires all pre-licensing education to come from NMLS-approved providers, which you can find through the NMLS course catalog on the NMLS website. The state requires 30 hours for initial licensure: 3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours non-traditional mortgage lending, 18 hours of electives, and 4 hours of Nevada law, satisfied by either a Nevada comprehensive course or a state-specific elective. Approved courses may also be provided by your employer or its affiliates.

Pre-licensure education is delivered by NMLS-approved providers, whose course catalog is available through the NMLS system. To qualify for a New Hampshire license, complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved education, which must include 2 hours of New Hampshire law. You can satisfy the 2 state-law hours with either a New Hampshire comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

You can get New Jersey mortgage education from any provider on the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) approved-education list. New Jersey requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, and 4 of those hours must cover New Jersey-specific law. Course prices and formats vary by provider.

Pre-licensure education comes from NMLS-approved providers, and New Mexico requires 20 hours: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage lending, 9 hours of electives, and 3 hours of New Mexico law. The state hours can be met with a New Mexico comprehensive course or a state-specific elective course.

Mortgage education comes from course providers approved through NMLS. New York requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, including 3 hours of New York law; MLOs with less than four years of experience must take the courses in a live classroom, fully interactive video or audio conference, or comprehension-gated format. For continuing education, New York requires 11 hours annually, including 3 hours of New York-specific content. Course providers may take up to seven days to report completions into NMLS, so finishing early avoids renewal delays.

You must take pre-licensing education through a provider approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS), as required by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 53-244.070. North Carolina requires 24 hours: 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. NMLS publishes a searchable list of approved course providers and their courses.

Mortgage broker and loan originator education comes from NMLS-approved providers. Ohio requires at least 24 hours of 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 lending law. You can search the approved course list through NMLS.

Oklahoma's Mortgage Broker License is a company-level credential with no pre-licensure education prerequisite. The education requirement attaches to the individual Mortgage Loan Originator License: 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education, including 1 hour of Oklahoma-specific law. Courses are available from providers on the NMLS approved-education list for Oklahoma.

Oregon requires 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education: 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage products, 8 hours of electives, and 4 hours of Oregon law. You can take these courses from any provider on the NMLS-approved education catalog, and the Oregon content may be satisfied by either a comprehensive course or a state-specific elective.

The required education is available from any NMLS-approved course provider, in formats including online self-paced, video, live classroom, and webinar. Pennsylvania requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education including 3 hours of Pennsylvania-specific law, which you can satisfy through either a comprehensive Pennsylvania course or a state-specific elective. If you completed pre-licensing education for another state's license, Pennsylvania accepts it as credit except for the 3-hour Pennsylvania law portion.

You take pre-licensing education through providers approved in the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) course catalog. South Carolina requires 20 hours total, including 3 hours of state-specific law, which you can satisfy with a comprehensive course or a state-specific elective. Because the state has two licensing agencies, select the track that matches your employer: Board of Financial Institutions (BFI) content for lender-employed originators, or Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) content for mortgage broker loan originators.

You complete your 20 hours of pre-licensing education through NMLS-approved course providers. Tennessee requires the 20 hours to include 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage lending, 10 elective hours, and 2 hours of Tennessee state-specific law. The Tennessee hours may be satisfied with a comprehensive Tennessee course or a state-specific elective.

Pre-licensing education must come from NMLS-approved providers, and you can find approved courses through the NMLS Resource Center. For a license through the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, you need 23 hours: the standard 20-hour SAFE course plus 3 hours on Texas law, rules, and practice. The 3-hour Texas requirement can be met with a 23-hour comprehensive course or a 20-hour course plus a 3-hour Texas elective. An Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner license requires only the standard 20 hours.

Education comes from approved providers listed on the state's approved-education resources. The 20 hours of national prelicensing education must come from an NMLS-approved provider, and the Utah-specific education must be completed at a Utah-approved mortgage pre-licensing school, which banks your hours to your NMLS record. Course providers may take up to 7 days to report a completion into NMLS, so allow time before applying.

You can take the required 20 hours of Virginia pre-licensing education through any Registry-approved provider, and courses may be delivered in a classroom, online, or by another approved means. Your employer or an affiliated entity may also deliver the coursework. When choosing, use the NMLS catalog of approved courses.

Pre-licensing education comes from providers approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS); the NMLS Resource Center lists the approved providers and courses. Washington requires 22 hours, including 4 hours of Washington law, offered both online and in classroom, with prices varying by provider. If you plan to serve as a brokerage's Designated Broker, you must also pass the Washington Designated Broker Test.

West Virginia requires 24 hours of approved prelicensing education, including 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending, and 4 hours on West Virginia law. Courses are reviewed and approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) or the West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions, and may be taken in a classroom, online, or another approved format. Your employer or an affiliated entity may also provide the education.

Pre-licensing education comes from NMLS-approved providers, which you can find through the NMLS Resource Center for Wisconsin. Wisconsin requires only the standard 20 hours (3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours nontraditional mortgage products, plus electives), with no state-specific course. Prices vary by provider and format, with premium webinar packages that include exam prep costing more than standard online courses.

Complete at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education before submitting your application. Wyoming requires 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 2 hours on non-traditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. You can find approved providers on the state's approved-education list through NMLS.