Connecticut and Oklahoma Begin Using Uniform Mortgage Test; 45 State Agencies Now Using the Test, Which Streamlines the License Application Process
Washington, D.C. – October 28, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) announced today that the Connecticut Department of Banking and the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit began using the National SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Test with Uniform State Content on October 1, 2014. This brings the total number of state agencies using the test to 45.
The Connecticut Department of Banking regulates both bank and non-bank mortgage lending, and the Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit regulates non-bank mortgage lending. Both departments are responsible for licensing individual MLOs employed by lenders and mortgage brokers who take loan applications or negotiate terms of residential mortgage loans with prospective homeowners.
Twenty state agencies initially adopted the National SAFE MLO test in April 2013. An additional 10 state agencies adopted the test in July 2013, five more agencies adopted the test in October 2013, and an additional ten agencies have adopted the test in 2014.
The test, which was first made available on April 1, 2013, combines both the national and state testing requirements of the SAFE Act and streamlines the license application process for MLOs seeking licenses in multiple states. For these adopting states, the new test replaces the separate, state-specific tests.
Since its release on April 1, 2013, more than 40,000 MLO applicants have enrolled to take the National SAFE MLO test with Uniform State Content.
More information on the National SAFE MLO test with Uniform State Content is available here.
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Media Contacts:
Catherine Woody, Vice President of Media and Industry Relations, 
Rockhelle Johnson, Senior Manager, Communications, 
Matt Longacre, Manager, Communications, 
About CSBS:
The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) is the nationwide organization of banking regulators from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. State banking regulators supervise nearly 5,200 state?chartered financial institutions. Further, most state banking departments also regulate a variety of non-bank financial services providers, including mortgage lenders. For more than a century, CSBS has given state supervisors a national forum to coordinate supervision of their regulated entities and to develop regulatory policy. CSBS also provides training to state banking and financial regulators and represents its members before Congress and the federal financial regulatory agencies.
About SRR:
The Nationwide Multi-State Licensing System & Registry is owned and operated by State Regulatory Registry LLC. CSBS in cooperation with the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (AARMR) established the State Regulatory Registry LLC (SRR) on September 29, 2006. A limited-liability company, SRR is to develop and operate nationwide systems for state regulators in the financial services industry. Such systems are intended to enhance state’s ability to protect consumers; improve supervision and enforcement of licensed entities; and streamline licensing and other processes for state agencies and the industry through the use of modern technology and centralizing redundant state agency operations.
About NMLS:
The Nationwide Multi-State Licensing System & Registry is a web-based system that allows state-licensed mortgage lenders, mortgage brokers, and loan officers to apply for, amend, update or renew a license online for all states using a single set of uniform applications. NMLS began operation on January 2, 2008. Further, passage of the SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 requires all mortgage loan originators (MLOs) to be registered or state-licensed through NMLS. MLOs employed by insured depository institutions and subsidiaries are to be registered, and all other MLOs are to be licensed by state mortgage regulators. Federal depository regulators have indicated that MLOs could begin registering on NMLS in January 2011.
