North Carolina Mortgage License Requirements
Application Requirements to become licensed in North Carolina:
| Description | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Temporary Authority to Operate Eligible | Yes |
| Application Fee | $125.00 |
| License Registration Fee | $0.00 |
| NMLS Processing Fee | $35.00 |
| Sponsorship Fee* | $0.00 |
| Credit Report Required | $15.00 |
| Criminal Background Check Required | $36.25 |
| Testing Required | Yes, passing score of 75% or higher |
| SAFE MLO Test Cost | $110.00 |
| Work Remote Allowed | Yes |
*Note: A sponsorship request must be submitted by your employer. North Carolina will review and accept or reject the sponsorship request.
Federally registered mortgage loan originators are exempt and therefore, are not eligible for licensure in the State of North Carolina.
-
Loan Originators who have an active federal registration may not obtain (or retain) a North Carolina MLO license in an approved-inactive status.
-
Loan originators whose federal registrations are going inactive within 30 days may apply for licensure in the State of North Carolina; however, the MLO state license will not be approved until the federal registration is in inactive status.
North Carolina NLMS Pre-Licensing Education Requirements:
New state-licensed MLOs are required to complete 24 hours of NMLS-approved education. This includes:
-
3 hours of federal law
-
3 hours of ethics
-
2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending
-
12 hours of electives
-
4 hours of North Carolina state-specific education
Note: The 24-hour PE must be completed within 3 years of new or subsequent license application; however, NCCOB will accept the 20hr PE education the individual completed previously (more than 3 years ago) if they hold a license with another agency and completed last year’s CE.
North Carolina Continuing Education Requirements:
State-licensed MLOs are required to complete 8 hours of NMLS-approved mortgage education annually beginning the year they are licensed (unless PE was completed in the same year). This includes:
-
3 hours of federal law
-
2 hours of ethics
-
2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending
-
1 hour of North Carolina state-specific education
MLOs are advised that to comply with the SAFE Act’s “successive years” rule, they may not take the same CE course two years in a row.
North Carolina Commissioner of Banks Office Contact Info:
-
Email: mlo@nccob.gov
-
Website: www.nccob.gov/public
