California MLO Continuing Education Requirements:
DRE or DFPI? Your California MLO license was either issued by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) or the Department of Real Estate (DRE). Each has different education requirements. If you are not sure, look up your record on the NMLS website.
DRE Requirements: If you are a mortgage loan originator licensed with the DRE, you only need to take the minimum 8-hour NMLS continuing education required by the SAFE Act. No California-specific education is required. All education must be completed by December 31. You may also choose our dual-credit NMLS/DRE CE course which provides 8 hours of both NMLS and DRE real estate CE credit. If you need all 45 hours for renewing your real estate license, you can get our 45-hour Ed-Pak SAFE DRE/NMLS real estate package. It includes 8 hours for your CA mortgage license renewal and everything else for your CA real estate license renewal.
DFPI Requirements: If you are a mortgage loan originator licensed with the DFPI, you must take 7 hours of core mortgage continuing education and a 1 hour California DFPI elective course. All education must be completed by December 31. Get your DFPI mortgage license renewal package here.
General SAFE Act CE Requirements: The SAFE Act requires licensed Mortgage Loan Originators to take a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education (CE) every year. The NMLS mortgage continuing education license renewal credit hours must be in the following categories:
- 3 hours of Federal Laws and Regulations
- 2 hours of Ethics topics covering fraud, fair lending, and consumer protection issues
- 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage training
- 1 hour of electives
Each state has its own continuing education requirements. If you are licensed in other states, check with each state to learn if you need to take any state-specific electives. See the NMLS education chart for details.
Don't wait until the last minute! Be sure to get your CE done at least 10 days before the due date. This will allow time for the CE credit to be uploaded to the NMLS database and for you to complete your license renewal paperwork. If you take your CE on December 31, you will certainly NOT get your license renewed on time.
I completed my CE. Now what? When a course is completed, OnlineEd will upload your credits to the NMLS database within one business day. We will send you a notification by email when this is done. Afterward, you can move forward with renewing your license through the NMLS website.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Mortgage License Renewal
What continuing education courses do I need to take?
You need a minimum of 8 credit hours per year. Some states require additional hours and state-specific courses. Look up your NMLS education record on the NMLS website to see which credits you need. See the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements chart for more information on the states you are licensed in.
What is the deadline for mortgage continuing education?
Each state has it's own deadline. The deadline for CE completion is December 31 in most states. Some states have earlier deadlines: Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, South Carolina (DCA), Vermont, Washington, West Virginia. See the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements chart for more information.
What are "smart CE deadlines" that I see the NMLS promoting?
This is the deadline that guarantees that your renewal application will get approved on time. The NMLS recommends completing CE by December 8 in most states to allow enough time to process your renewal application. Many licensees wait until December 31 to complete their continuing education, then miss their renewal application deadlines. Your application will take additional time for state agencies to process, even after you complete CE.
What happens if I miss the continuing education deadline?
If you do not complete continuing education during the calendar year, you must take a designated "Late CE" course for makeup credit (look for "Late CE" in the course title). These courses become available on January 1 and apply retroactive credit to years of CE that were missed. Regular CE courses will not count for retroactive credit.
Do I need to take a "Late CE" course if my state agency has an earlier deadline than December 31?
If you complete CE on or before December 31 of the current renewal cycle, your CE is good for that year, regardless of what deadline your state agency has. Starting January 1, you must take a designated "Late CE" course to make up credits.
Do I need to take continuing education if I got my mortgage license this year?
You do NOT need to take CE if you obtained your initial mortgage license this calendar year (i.e. you took a 20-hour pre-license course). If you previously held a mortgage license and obtained additional state licenses this calendar year, you DO need to complete CE in every state you are licensed in.
Do I need to take mortgage CE if I took "Late CE" earlier this year?
Yes. "Late CE" only counts towards previous years.
Do I need to take CE if I work for a federal bank or credit union?
No. Only state-licensed loan originators need to complete SAFE Act required continuing education. Federally registered MLOs are exempt from CE requirements, but your lending institution may have its own education requirements.
How do I renew my license?
Complete your continuing education requirements, update fingerprints if needed, pay the NMLS renewal application fee, and submit your renewal applications through the NMLS website. For more information, see the MLO License Renewal Handbook and the Guide to Preparing for License Renewal.
When can I renew my license?
The annual renewal period is November 1 to December 31.
Is taking continuing education the same as renewing my license?
No! Completing CE requirements is just the first part of renewing your license. You also need to complete any license items on your NMLS profile, pay renewal fees, and submit renewal applications to state agencies through the NMLS. Your education provider cannot handle these functions for you. Make sure you start your continuing education early to allow time for the entire renewal process.
For more information, see the NMLS Education FAQ on the NMLS website.
