In order to become a licensed Mortgage Loan Originator in the state of Maryland, you’ll need to complete the following steps.
The NMLS system is used to process MLO licensing requests for all 50 states, including Maryland. 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 Maryland-licensed MLO you'll need to complete the required 20-hour NMLS S.A.F.E pre-licensing course, which must include 5 hours of Maryland content, along with any additional coursework required by the Maryland state licensing agency:
Commissioner of Financial Regulation.
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.
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
Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation
Maryland requires at least 20 hours of pre-license education and meet one of the following three conditions:
Passing results on both the National and Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland license.
Select the appropriate Maryland license and click Next.
Select the Maryland 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 Maryland MLO certification, you'll need to provide the following information and pay the associated fees:
In order to complete the final step in becoming a fully licensed Maryland MLO your NMLS ID will need to be sponsored by a state licensed employer. This sponsorship tells the governing agencies that your employer will be supervising your individual license. You can submit your sponsorship through your NMLS ID.
If you are not currently employed by a mortgage company (as shown on the employment history), the license will be issued as “Approved-Inactive” until sponsorship by a licensed or exempt mortgage lender is provided. A licensee is not authorized to engage in mortgage loan origination activities with an “Approved-Inactive” status. The “Approved Inactive” status indicates that the licensee meets all licensing requirements of the Maryland Mortgage Originator law except employment, but will be able to originate loans once the sponsorship is submitted and approved through the NMLS.
Once your employer sponsorship is associated with your NMLS ID, you'll be ready to do business as an MLO in the state of Maryland.
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