South Carolina DCA Mortgage License Requirements
Application Requirements to become licensed in South Carolina - DCA:
| Description | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Temporary Authority to Operate Eligible | Yes |
| Application Fee | $0.00 |
| License Registration Fee | $50.00 |
| NMLS Processing Fee | $35.00 |
| Sponsorship Fee* | $25.00 |
| 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 | No |
*Note: A sponsorship request must be submitted by your employer. South Carolina DCA will review and accept or reject the sponsorship request.
South Carolina (DCA) NMLS Pre-Licensing Education Requirements:
New state-licensed MLOs and Qualified Individuals are required to complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved education. This includes:
3 hours of federal law
3 hours of ethics
2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending training
3 hours of South Carolina-specific law
9 hours of electives
Note: South Carolina has two licensing agencies for the mortgage industry. You must select SC-DCA for state-specific credit to be applied to your Mortgage Broker Loan Originator license request.
South Carolina (DCA) Continuing Education Requirements:
State-licensed MLOs and Qualified Individuals 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 South Carolina-specific law
The deadline to complete annual CE is November 30th.
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.
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs Contact Info:
Phone: 803-734-4200
Website: www.consumer.sc.gov
