GENERAL INFORMATION PAGE

This California Real Estate Originator License Course provides 8 hours of credit for both:

• Mortgage loan originator license renewal through the NMLS, and
• Real estate license renewal through the California Department of Real Estate (DRE).

This course does NOT provide the 1-hour elective required of persons licensed through the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), however this is available as a separate package for those that need it.

Please read the included syllabus / general information page for full details before making your purchase.

Brief Course Description

​​​​​​​This course will instruct mortgage loan originators on a number of regulations that they will have to comply with while taking part in their mortgage loan origination activities. Rules, such as those implemented by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, are set in place to protect the interest and well-being of consumers who apply for mortgages to purchase or refinance their properties. To ensure that their business practices satisfy the regulations adopted by federal laws, mortgage loan originators need to keep current on the guidelines published by supervisory entities.

Topics and Learning Objectives

This course consists of four sections and a final exam:

1. Top 10 Federal Topics for 2026

2. Ethical Treatment of Consumers

3. Non-traditional Mortgage Products

4. Fair Housing in Today's Market

5. Final exam

Total study time: 8 credit hours (6 hours, 40 minutes)

Module 1: Top 10 Federal Topics for 2026

Study Time: 3 clock hours (150 minutes of federal law)

Licensed and registered mortgage lenders, brokers, and mortgage loan originators are required to maintain a consistent and current understanding of all regulatory requirements with which they are obligated to comply. This especially applies to individual mortgage loan originators who, in addition to their sponsoring company, will be held accountable for failures discovered through regulatory examinations and investigations involving residential mortgage loans that they originate.

The topics outlined in this module are mandated by the NMLS and state regulators, covering the more egregious regulatory compliance failures recently discovered through various regulatory examinations, investigations, and audits.

Module 2: Ethical Treatment of Consumers

Study Time: 2 clock hours (100 minutes of ethics, fraud, and consumer protection)

The ethical treatment of consumers and ethical practices in mortgage lending are a high focus of regulators and consumer advocacy groups. This module will cover ethics, including identity theft prevention, fraud prevention, and consumer protection requirements.

Module 3: Non-traditional Mortgage Products

Study Time: 2 clock hours (100 minutes of non-traditional mortgage)

Besides a traditional conventional loan product, there are other options available when it comes to rehabilitating a home for purchase and refinance that may more perfectly fit the rehab loan needs of the borrower. This module will explain several non-traditional mortgage products, exploring other options available to borrowers.

We'll go over the Fannie Mae HomeStyle® renovation program, the Good Neighbor Next Door program, reverse mortgages, the VA loan, and Fannie Mae's new RefiNow™ program.

Module 4: Fair Housing in Today's Market

Study Time: 1 clock hour (50 minutes of elective topics)

All mortgage lenders and originators, and all others involved in mortgage lending, are subject to state and federal fair lending laws. To remain in compliance, everyone in the lending industry should fully understand these laws.

In this module, we will cover fair housing laws designed to protect consumers, your company, and yourself from discriminatory lending practices. Specifically, we are going to explore relevant provisions of fair housing and take a look at a few issues found in fair housing Law.

NMLS ID Required

You must have an NMLS ID to receive credit for this course. You will need this number before you begin the course. If you do not have an NMLS ID and need to obtain one, use the instructions available in the NMLS Resource Center:

• Request an Individual NMLS Account | NMLS

Method of Course Presentation

• Presentation: Internet
• Course Category: Consumer Protection
• Credit Hours: 8

Course Fees

Course fees consist of the initial enrollment fee and a NMLS credit banking fee of $1.50 per credit hour.

Prerequisites

This course has no prerequisites.

Course Materials

• Title: 8 Hour SAFE Comprehensive: 2026 Originator Essentials
• Authors: OnlineEd, LLC
• Copyright date: 2025
• Pages: 156

Access

Course must be completed by December 31, 2026.

Course Activities

This is an online course presented over the internet. It may include reading, videos, question knowledge checks, quizzes, and a final exam. Students are expected to participate in all online activities to make course progress. Offline activities, such as reading the course PDF, will not count as online activity. Seat-time is monitored. 

No other method of taking or completing this course is allowed.

Final Examination Criteria

• Number of questions: 25
• Types of questions: multiple choice
• Time: 25 minutes
• How many final exam attempts are allowed: 2
• Minimum passing score: 70%

Completion Requirements

This is an online mastery-based course. Students must complete all reading assignments, media activities, and pass incremental assessments to make progress.

Completion of the course requires passing an online final examination of 25 multiple choice questions with a minimum score of 70%. Students will be allotted 25 minutes to complete the final exam. Course credit will not be issued until the final exam has been successfully passed. If the first final exam attempt is failed, students may take a second attempt with a different bank of questions. Failure to pass the second attempt will result in a failed grade and no course credit may be given.

Issuance of Credit

This course provides 8 hours of continuing education in the category of Consumer Protection.

A California DRE-approved certificate will be issued for successful completion of the course. Students are responsible for renewing their own license with the California DRE.

Refund Policy

All tuition and fees paid for the course are refundable when: (a) the course of instruction is discontinued by OnlineEd and such discontinuation has prevented a student from completing the course; or (b) the enrollment of the student was procured as a result of any misrepresentation in promotion materials of the school, or representation made by an owner or employee of the school. All refunds will be completed within 30 days after the effective date of enrollment termination. Refunds will not be given to any student after the student has successfully registered in a course or courses, as once registered, student has access to the registered courses. In hardship cases, OnlineEd may issue a refund at its sole discretion. OnlineEd does not issue retroactive partial refunds for courses that are subsequently discounted or put on sale after a student makes a purchase.

DRE Disclaimer

This course is approved for continuing education credit by the California Department of Real Estate. However, this approval does not constitute an endorsement of the views or opinions which are expressed by the course sponsor, instructor, authors or lecturers.

Correspondence Course Identification Statement

In order to verify your identity, you will be asked to provide at the time of enrollment and again prior to taking the final examination certain information to verify your identity. Among the types of identification that may be asked for are your current California driver's license, current identification permitted under the California Vehicle Code, or any identification issued to you by a governmental agency or a recognized real estate related trade organization that was issued within the immediately preceding five years that bears your photograph, signature, and identification number. In addition, you will also be asked to provide answers to additional security questions, the answers to which are unique to you.

Online Evaluation Statement

After completing this course you are encouraged to complete the California Department of Real Estate's online course evaluation form. You can access this evaluation at https://www.dre.ca.gov/files/pdf/forms/re318a.pdf.

Course Provider Complaint Statement

A course provider complaint form is available on the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) website at www.dre.ca.gov. Access this form by typing in "RE 340" in the search box located in the upper right corner of the home page. An informational form regarding course provider complaints, "RE 340A" is also available.

OnlineEd Disclaimer

The California Department of Real Estate does not approve nor endorse any of the forms used in this course with the exception of those prescribed by State and Federal Law. While this publication is designed to be accurate information about the subject matter it covers, it is sold with the understanding that the distributor, author, and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If such advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. The recipient is cautioned to check with their managing supervisor before acting on any suggestion or recommendation, or before using any sample form contained herein.