How many hours of CA law are required for MLO continuing education each year?

You need to complete eight (8) hours of continuing education within each calendar year to renew or reinstate your MLO license.

Eight (8) hours NMLS Continuing Education

  • 3 hours of Federal law;
  • 2 hours of Ethics;
  • 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending; and
  • 1 hour of general electives.

CE Exemption for First Year Licensees

New licensees who successfully complete the 20 hours of pre-licensing education approved by the NMLS in the same calendar year in which their license was issued, are exempt from all Colorado specific continuing education requirements for that year.

The deadline to complete CE is December 31, 2020.  However, MLOs in Wyoming are prohibited from submitting an application to renew their license if they have not completed CE.  Since it may take as long as seven (7) days for a course provider to report a course completion into NMLS, MLOs are strongly encouraged not to wait until the last minute to try to complete CE or they may be prevented from submitting for renewal on time. 

Questions, like these, flood my inbox at a certain time of the year. The onslaught of questions usually starts around October/November and continues until December.

That’s because between November 1st and December 31st of each year, MLOs (mortgage loan originators) must renew their licenses and one of the conditions for renewal is to take 8 hours of Continuing Education classes.

Sadly, a disturbingly large number of mortgage loan originators don’t know about this until the deadline is looming large and panic starts to set in.

So, this post is designed to eliminate that panic and instead, instill the confidence that comes from knowing everything you need to know about the 8-Hour CE class.

Before I dive deep into everything you need to know about NMLS Continuing Education classes, if you (or someone you know) needs to first get their MLO License, check out our series of posts to help you ace the NMLS exam:

► Why Becoming an MLO is the Best Career Decision

► 5 Unignorable Hacks to Ace the NMLS Exam

► How to Choose the Best Crash Course for Your NMLS Training Needs

Alright… let’s lay out everything you need to know to ensure you take the best continuing education class to renew your MLO license.

The A-Z Guide to NMLS Continuing Education Classes for Mortgage Loan Originators

This guide is broken down into 4 logical, building block sections. We start with the foundation and then keep building on it till you have everything you need to make an informed choice well ahead of the deadline.

Section 1: What is a Continuing Education Class

Section 2: Who Needs to Take an 8-Hour CE Class

Section 3: How to Choose the Best CE Class for Your License Renewal

Section 4: Things to Keep in Mind When Making a Decision

Section 1: What is a NMLS Continuing Education Class

A continuing education class is a mandatory requirement for all MLOs who completed their pre-licensing class in previous years.

According to the NMLS, “As a condition for license renewal, an MLO is required to complete at least eight (8) hours of CE in the same year in which he/she is placed in an approved license status by a state agency, with the following exception: – An MLO who has completed his/her pre-licensure education (PE) course requirements in the same year in which the license was approved, is not required to complete CE.“

You can take your CE or continuing education class either online or in-person.

Also, according to the NMLS, the CE class course content “…must include 3 hours of Federal law, 2 hours of ethics (which shall include fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending issues), and 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending, plus one additional hour of undefined education (referred to as an elective). The number of hours is 3/2/2/1 = 8.”

However, you cannot take the SAME CE course, two years in a row.

In addition, you shouldn’t retake your pre-licensing (PE) class unless you’ve been directed to by a State Regulator. So, if you’ve been advised to retake your PE class as a substitute for CE, that’s wrong. 

Finally, here are the deadlines straight from the horse’s NMLS’s mouth:

SMART Deadline: Friday, December 9, 2022

At-Risk-to-Miss Renewal Deadline: Friday, December 16, 2022

Guaranteed to Miss Renewal Deadline: Friday, December 30, 2022

Section 2: Who Needs to Take an 8-Hour CE Class

Now that you know what a CE class is all about, let’s look at who needs to take this class and who can afford to skip it.

The BEST and most reliable way to know this is to log in to NMLS to view your requirements. Your Course Completion Record will indicate whether or not you need to earn CE credits for this year.

Access the NMLS quick-start guide to navigate this easily and quickly.

Section 3: How to Choose the Best CE Class for Your License Renewal

Well, now you know what the Continuing education class is all about and who needs to take it, it’s time for you to decide how to choose the best 8-Hour CE class out there. 

How many hours of continuing education for MLO in California?

California (DFPI) Continuing Education Requirements: State-licensed MLOs are required to complete 8 hours of NMLS-approved mortgage education annually beginning the year they are licensed (unless PE was completed in the same year). This includes: 3 hours of federal law. 2 hours of ethics.

How many hours of California law are required for continuing education each year?

ALL licensees are required to complete at least six (6) hours of CE in Law and Ethics during the period between your license's prior expiration date (or initial issuance date), and the date your renewal application is submitted as a condition of each and every renewal.

How many hours of federal law must be included in an MLO continuing education each year in Colorado?

You need to complete eight (8) hours of continuing education within each calendar year to renew or reinstate your MLO license.

How many hours of continuing education are required for real estate license renewal in California?

How To Renew Your Real Estate License In California. California requires 45 hours of continuing education classes (CE) for all real estate licensees. The California Department of Real Estate (DRE) requires different topics based on your license status.