Not ready to start thinking about mortgage CE?  Can’t blame you, but here’s a quick update… 

The NMLS has approved five new online CE courses for ProSchools. The courses are intended for mortgage loan originators, meet S.A.F.E. Act requirements, and are all National courses.  Topics and hours:
• 7 Hour SAFE Core
• 8 Hour SAFE Core
• 3 Hour Federal Mortgage Laws CE
• 2 Hour Lending Ethics CE
• 2 Hour Nontraditional Mortgage Products CE.

In addition, ProSchools has an 8 Hour PA SAFE Comprehensive CE and 1 Hour PA Mortgage Lending Laws Compliance CE. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s 2010 and meeting the NMLS education requirements and passing the SAFE exam appears to be in full swing. Lots of phone calls and lots of questions.  End of year was busy for ProSchools getting loan originators banked with the NMLS, but it went amazingly smooth.

According to the NMLS, there are several states with immediate deadlines approaching.  Here is a quick look at those states: Read the rest of this entry »

ProSchools just received NMLS-approval to offer District of Columbia loan originators the 20-hour SAFE course. 

The 20-hour DC SAFE Comprehensive course satisfies the education required by the District of Columbia’s DISB. We’ve included the required 3 hours of DC Law in the course. Mortgage license applicants must also pass the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test – both the state and national components. For those licensed in multiple states (and have already completed 20 hours & passed the National Test), they would only need to take the 3 hours of DC Law and pass the state component of the SAFE Test. Read the rest of this entry »

ProSchools has started getting calls from New York loan originators, starting to feel the pressure. New York is a big state, so it’s good that LOs are starting to ask questions.  We just got the 20 hour New York SAFE Comprehensive course approved, plus we received approval for 3 hours of New York Law. The 20 hour course contains the 3 hours of NY Law. If someone has completed their NMLS education for another state, that person would only need to take the 3 hour NY Law course and pass the NY component of the SAFE Test.

Here is a quick look at New York loan originator requirements:

• Article 12-E of the New York Banking Law requires Mortgage Loan Originators to be licensed. To be licensed, you must: Complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicense education. The education must include a minimum of 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, 3 hours of New York law and 2 hour related to nontraditional mortgage products. Read the rest of this entry »
  Tags: New York Banking Department, New York loan originator, New York mortgage loans, NMLS, NMLS approved provider, NMLS education, SAFE Act, SAFE Test

Looks like starting January 4, 2010, the California Department of Corporations will implement Senate Bill 36, getting California mortgage originators in compliance with the SAFE Act passed in 2008.  The SAFE Act requires all mortgage loan originators to be licensed through the NMLS. 

Who needs the license?  Anyone who provides services as a mortgage loan originator in California needs to apply for and get a license by July 31, 2010. We’re told there’s an estimated 45-50,000 people needing to get licensed. Read the rest of this entry »

ProSchools is starting to sense some end-of-year alarm from loan originators, with Pennsylvania and New Hampshire’s deadline fast approaching, December 31.  At the same time, we are preparing for the next big wave to hit the NMLS front –Georgia, by end of March, and then New Jersey by April 30, 2009. 

According to a table on the Conference of State Bank Supervisor’s website, the number of Mortgage Loan Originators (MLOs) in New Jersey likely needing the NMLS education and SAFE test is estimated at over 22,000. Quite a large group! Of course not everyone will maintain their license.

Here’s a summary of the New Jersey NMLS education and testing requirements, plus deadlines. They fall into three categories:
•New loan originator applicants on or after January 4, 2010 will need to complete the education and pass both the National and New Jersey components of the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator test prior to applying.
•Existing individual licensees and sole proprietors must complete the education and pass both the National and New Jersey components of the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test by April 30, 2010.
•Existing mortgage solicitor registrants must complete the education and pass both the National and New Jersey components of the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test by May 15, 2010.
  Read the rest of this entry »

Pennsylvania just announced they are extending the deadline for Mortgage Loan Originators to pass the National and Pennsylvania SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test. The deadline to complete the 20 hours of NMLS approved education is still December 31, 2009!

The deadline to pass the exams is now April 30, 2010. Extending the deadline will allow an individual who does not pass their exam an opportunity to retake the exam and still be in compliance.

The SAFE Act allows individuals four opportunities to take each of the test components. However, you must wait 30 days between each attempt. If an individual does not pass after all four opportunities then the SAFE test cannot be retaken for six month.

The main theme I think that can be learned from this is that states might be more willing to extend the testing deadlines because of the retake policy and test availability, but may not budge on the education deadlines! ProSchools, an NMLS-approved provider, has taken lots of calls from Pennsylvania loan originators concerned about the end of year deadline. Some people are not aware of the change, so we are trying to get the word out.

New York mortgage loan originator’s will need to complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved education, including 3 hours of New York mortgage law, pass both the National and New York Components of the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test and meet new bonding requirements over the next year.
To facilitate an orderly transition to licensing and minimize disruption in the mortgage marketplace, the deadlines to complete the education, testing and bonding requirements are:

•An individual who was engaged in MLO activities as of July 11, 2009, and filed an application prior to July 11, 2009, has until May 31, 2010 to meet the education, testing and bonding requirements.
•An individual who was engaged in MLO activities with respect to manufactured homes as of July 11, 2009 must file an application by with the Superintendent by December 31, 2009 and must meet the education, testing and bonding requirements by May 31, 2010.
•An individual who was authorized to act as an MLO as of July 11, 2009 has until August 31, 2010 to meet the education, testing and bonding requirements Read the rest of this entry »

The answer is yes and no.  Current Pennsylvania mortgage loan originators taking the required 20 hours of NMLS prelicense education will not have to do CE to renew this year.

However, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Banking, one individual from each licensed office of a mortgage broker, mortgage lender or mortgage loan correspondent that is not a mortgage originator, unless all of the nonclerical staff of a particular licensed office are licensed as mortgage originators, must complete 8 hours of continuing education. The CE must consist of 3 hours of federal law, 2 hours of ethics, 2 hours of nontraditional mortgage products and 1 hour of Pennsylvania mortgage laws.

ProSchools has two courses approved for CE.  We have a 1 Hour PA Mortgage Lending Compliance Laws CE and an 8 Hour PA SAFE Comprehensive CE course available. Both courses are offered online and are approved by the NMLS.  The SAFE Act requires a minimum of 8 hour CE per year and states can determine if they want to require more hours or require state-specific topics as part of the CE.

Popular question of the week from Iowa mortgage loan originators: “When will ProSchools ‘certify’ my continuing education hours with the NMLS?”

Unpopular answer: “Never.” OK, we’re not that blunt, but ProSchools cannot certify continuing education hours to NMLS, only the state can certify state-approved hours.   Under Section 1505 & 1506 of the SAFE Act, current MLOs who have successfully taken at least 20 hours of education while satisfying a state pre-licensure or continuing education requirement, may be able to have their hours certified by the state as satisfying the SAFE 20-hour pre-licensure education requirement.  Read the rest of this entry »