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

To get a Texas mortgage loan originator license, you take at least 20 hours of NMLS-approved classes. Texas adds 3 hours on Texas law. Then, NMLS says, you must pass the SAFE MLO Test with 75% or better. You apply through NMLS.

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The rule, fact by fact

Course hours
At least 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education, plus 3 hours on Texas lawThe Texas part covers the state's laws, rules and practice considerations for originating these loans.
Verified. Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending · Mortgage origination FAQs (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Cost
$110 for the SAFE MLO Test, as NMLS lists it. This is not the course priceWe haven't confirmed a course price from a source.
NMLS Resource Center · SAFE MLO Test overview (opens website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Agency
Department of Savings and Mortgage LendingIts FAQ page answers who needs an RMLO license and what education counts.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check whether you are a residential mortgage loan originator (RMLO) in Texas's terms. Texas defines an RMLO as an individual who, for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of either, takes a residential mortgage loan application or offers or negotiates the terms of a residential mortgage loan. Texas requires a license unless you are exempt. The limited exemptions include originating a loan for yourself or on behalf of an immediate family member. Beyond them, Texas law does not allow occasional or one-off loan origination without a license.

  2. Step 2. Pick a course from the NMLS course provider list. NMLS advises a 23-hour TX-SML Comprehensive course, or a 20-hour Comprehensive course plus a 3-hour TX-SML elective.

  3. Step 3. Pass the SAFE MLO Test. NMLS says the SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act requires 75% or better. NMLS lists the test fee as $110.

  4. Step 4. Apply for the license through NMLS. A licensed RMLO must be sponsored by a licensed mortgage company or a registered mortgage banker. Texas checks each applicant's credit history. You authorize a criminal history check in NMLS, and it requires fingerprints. All fees are paid through NMLS and are not refundable or transferable.

Before you pay

NMLS lists the courses it approves. Before you pay, check that the course is NMLS-approved and carries the Texas hours. Compare the hours on the course page with the 20 hours plus 3 Texas hours above.

Questions

I took classes in another state. Do they count in Texas?

Yes, with one limit. Texas accepts pre-licensing hours taken in another jurisdiction under the federal SAFE Act. It will not accept hours built around that other jurisdiction.

How long is the test?

The SAFE MLO Test has 120 questions, and 115 of them are scored. You get 190 minutes in a 225-minute appointment.

What topics must the education cover?

NMLS lists 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics (fraud, consumer protection and fair lending issues), 2 hours of non-traditional mortgage lending and 12 hours of electives. Texas adds 3 hours on its own law.

What to do next

Start with the Department's FAQ page. Then pick an NMLS-approved course with the Texas hours.

www.sml.texas.gov

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