Become a Loan Officer in Georgia

Loan Officer Resources > State Licensing

If you’d like to become a loan officer in Georgia, there is a clear path to follow to first get your license and then start your career as an MLO. The term mortgage loan originator (MLO) and licensed mortgage loan officer are frequently used interchangeably and both reflect the important job of helping home buyers find and secure the right home loan for them.

To be a successful loan officer you’ll need both a comprehensive understanding of the mortgage industry as well as good interpersonal and communication skills. You’ll need to learn the national and Georgia state-level guidelines and will be required to pass an exam to show your mortgage knowledge and expertise. Let’s dive into our step-by-step guide of how to fulfill all of the mortgage license requirements to become a loan officer in GA.

Step 1: Request your NMLS account

All prospective loan officers, regardless of what state they’re in, must request an NMLS account through NMLS which stands for the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry.

Step 2: Receive your personal NMLS ID number

Once you’ve registered with the NMLS, you’ll receive an individual NMLS ID number to use throughout your career as a mortgage loan officer. The same NMLS ID is used for your license in Georgia and any other states you might consider getting licensed in like Alabama, Florida or North Carolina.

Step 3: Review all the Georgia state-specific licensing requirements

Next, check Georgia’s state-specific licensing requirements on NMLS’s Resource Center. Here you can see the other milestones you need to complete to get licensed as an MLO in Georgia.

Step 4:  Complete both the national and Georgia pre-licensing coursework

Complete the required 20 hours of pre-licensing coursework. Pre-licensing classes for becoming a mortgage loan officer cover a range of topics from mortgage industry fundamentals to ethics and professional conduct. In Georgia, 2 additional hours of work must be completed that are dedicated to state-specific laws and regulations. Morty recommends Oncourse Learning as a pre-licensing coursework provider. If you’d like other recommendations, reach out through our Platform Loan Officer program.

Step 5: Prepare for the national SAFE Exam

After you’ve completed your 20 hours pre license course and the additional 2 hours of Florida specific education, it’s time to study for your SAFE exam. First you’ll want to purchase your SAFE test prep materials and practice tests to begin studying and getting ready for the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) exam. This exam was instituted by Congress as part of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008. For loan officers joining the Morty platform, Morty covers the costs of test prep materials, a $100 value.

Step 6: Pass the national SAFE exam

To obtain your MLO license, you’ll need to pass the NMLS-developed SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test with a score of 75% or higher. This test is designed to assess your understanding of crucial concepts in mortgage lending. The test spans 190 minutes, allowing you ample time to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in various areas of mortgage loan origination. The cost of taking the test is $110.

Schedule your test at your convenience and when you feel prepared. If you don’t pass the exam on your first attempt, you are required to wait 30 days before retaking the exam.

Step 7: Complete a background check and get fingerprinted

As a prospective Georgia loan officer, you must complete a Criminal Background Check via your NMLS account. You must also make an appointment to have your fingerprints taken, which can also be arranged through the NMLS portal. The current cost of these checks is $36.25.

Step 8: Submit your mortgage license application to NMLS

Once you’ve passed your test, done your background checks and submitted a licensing application, you’re ready to submit your Georgia mortgage license application! To submit your application, head to your NMLS portal to: complete your Individual Form (MU4) and pay your NMLS fees. The cost to submit your mortgage officer license in Georgia is: the $30 NMLS application fee, a $195 state application fee and a $15 credit report fee.

Step 9: Get sponsored by a mortgage company

After finding and being hired by a mortgage originator, that’s either a mortgage broker like Morty or a mortgage lender, you can initiate the sponsorship process by submitting the company’s credentials to the NMLS for verification. As soon as NMLS gives final approval — congrats, you officially have your mortgage loan originator license in Georgia!

Are you looking for mortgage sponsorship in Georgia?

If you’ve completed the pre-licensing work and passed the SAFE exam to become a loan officer in Georgia, the next thing to consider is what mortgage company will to sponsor your license.

We’d love for you to be sponsored by Morty! Morty is a technology-enabled online licensed mortgage broker. Morty offers loan officers, and their clients, a better, more seamless mortgage experience through our lender marketplace, competitive pricing, affordability tools, underwriting technology, along with the built-in support from our processing and fulfillment teams.

Interested in getting your MLO license in multiple states?

If you’re an existing mortgage loan officer, you may be interested in getting licensed in multiple states to help you grow your business and find new opportunities. To become licensed in states other than Florida, you’ll need to fulfill the additional education requirements for each state and submit your license application for each state through NMLS.

Morty is licensed in 45 states and can help you quickly get sponsored in multiple states. To help, we compiled mortgage licensing guides for many states including: New York, Texas, Florida and Ohio.

Join the Morty platform as a mortgage loan originator

Morty makes it quick and easy to for licensed MLOs to get sponsored and work off our platform. We’re so confident that new MLOs will love working with Morty, we’ll even reimburse you for the fees associated with pre-licensing, exams and applications after you’ve been sponsored and fully onboarded to Morty.