NMLS license cost, and how the test gets booked
Source: the NMLS MLO Testing Handbook Verified Nov 6, 2026
The NMLS license cost starts with the $110 test enrollment; the state application then adds the processing fee, an FBI background check, a credit report and the state's own fee, before any course tuition. You enroll and pay in the registry, then schedule a seat with Prometric within 180 days.
On this page · 8 sections
Fees, booking and deadlines, dated
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $110 per test enrollment, paid in NMLS The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. NMLS has proposed raising it to $120 from March 1, 2027. | 2.0 Test Enrollment Procedures |
| Announced fee change | Proposed increase to $120 from March 1, 2027; not confirmed as final NMLS opened the proposal for comment from May 26 to July 10, 2026. The same proposal raises the course credit banking fee from $1.50 to $1.55 per credit hour from January 1, 2027. No final approval was published when we checked. ≈ as of Nov 6, 2026 · proposed, not final | Testing and Education Fee Proposal |
| Retake fee | $110, the same as a new enrollment | NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: Retake Policy +1 |
| Other fees | License costs are separate: NMLS processing fee $35 per state license, FBI criminal background check $36.25, credit report $15, plus each state's own fees The NMLS processing fee rose from $30 to $35 on March 1, 2025. ≈ as of Nov 6, 2026 · state fees vary; check before you apply | NMLS fee change notice (MLO processing fee) +2 |
| Renewal fee | Set by each state, plus the NMLS processing fee | NMLS fee change notice (MLO processing fee) +1 |
| Discounts and bundle prices | One price for every candidate; an employer can pay the enrollment | 2.0 Test Enrollment Procedures |
| How to book | Create an individual NMLS account, enroll and pay in NMLS, accept the Candidate Agreement, then schedule with Prometric You or a sponsoring company can pay. Arrive 30 minutes early with photo and signature ID. | 2.0 Test Enrollment Procedures |
| Test provider | Prometric | 1.0 Overview and Test Specifications +1 |
| Where you test | Prometric test centers in the US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands; online proctoring only for approved ADA accommodations Online proctored testing has been limited to approved ADA accommodations since October 1, 2024. | Scheduling a Test Appointment +1 |
| Window to test | 180 days from payment to schedule and sit the test | 2.0 Test Enrollment Procedures |
| Rescheduling | Free until 11:59 PM Eastern two calendar days before the appointment A no-show or a late change closes the enrollment window and forfeits the fee. | Rescheduling or Canceling an Appointment |
| Calculator and aids | A basic four-function calculator and a wipe board are provided; personal calculators are not allowed | NMLS: SAFE MLO Testing FAQ |
Every row verified Nov 6, 2026.
What an MLO license costs, from test to renewal
- The test: $110 per enrollment, paid in the registry rather than at the center. Retaking means enrolling again, at $110.
- The license application: $35 + $36.25 + $15 + state fees, as itemized in the table. The processing fee went up in 2025, so pages quoting a lower figure are out of date.
- A second or third state: another processing fee and another state fee for each license; the test result carries over to every state.
- Pre-licensing education: priced by each course provider, so it is not in the table.
- Renewal, every year: the state's renewal fee and the processing fee again, plus the continuing education course.
State fees are the one line that changes from state to state, so look up your regulator's fee schedule when you budget.
NMLS has proposed raising the enrollment fee to $120 from March 2027. The proposal went out for public comment in 2026, and no final notice had been published when we checked on November 6, 2026. Until one is, an enrollment costs $110, and you pay the price in force on your enrollment date.
Booking the test, in order
- Create an individual account in the registry system, if you do not have one yet.
- Request the test enrollment and pay the fee yourself, or let a sponsoring company pay it.
- Accept the Candidate Agreement. Until you do, the scheduling step stays closed.
- Schedule with Prometric: pick a center, a date and a time. The window of 180 days counts from the payment, not from the day you schedule.
- Sit the test. The unofficial result is printed before you leave.
Online proctoring is for ADA accommodations only
Remote testing is now an exception: since October 1, 2024, online proctoring has been open only to candidates with approved ADA accommodations. Pages written before that date, and some written after, still describe sitting the test at home; for most candidates that route is closed.
All other candidates go to a Prometric site, with centers in the US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. If you need an accommodation, have it approved before you pick a date.
Changes are free only until the cutoff in the table: 11:59 PM Eastern, two calendar days before the appointment. After that, or after a no-show, the enrollment closes and the fee is gone. If you live in another time zone, set the reminder by Eastern time.
On the day
Arrive 30 minutes early with a photo ID that carries your signature. The center provides a basic four-function calculator and a wipe board, and you cannot bring your own. The appointment also holds a short tutorial and a survey, and a break does not pause the test clock.
More on the SAFE MLO Test
/safe-mlo/SAFE MLO practice testA free NMLS question set weighted like the five content areas, with math items/safe-mlo/practice-test/SAFE MLO exam factsPass rate with its date, the equated pass mark, the score report and the retake ladder/safe-mlo/exam-info/SAFE MLO study guideThe five NMLS outline areas: what each asks, TRID clocks, fee tolerances and fraud flags/safe-mlo/study-guide/Sources
- [1]NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: 2.0 Test Enrollment Procedures mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [2]NMLS: Testing and Education Fee Proposal, request for comment, May 2026 (PDF) mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [3]NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: Retake Policy mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [4]CSBS: NMLS fee change notice (MLO processing fee) csbs.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [5]NMLS: system fees nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [6]Mass.gov: Apply for a mortgage loan originator license mass.gov, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [7]NMLS: State-Specific Education Requirements (PE and CE) mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [8]NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: 1.0 Overview and Test Specifications mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [9]NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: Scheduling a Test Appointment mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [10]NMLS: SAFE MLO Testing FAQ mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [11]NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: Rescheduling or Canceling an Appointment mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
- [12]NMLS: SAFE MLO Test Performance Data mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org, re-read Nov 6, 2026
Booking and fees for the mortgage test
How much does the mortgage licensing test cost?
$110 per enrollment, paid through the registry. A retake costs the same, and the whole license costs more once the state application fees are added.
Is remote proctoring available for the NMLS test?
Only with approved ADA accommodations. Without one, the test is in person, at Prometric.
Can my employer pay for the enrollment?
Yes, a sponsoring company can pay the enrollment. Either way the charge is $110.
I missed my scheduled test. Is the fee lost?
Yes. The enrollment closes without a refund, and a fresh enrollment and payment are needed to try again.