Find your next step

Search the directory. Use Tab to explore results.

How to Get a Mortgage loan originator License in Maryland (2026)

Quick answer

A mortgage loan originator takes loan applications or offers or negotiates mortgage terms for compensation or expected gain.

Required hours

At least 20 hours of SAFE pre-licensing education; Maryland-specific education requirements also apply.

View official source

Exam

Pass the national and state components of the SAFE MLO Test; Maryland uses the Uniform State Test for its state component.

View official source

Renewal

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.

View official source

Continuing education

8 hours

View official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

How do I get this license?

  1. Check the licensing authority

    Board

    Maryland Office of Financial Regulation

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
    Official source

    Official agency page

    Open the official agency page

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
    Official source
  2. Check your qualifications

    Required hours

    At least 20 hours of SAFE pre-licensing education; Maryland-specific education requirements also apply.

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    requires at least 20 hours of NMLS approved pre-licensing education ("PE") to be completed prior to the issuance of an MLO license. This requirement only needs to be completed or certified once, regardless of the number of states in which an originator is licensed. Maryland PE requirements must be satisfied.
    Official source

    Education

    Applicants who completed 20 hours of SAFE education in another state must also satisfy 5 hours of Maryland-specific education.

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    If you have taken 20 hours of SAFE PE in any state, it satisfies the SAFE PE requirement for all states. However, in addition to the SAFE requirements, you are required to complete 5 hours of Maryland specific education.
    Official source

    Exam

    Pass the national and state components of the SAFE MLO Test; Maryland uses the Uniform State Test for its state component.

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    The SAFE Act requires you to pass both the national and specific state components of the SAFE MLO Test. Maryland uses the Uniform State Test as its state component.
    Official source
  3. Prepare your application

    Apply with the agency

    Open the official agency page

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    License Requirements and Fees
    Official source

    Reciprocity

    SAFE pre-licensing education taken in another state is accepted, but Maryland-specific education must also be completed.

    Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
    If you have taken 20 hours of SAFE PE in any state, it satisfies the SAFE PE requirement for all states. However, in addition to the SAFE requirements, you are required to complete 5 hours of Maryland specific education.
    Official source
  4. Confirm your next step with the agency

    Review the official instructions for your situation before applying.

    Open the official agency page

What else should I know?

Agency guidance

A mortgage loan originator takes loan applications or offers or negotiates mortgage terms for compensation or expected gain.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
A Mortgage Loan Originator is an individual who for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain, takes a loan application or offers or negotiates the terms of a mortgage loan.
Official source

Agency guidance

CE is not required for renewal when pre-licensing education was completed in the current calendar year.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
MLOs must complete at least eight hours of continuing education to renew their license, unless the MLO completed their pre-licensing education in the current calendar year.
Official source

Agency guidance

A renewal filed after December 17 that remains unapproved on December 31 expires on December 31.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
If a license renewal application is submitted after December 17th, and our Office has not acted on the renewal by December 31st, then that license will expire on December 31st and the MLO must stop conducting business until the renewal is approved.
Official source

When do I renew, and is CE required?

Renewal

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.
Official source

Continuing education hours

8 hours

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
Annually, prior to the renewal of the MLO or AIP-MLO license, you must take 8 hours CE.
Official source

Continuing education topics

3 hours federal law and regulations; 2 hours ethics, fraud, consumer protection and fair lending; 2 hours nontraditional mortgage lending standards; 1 hour Maryland mortgage law

Last verified Oct 25, 2026 — source and quotation
Federal Law and Regulations: 3 Hours ... Ethics, Fraud, Consumer Protection and Fair Lending: 2 Hours ... Lending Standards for Nontraditional Mortgage Products: 2 Hours ... Instruction on Maryland Mortgage-Related Law: 1 Hours
Official source

Have a license or permit? Use the expiration date printed on it to set up your calendar and reminders.

What does it cost?

Confirm the charges and conditions for your application with the official agency.

What are the common questions?

How often do I renew a mortgage loan originator license in Maryland?

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.

Source and quotation
The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Which official sources support this guide?

Official sources and verification (13)

Last verified Oct 25, 2026. Each quotation supports the corresponding published value.

Board

Maryland Office of Financial Regulation

Maryland Office of Financial Regulation

Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Official agency page

Open the official agency page

https://www.labor.maryland.gov/finance/industry/mortorig.shtml

Office of Financial Regulation (OFR)
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Qualifications / Required hours

At least 20 hours of SAFE pre-licensing education; Maryland-specific education requirements also apply.

At least 20 hours of SAFE pre-licensing education; Maryland-specific education requirements also apply.

requires at least 20 hours of NMLS approved pre-licensing education ("PE") to be completed prior to the issuance of an MLO license. This requirement only needs to be completed or certified once, regardless of the number of states in which an originator is licensed. Maryland PE requirements must be satisfied.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Qualifications / Education

Applicants who completed 20 hours of SAFE education in another state must also satisfy 5 hours of Maryland-specific education.

Applicants who completed 20 hours of SAFE education in another state must also satisfy 5 hours of Maryland-specific education.

If you have taken 20 hours of SAFE PE in any state, it satisfies the SAFE PE requirement for all states. However, in addition to the SAFE requirements, you are required to complete 5 hours of Maryland specific education.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Qualifications / Exam

Pass the national and state components of the SAFE MLO Test; Maryland uses the Uniform State Test for its state component.

Pass the national and state components of the SAFE MLO Test; Maryland uses the Uniform State Test for its state component.

The SAFE Act requires you to pass both the national and specific state components of the SAFE MLO Test. Maryland uses the Uniform State Test as its state component.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Agency guidance

A mortgage loan originator takes loan applications or offers or negotiates mortgage terms for compensation or expected gain.

A mortgage loan originator takes loan applications or offers or negotiates mortgage terms for compensation or expected gain.

A Mortgage Loan Originator is an individual who for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain, takes a loan application or offers or negotiates the terms of a mortgage loan.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Agency guidance

CE is not required for renewal when pre-licensing education was completed in the current calendar year.

CE is not required for renewal when pre-licensing education was completed in the current calendar year.

MLOs must complete at least eight hours of continuing education to renew their license, unless the MLO completed their pre-licensing education in the current calendar year.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Agency guidance

A renewal filed after December 17 that remains unapproved on December 31 expires on December 31.

A renewal filed after December 17 that remains unapproved on December 31 expires on December 31.

If a license renewal application is submitted after December 17th, and our Office has not acted on the renewal by December 31st, then that license will expire on December 31st and the MLO must stop conducting business until the renewal is approved.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Apply with the agency

Open the official agency page

https://www.labor.maryland.gov/finance/industry/mortorig.shtml

License Requirements and Fees
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Continuing education hours

8 hours

8

Annually, prior to the renewal of the MLO or AIP-MLO license, you must take 8 hours CE.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Continuing education topics

3 hours federal law and regulations; 2 hours ethics, fraud, consumer protection and fair lending; 2 hours nontraditional mortgage lending standards; 1 hour Maryland mortgage law

3 hours federal law and regulations; 2 hours ethics, fraud, consumer protection and fair lending; 2 hours nontraditional mortgage lending standards; 1 hour Maryland mortgage law

Federal Law and Regulations: 3 Hours ... Ethics, Fraud, Consumer Protection and Fair Lending: 2 Hours ... Lending Standards for Nontraditional Mortgage Products: 2 Hours ... Instruction on Maryland Mortgage-Related Law: 1 Hours
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Reciprocity

SAFE pre-licensing education taken in another state is accepted, but Maryland-specific education must also be completed.

SAFE pre-licensing education taken in another state is accepted, but Maryland-specific education must also be completed.

If you have taken 20 hours of SAFE PE in any state, it satisfies the SAFE PE requirement for all states. However, in addition to the SAFE requirements, you are required to complete 5 hours of Maryland specific education.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Renewal

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st. Applies to: Maryland MLO annual license renewal

The annual renewal period begins November 1st and ends December 31st.
Official source

Last verified Oct 25, 2026

Not yet verified: license fee — see the official agency.

How do you want reminders?

Choose a free reminder channel for the dates you follow.

Following: How to Get a Mortgage loan originator License in Maryland (2026)

Calendar (recommended)

Add to my calendar

Subscribe for updates as deadlines change. Alerts are included for 9:00 AM Central, 14, 3 and 1 day before. Your calendar app controls refresh speed and may require you to enable alerts for this calendar. The .ics download is a one-time copy.

No open, fixed deadline is recorded for this topic. This feed stays empty until one is listed.

This device (push)

Free notifications for How to Get a Mortgage loan originator License in Maryland (2026). Uses the same reminder dates as the calendar, with quiet hours from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM in your device’s time zone.

Text messages: coming soon

Join the waitlist with your email. Planned pricing: $2.99/month or $24/year for LicenseCalendar; $4.99/month for all Calendar sites. Plain alerts, no ads.

Email interest only. No phone number, payment or text messages. Privacy policy

What should I explore next?

Mortgage loan originator in neighboring states

Neighboring states use Census adjacency data, including water and point boundaries.

Related licenses in Maryland

What’s my next step?

Last verified Oct 25, 2026.

Official sources (4)

Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.