Skip to content
State Cert Guide

Independent guide, not a government agency. We earn commissions on some links.

What do I need for a Kentucky mortgage loan originator license?

Kentucky's statute calls this credential a registration, and a natural person may not transact business as a mortgage loan originator in the state without it. To get it, you show twenty hours of prelicensing courses, pay $50, pass a qualified written test and hold or be covered by a surety bond, among other standards.

By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.Report a mistake

The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
Twenty hours of prelicensing courses on the mortgage lending processThe statute asks for evidence of the hours with an initial application.
Verified. apps.legislature.ky.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
A $50 fee goes with the applicationThe statute says the department uses it to maintain a database of originators.
Same source and date as above
Written test
The applicant must have passed a qualified written testThe test has to satisfy the federal S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act minimums.
Same source and date as above
Valid for
Expires December 31 of the year issued, or of the next year if issued November 1 or laterIssued between January 1 and October 31, it lasts only to the end of that year.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Confirm you need to register. No natural person may transact business in Kentucky, directly or indirectly, as a mortgage loan originator unless the department has registered that person. The person must also comply with the subtitle and keep a valid unique identifier from the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry.

  2. Step 2. Pick a course the NMLS has reviewed and approved. Use the NMLS course provider list.

  3. Step 3. Complete twenty hours of prelicensing courses related directly to the mortgage lending process. Then pass a qualified written test.

  4. Step 4. Apply and pay the $50 fee. The applicant must also hold, or be covered by, a surety bond.

Before you pay

Before you pay, check that the NMLS has reviewed and approved the course.

Questions

Do courses I took for another state count?

The commissioner may accept prelicensing education completed in any other state, as long as it met the requirements Kentucky sets for initial applications.

What do renewal and continuing education involve?

Registrants complete at least eight hours of continuing professional education each year. Renewal costs a $50 fee.

What if it expires?

The commissioner may reinstate it within thirty days. You pay the annual renewal fee and a $250 reinstatement fee.

How long is the test?

NMLS lists 120 questions, with 115 scored, and 190 minutes to finish. The five unscored pre-test questions have no effect on your pass or fail result.

What to do next

Start with the Kentucky statute on registering mortgage loan originators. Then pick a course the NMLS approves.

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Sources we read