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Occupational licensing · Finance · 51 state boards

Mortgage Loan Originator Licensing Requirements by State

Mortgage Loan Originator licensing rules differ by state. This registry compares education hours, initial and renewal fees, exams, background checks and reciprocity notes across 51 boards. Its source trail records the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) compilation and responsible boards. Use the table to compare differences, then verify the current rule with the responsible board before applying.

Mortgage Loan Originator across 51 state boards. Nearest coverage peers (51-state band): Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Debt Collector, Insurance Agent.

By ·Compiled from official state licensing boards

States regulated
51
Avg initial fee
$361
Require an exam
100%
Avg education hours
20
View saved licenses

Board Pathway Strip

Mortgage Loan Originator: 51 boards · ~20 avg pre-licensure hrs · exam on 100% · background check on 100% · avg first fee $361. Same-lane boards: Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Debt Collector, Insurance Agent.

Mortgage Loan Originator20 hrsChauffeur / Limousine Driver18 hrsPest Control Applicator18 hrsProcess Server26 hrsFood Handler / Food Safety C…3 hrs
Pre-licensure hour neighbourhood for Mortgage Loan Originator

Helps borrowers obtain home loans. Requires SAFE MLO Test.

Mortgage Loan Originator initial fees swing $30 (NH) to $740 (CA), a $710 spread across 51 boards ; Certified Public Accountant (CPA) often lands on a different fee band.

Board thresholds for Mortgage Loan Originator drift board-to-board; the same pattern shows up on Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Debt Collector in finance. Methodology notes live on our methods page.

Mortgage Loan Originator states

51

Coverage band near Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Mortgage Loan Originator edu hrs

20 hrs

Contrast with Debt Collector

Mortgage Loan Originator first fee

$361

Fee shape vs Insurance Agent

Board gates for Mortgage Loan Originator: exam on 51/51 (100%), background check on 51/51 (100%) , CE on 51/51 (avg 8 hrs/cycle) . Stack that against Certified Public Accountant (CPA) / Debt Collector before calling this license soft or hard.

Training-hour peers beyond finance

Coverage band

Hour load

Cheapest vs priciest jurisdiction for Mortgage Loan Originator

A $710 fee spread for the same credential

Initial licensing fees in New Hampshire ($ 30) and California ($ 740) bracket the field, a 24.7× spread for identical practice rights.

NH

New Hampshire

$30 initial licensing fee
Renewal cycle
1 year

CA

California

$740 initial licensing fee
Renewal cycle
1 year

Mortgage Loan Originator boards vs Certified Public Accountant (CPA) / Debt Collector - state table

51 states
State Edu. Hours Exam Init. Fee Renewal Cycle CE Hrs Same-board peer
Alabama 20 Yes $254 $176 1 yr 8 Also Food Handler / Food Safety Certification · Home Inspector
Alaska 20 Yes $137 $100 1 yr 8 Also Fire Sprinkler Installer · Home Health Aide
Arizona 20 Yes $629 $421 1 yr 8 Also Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) · Mobile Home Installer
Arkansas 20 Yes $205 $144 1 yr 8 Also Home Health Aide · Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
California 20 Yes $740 $494 1 yr 8 Also Notary Public · Pesticide Applicator (Commercial)
Colorado 20 Yes $643 $430 1 yr 8 Also Private Investigator · Real Estate Broker
Connecticut 20 Yes $516 $348 1 yr 8 Also Radiologic Technologist · School Bus Driver
Delaware 20 Yes $429 $290 1 yr 8 Also Real Estate Broker · School Librarian / Media Specialist
District of Columbia 20 Yes $443 $299 1 yr 8 Also Radiologic Technologist · School Bus Driver
Florida 20 Yes $478 $322 1 yr 8 Also Dental Assistant · Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
Georgia 20 Yes $361 $246 1 yr 8 Also Elevator Installer · General Contractor
Hawaii 20 Yes $598 $401 1 yr 8 Also Medical Lab Technician · Painter (Contractor)
Idaho 20 Yes $127 $94 1 yr 8 Also Pharmacy Technician · Professional Engineer (PE)
Illinois 20 Yes $692 $462 1 yr 8 Also Professional Geologist · Respiratory Therapist
Indiana 20 Yes $341 $233 1 yr 8 Also Radiologic Technologist · School Bus Driver
Iowa 20 Yes $166 $119 1 yr 8 Also Pest Control Applicator · Plumber
Kansas 20 Yes $156 $113 1 yr 8 Also Commercial Truck Driver (CDL) · Electrician
Kentucky 20 Yes $225 $157 1 yr 8 Also Dietetic Technician · Farrier / Horseshoer
Louisiana 20 Yes $555 $373 1 yr 8 Also Childcare Center Director · Dietetic Technician
Maine 20 Yes $49 $43 1 yr 8 Also Hearing Aid Specialist · Landscape Architect
Maryland 20 Yes $507 $341 1 yr 8 Also Hair Braider · Land Surveyor
Massachusetts 20 Yes $487 $329 1 yr 8 Also Funeral Director / Embalmer · HVAC Technician
Michigan 20 Yes $371 $252 1 yr 8 Also Insurance Agent · Locksmith
Minnesota 20 Yes $283 $195 1 yr 8 Also Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) · Mobile Home Installer
Mississippi 20 Yes $244 $170 1 yr 8 Also Medical Assistant · Optometrist
Missouri 20 Yes $273 $189 1 yr 8 Also Licensed Professional Counselor · Nail Technician
Montana 20 Yes $575 $386 1 yr 8 Also Medical Lab Technician · Painter (Contractor)
Nebraska 20 Yes $147 $106 1 yr 8 Also Nail Technician · Pest Control Applicator
Nevada 20 Yes $670 $448 1 yr 8 Also Professional Engineer (PE) · Registered Nurse
New Hampshire 20 Yes $30 $30 1 yr 8 Also Optician (Dispensing) · Pharmacy Technician
New Jersey 20 Yes $497 $335 1 yr 8 Also Painter (Contractor) · Physical Therapist
New Mexico 20 Yes $585 $392 1 yr 8 Also Pesticide Applicator (Commercial) · Private Investigator
New York 20 Yes $454 $307 1 yr 8 Also Radiologic Technologist · School Bus Driver
North Carolina 20 Yes $351 $240 1 yr 8 Also Medical Lab Technician · Painter (Contractor)
North Dakota 20 Yes $108 $81 1 yr 8 Also Mobile Home Installer · Paramedic
Ohio 20 Yes $400 $271 1 yr 8 Also Radiologic Technologist · School Bus Driver
Oklahoma 20 Yes $176 $125 1 yr 8 Also Registered Dietitian / Nutritionist · Secondary School Teacher
Oregon 20 Yes $707 $472 1 yr 8 Also Secondary School Teacher · Tattoo Artist
Pennsylvania 20 Yes $439 $297 1 yr 8 Also Secondary School Teacher · Tattoo Artist
Rhode Island 20 Yes $565 $379 1 yr 8 Also Farrier / Horseshoer · Hearing Aid Specialist
South Carolina 20 Yes $186 $132 1 yr 8 Also Insurance Agent · Locksmith
South Dakota 20 Yes $88 $68 1 yr 8 Also Interior Designer · Marriage and Family Therapist
Tennessee 20 Yes $302 $208 1 yr 8 Also Private Investigator · Real Estate Broker
Texas 20 Yes $409 $278 1 yr 8 Also Respiratory Therapist · Septic System Installer
Utah 20 Yes $234 $163 1 yr 8 Also Tax Preparer · Animal Breeder
Vermont 20 Yes $59 $49 1 yr 8 Also Certified Nurse-Midwife · Debt Collector
Virginia 20 Yes $322 $221 1 yr 8 Also Surgical Technologist · Water Well Driller
Washington 20 Yes $614 $411 1 yr 8 Also Body Piercer · Cosmetologist
West Virginia 20 Yes $234 $163 1 yr 8 Also Food Handler / Food Safety Certification · Home Inspector
Wisconsin 20 Yes $264 $182 1 yr 8 Also Court Reporter / Stenographer · Elementary School Teacher
Wyoming 20 Yes $69 $55 1 yr 8 Also Glazier · Interior Designer
Data sourced from NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), and state licensing board websites. For informational purposes only; not professional licensing advice. Verify current requirements with your state board before making career decisions.

Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. Mortgage Loan Originator requirements from NCSL and state board schedules: 51 rows, no hand-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.