State licensing journey
State MLO licensing requirements (2026)
The SAFE national exam is uniform across all states, but each state layers its own pre-license education hours, fees, and (sometimes) state-specific test components on top.
Pick your state for the full requirements list. State-specific practice questions are tagged under the State Add-ons section so you don\u2019t mix them with the national content.
All 50 states + DC
CaliforniaTexasFloridaNew YorkIllinoisPennsylvaniaOhioGeorgiaNorth CarolinaMichiganNew JerseyVirginiaWashingtonArizonaMassachusettsTennesseeIndianaMissouriMarylandColoradoAlabamaAlaskaArkansasConnecticutDelawareHawaiiIdahoIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMinnesotaMississippiMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew MexicoNorth DakotaOklahomaOregonRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaUtahVermontWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Note: state-specific pages roll out progressively. Pages without a dedicated guide yet redirect to the NMLS state page.
Already passed the SAFE exam?
Walk through the post-pass checklist — NMLS account, background check, sponsorship.