California Education Note:

Every California-licensed MLO is required to complete 8 hours of NMLS approved education annually 

beginning in the year they are licensed (unless PE was completed in the same year). 

If licensed under the CA-DFPI, 1 hour of the required 8 must be CA-DFPI law. 

California Requirements for NMLS Continuing Education

As a Mortgage Loan Originator, you are required to keep up-to-date on the latest laws and regulations which will help you offer consumer protection for your clients. The National Mortgage Licensing System or, NMLS, requires that you complete Continuing Education each year. The NMLS requires at least eight hours of NMLS approved education. Some states may require more credit hours for state specific laws and regulations.

Typically, this continuing education requirement will cover items like Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Lending Issues, and other laws and regulations that pertain to Mortgage Loan Originators.

1. All California-licensed Mortgage Loan Originators must complete 8 hours of NMLS approved education annually beginning in the year they are licensed (unless PE was completed in the same year).
2. If licensed under the CA-DFPI, at least 1 hour must be NMLS approved CA-DFPI law coursework.
3. All courses must be taken through an NMLS-approved education provider and reported to the NMLS system as soon as possible after completion.
4. The course must cover topics relevant to mortgage origination activities such as Federal laws, ethics, non-traditional mortgage products, fraud prevention and detection, and more.
5. The content of these courses must meet or exceed state requirements for MLO continuing education and include all information specified by the NMLS Uniform State Content Test outline and other applicable state guidelines.
6. Any courses taken prior to license renewal will not count toward this requirement; only those completed during the current licensing cycle will count towards the annual 8-hour CE requirement.
7. Each licensed MLO is responsible for ensuring that he or she has met all requirements for continuing education on a timely basis as required by California law and regulation including keeping records of all course completions for at least 4 years after taking a course.

We recommend completing your continuing education as early as possible, as it may take a few business days to process your license renewal through the NMLS.

Each state also will have different renewal fees and requirements when submitting your renewal through the NMLS.

What is the NMLS license renewal deadline in California?

In the state of California, the National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) license renewal deadline is December 31st of each year. All licensees must have successfully completed eight hours of NMLS-approved continuing education prior to their license renewal date in order to maintain their active status. At least three hours of these eight must be related to Federal Law and Regulations, two hours must be related to Ethics, two hours must be related to Non-traditional Mortgage Lending, and the remaining one hour can cover a variety of topics.

The SMART Deadline to complete continuing education is Friday, December 8th. This is an important date for the license renewal process.

Who can provide NMLS-approved continuing education courses in California?

There are several providers of NMLS-approved continuing education courses in California. These include Mortgage Educators, anyone on the National Association of Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) approved course providers, state-licensed schools, and independent instructors.

The NMLS-approved providers offer various continuing education courses to meet the requirements for obtaining or renewing a mortgage loan originator (MLO) license in California. 

What is covered in the courses?

The SAFE Act requires Loan Officers with a state license to complete continuing education. The NMLS requires:

• Three hours of federal law and regulations
• Two hours of ethics
• Two hours of training on lending standards for nontraditional mortgages
• One hour of undefined education courses on mortgage origination

What are the State-Specific Requirements for California?

Many states require additional hours to be completed. We recommend looking at the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements Chart to see what is required for your education hours.

California requires one additional hour of state-specific education.

If you're looking at other states or territories (ex. Puerto Rico, West Virginia, South Carolina, or District of Columbia), consult the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements Chart to find out what you may also be required to complete for your annual requirement for State-Specific CE Hours.

Where can I access my Education Record?

As a mortgage professional, you can access your education through the National Mortgage Licensing System. This can tell you if you have complete any prior classes in past years, and how many hour courses may be remaining in the current calendar year.

Make sure to take courses within the same year of purchase during your NMLS reinstatement period.

Do I have to take In-Person Classes, or can I do Training Videos on an Online Self-Study Course?

You can do either in-person classes or online courses to complete your MLO continuing education. Mortgage Educators offers online courses for your education class so your real estate education can be done at your convenience.

Do all Loan Officers have to complete this education?

Yes, all Loan Officers must complete all credit hour continuing education courses. If you hold Mortgage Licenses in multiple states, there may be additional mortgage education requirements. Mortgage Educators offers online self-study courses for all states that you may be licensed in so you can take care of your additional education requirements in one easy location with our expert instructors.