Mortgage Loan Originator Resources

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please refrain from calling the Department to ask for status updates regarding licensure. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

MLO Licensing - Getting Started:

Please note that you MUST have completed the 20 hours of pre-licensure education, passed both the National and State components of the SAFE Test, and completed fingerprinting for an FBI criminal history background check BEFORE you submit any jurisdiction specific documents to this Department.

Steps to start the MLO application process (links off-site to NMLS)
MLO SAFE Requirements Compliance Chart (links off-site to NMLS)
Pre-requisites for a Georgia MLO license (links off-site to NMLS)
Jurisdiction-Specific Requirements and Documents (links off-site to NMLS)

MLO Frequently Asked Questions - Updated 6-13-2011
Examples of Business Cards / Books & Records - Posted 10-5-2010
Confused About License Types/Requirements? - Posted 10-5-2010
PowerPoint Slides - MLO Licensing and SAFE Act - Updated 9-2010
Q&A - GRMA and SAFE Act Applicability to Real Estate Brokers - Posted 4-29-2010

Please note that the NMLSR federal registration process must be utilized if you are an employee of a bank, bank subsidiary or a credit union. As required under federal law, residential mortgage loan originators employed by banks, savings associations, credit unions, or Farm Credit System institutions must register with the registry, obtain a unique identifier from the registry, and maintain their registrations. Further information regarding the registry and the registration process is available at the registry's website: http://mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org/fedreg/Pages/default.aspx.

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RENEWALS:

The Annual License/Registration Renewal Period for 2012 has ended. A licensee/registrant that has a complete renewal application (i.e., renewal application filed, and all fines and renewal fees paid) pending through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (“NMLSR”) as of December 31, 2011, can continue to work as a mortgage loan originator, mortgage broker or mortgage lender unless and until there is a surrender/withdrawal of the license/registration or a final order of revocation is issued by the Department of Banking and Finance (“Department”).

If a mortgage license/registration was not renewed by December 31, 2011, it expired by operation of law effective January 1, 2012. Licensees/registrants that did not file for renewal before the December 31, 2011, must reapply through the NMLSR.

Please refer to articles published in previous editions of the Department’s Monthly Mortgage Summary for detailed information about the renewal timeline and process.

Licensees whose 2012 renewal submissions are approved will receive an e-mail from the Department that includes information for logging on to a secure website where they can retrieve and print their 2012 license certificates. E-mail notifications/instructions will be sent to the licensee’s primary contact.

If you have forgotten your password, please send an e-mail to dbfmort@dbf.state.ga.us and request login information for paying fines/late fees on our secure website.

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PENDING MLO APPLICATIONS:

Information is available from the NMLS Consumer Access website once the Department has taken action on an MLO application (i.e., approved, denied, revoked, suspended, expired). If you conduct a search through NMLS Consumer Access and the Department has not acted on your application, the search will return a "No Match Found" response.

Before contacting the Department, please note the following:

If your application is incomplete, you will be sent an e-mail through NMLS outlining any deficiencies or requirements that are still needed to complete it. It is imperative that your e-mail address in NMLS is accurate and that communications sent do not inadvertently get treated like Spam. Your NMLS record will show that your application is "Pending-Incomplete" until it is approved, regardless of whether we have all of your information.

Please be aware that you must submit a complete application (meaning the 20 hours of education have been obtained, both the National test and the Georgia state test have been passed, the fingerprints have been submitted through NMLS, and the jurisdiction specific documents have been received by the Department) before the Department can begin processing your application.

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NOTE: Mortgage Loan Originators who have a current and valid license may use the button/link above to access a secure site for retrieving and printing their 2012 license certificate. You will receive your login information via e-mail from the Department after your renewal or new license has been approved. If you have forgotten your password, please send an e-mail to dbfmort@dbf.state.ga.us and request login information for accessing our secure website. After a successful login, please be sure to click on the link to open the printing instructions to ensure the best quality printing of your certificate.

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