South Carolina DCA Pre-license Training and Course Requireme

South Carolina DCA Mortgage License Requirements

Learn about the South Carolina (DCA) mortgage education requirements for mortgage licensing.

In the state of South Carolina (DCA), mortgage loan originators are required to:

1. Complete a Criminal Background Check (CBC).
2. Authorize a credit report through the NMLS.
3. Fulfill all state and federal education requirements as designated by your state agency.
4. Take and pass both National Component and South Carolina State Component Tests.

South Carolina (DCA) NMLS Pre-Licensing Education Requirements:

New state-licensed MLOs 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

South Carolina (DCA) 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 South Carolina-specific law

The deadline to complete annual CE is November 30^th.  

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 (DCA) Mortgage Licensing: 

• South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
• Phone: 803-734-4200
• Email: SCMortgageBroker@scconsumer.gov
• Website: www.consumer.sc.gov

NMLS Resources:

• South Carolina (DCA) MLO License Description Page
• Professional Standards: Mortgage Education
• Professional Standards: Criminal Background Check 
• Professional Standards: Credit Report
• Professional Standards: MLO Testing