Washington Mortgage License Requirements
Application Requirements to become licensed in Washington:
| Description | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Temporary Authority to Operate Eligible | Yes |
| Application Fee | $125.00 |
| License Registration Fee | $0.00 |
| NMLS Processing Fee | $35.00 |
| Sponsorship Fee* | $50.00 |
| 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: Employer submits sponsorship request after application submission.
Washington NMLS Pre-Licensing Education Requirements:
New state-licensed MLOs are required to complete 22 hours of NMLS-approved education. This includes:
3 hours of federal law
3 hours of ethics
2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending training
10 hours of electives
4 hours of Washington state-specific education
Washington Continuing Education Requirements:
State-licensed MLOs are required to complete 9 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 electives
1 hour of Washington state-specific education
The deadline to complete annual CE is December 15th.
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.
Washington Department of Financial Institutions:
Phone: 360-902-8703
Email: MortgageLicensing@dfi.wa.gov
Website: www.dfi.wa.gov
