In order to become a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in the state of Arizona, you’ll need to complete the following steps.
The NMLS system is used to process MLO licensing requests for all 50 states, including Arizona. Creating an account is a simple process that only takes a few minutes to complete.
If prompted, complete the security captcha and click next.
Provide the required information and submit your application.
To become a Arizona-licensed MLO you'll need to complete the required 20-hour NMLS S.A.F.E pre-licensing course, which includes 4 hours of AZ law, along with any additional coursework required by either of Arizona state licensing agency: The
Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
Required NMLS SAFE mortgage license training
All states require 20 hours of mortgage education from an NMLS approved mortgage school. If you are seeking a new mortgage license, be sure to enroll in the 20 hours SAFE course in addition to your state-specific education requirements.
Once you’ve completed your pre-license education, you’ll need to schedule an appointment to
take the National Test Component with Uniform State Content through your NMLS account. In addition, you will have to satisfy any additional testing required by the AZ DFI.
SAFE MLO national test component
The SAFE MLO exam covers federal mortgage related laws, ethics, Mortgage loan originator
activities, and general mortgage knowledge. Effective 4/5/21, test details are as follows:
120 questions (115 scored)
190 minutes
Cost: $110
Uniform State Content (UST)
The UST portion of the exam covers:
Regulatory authority, responsibilities and limitations
Definitions and documents
License law and regulation
Compliance
Arizona Department of Financial Institutions
AZ requires at least 20 hours of pre-license education and meet one of the following three conditions:
Passing results on both the National and Arizona State components of the SAFE Test, or
Passing results on both the National and stand-alone UST components of the SAFE Test, or
Passing results on the National Test Component with Uniform State Content
Once you completed the required pre-licensing courses and achieved passing scores on the National and any applicable state required tests, you will be able to apply for your mortgage loan originator license on the NMLS website.
How to apply for your Arizona MLO license:
Login in to your NMLS account.
Select the filing tab on the top of the screen.
Select Individual if applying as an individual.
Select Request New/Update.
If you’re directly responsible for the paying the filing fees, click
continue.
If you’re already employed with a mortgage company, your employer may handle this step
for you. These fees are not refundable. Check with your employer before you proceed.
Click Add to apply for your Arizona license.
Select the appropriate Arizona license and click Next.
Select the Arizona Mortgage Loan Originator license and click Next.
Verify that the information is correct and click Next.
Carefully review the final page before proceeding. Click Finish.
The SAFE act
established licensing and registration standards for all Mortgage Loan Originators. In order to receive your Arizona MLO certification, you'll need to provide the following information and pay the associated fees:
Request
Fee
Required
NMLS Processing
$30
YES
FBI CBC
$36.25
YES
Credit Report
$15
YES
FL Application
$350
YES
This non-refundable application fee does not include your License/Registration fee. Once your license application has been approved, you will receive an invoice through NMLS for your licensing fee. This fee must be paid through NMLS. Once DFI
receives your payment, your license will be issues within 72 hours. See chart below for pricing.
In order to complete the final step in becoming a fully licensed Arizona MLO your NMLS ID will need to be sponsored by a state licensed employer. AZ offers an “Approved-Inactive” license status. This means, if you are not currently employed
by a mortgage company or your employer has not requested sponsorship on your behalf, the license may be issued until sponsorship by a mortgage company is acquired.
This sponsorship tells the governing agencies that your employer will be supervising your individual license. You can submit your sponsorship through your NMLS ID. Once your employer sponsorship is associated with your NMLS ID, you'll be ready to do business as an MLO in the state of Arizona.
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