Uniform State Content
Uniform State Content starts with who needs a license and what it takes to get and keep one. These questions are pure rules with numbers: 20 hours, 75%, 30 days, 6 months, 7 years, 8 hours, 5 years and 120 days.
Uniform State Content4 min read8 sections
The SAFE Act (Title V of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, 12 U.S.C. 5101-5117) set minimum standards that every state adopted, mostly through the CSBS/AARMR Model State Law. Regulation G covers federally registered originators; Regulation H covers state licensing standards. The Uniform State Content section (11% of the test) draws heavily on these rules.
| Person | Status |
|---|---|
| Takes applications and offers or negotiates terms for pay | Loan originator: license or registration required |
| Employee of a bank, credit union or their regulated subsidiary | Registered loan originator (Regulation G) |
| Employee processor or underwriter doing clerical work under supervision | Not an MLO |
| Independent contractor processor or underwriter | Must hold an MLO license (Model State Law) |
| Licensed real estate agent paid only by the real estate side | Not an MLO unless paid by a lender, broker or originator |
| Someone negotiating for an immediate family member, or financing the sale of their own former residence | Exempt under the Model State Law |
Every note. Every question. One pass.
6 more sections of this note are part of Premium.
From about US$8.25/mo on the Until-you-pass pass (12 months)
At least 20 hours of NMLS-approved education: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 3 hours of ethics (including fraud, consumer protection and fair lending), 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending, and 12 hours of electives. States may add state-specific hours. Source: 12 U.S.C. 5104(c), checked 11 Oct 2026.
At least 8 hours a year: 3 hours of federal law and regulations, 2 hours of ethics, 2 hours on nontraditional mortgage lending, and 1 elective hour. Many states add state-specific hours on top. Source: 12 U.S.C. 5105(b), checked 11 Oct 2026.
75% of the scored questions. The SAFE Act sets the 75% minimum, and NMLS reports the test as 120 questions, of which 115 are scored, in 190 minutes. Source: 12 U.S.C. 5104(d)(3)(A) and the NMLS test handbook, checked 11 Oct 2026.
Yes, if you go five years or longer without a valid state license you must retake the test. Time spent registered as a federal MLO does not count toward the five years. Source: 12 U.S.C. 5104(d)(3), checked 11 Oct 2026.
Every originator gets a permanent NMLS unique identifier that never changes, whatever the employer or state.
