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SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test (National Test with Uniform State Test)
The SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Test is the national test (with Uniform State Test content) that all state-licensed mortgage loan originators must pass with a score of at least 75% under the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008; since April 5, 2021 it consists of a single National Test with UST.
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Questions120 multiple-choice items: 115 scored and 5 unscored pretest questions
Testing time190 minutes of test time; 225-minute appointment including a tutorial and optional survey
ScoringPassing score of 75% or better, required by the SAFE Act
Exam feeUSD 110 test enrollment fee (paid in NMLS; non-refundable and non-transferable; a separate enrollment must be purchased for each attempt)
Prep options
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- NMLS
- Category
- Mortgage Origination
- Current version
- SAFE MLO Test, National Test with Uniform State Test (specification in effect since April 5, 2021)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- Prometric
- Format
- Computer-based, at Prometric test centers or online with remote proctoring (Prometric ProProctor)
- Availability
- Year-round by appointment; after paying in NMLS the candidate has a 180-day enrollment window to accept the candidate agreement, schedule, and take the test
- Results
- Pass/fail and score shown on screen in most cases and printed score report before leaving the test center; official score posted to the NMLS record approximately 72 hours after the test
- Score validity
- Passed results expire after five consecutive years without a valid license or active federal registration, after which retesting is required
- Remote testing
- Available
Exam structure
One 120-item multiple-choice test (115 scored, 5 unscored) covering five content areas: Federal Mortgage Related Laws (24%), Uniform State Content (11%), General Mortgage Knowledge (20%), Mortgage Loan Origination Activities (27%), and Ethics (18%).
Where rules vary
A single uniform national test with state participation: under the SAFE Act every state uses NMLS for MLO licensing, and passing the SAFE MLO Test once satisfies the test requirement for all participating state agencies. Delivered at Prometric centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; federally registered (bank) MLOs are not required to take it but may.
Eligibility
An NMLS individual account is required to enroll; no pre-licensure course is required before taking the test (at least 20 hours of pre-licensure education are required for licensure, not for testing); a Candidate Test Security and Confidentiality Agreement must be accepted before scheduling
Retake policy
30-calendar-day waiting period after each of the first and second failed attempts; 180-calendar-day waiting period after every third failed attempt; a new paid enrollment is required for each attempt; candidates who pass may not retake