Thousands of students each year renew with mortgage continuing education courses from OnlineEd. Let's make it easy!
Learn which NMLS CE courses you need in California and how you can renew your mortgage license online.
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California has two mortgage licensing authorities: The Department of Real Estate (DRE) and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). The education you need depends on which one you are licensed with.
8 Hour SAFE Comprehensive: 2023 Originator Essentials (For California DRE Licensees)
$56.00
+ $12.00 NMLS Credit Banking Fee
8 Hours of 2023 California DFPI MLO Continuing Education
$56.00
+ $12.00 NMLS Credit Banking Fee
8 Hours of 2023 California DFPI MLO Continuing Education
Complete 8 hour California DFPI mortgage license renewal package. Includes 1-hour DFPI elective.
$56.00
+ $12.00 NMLS Credit Banking Fee
8 Hour SAFE Comprehensive: 2023 Originator Essentials (For California DRE Licensees)
Provides both DRE (real estate) and NMLS (mortgage) license renewal credits.
$56.00
+ $12.00 NMLS Credit Banking Fee
8 Hour SAFE Comprehensive: 2023 Originator Essentials
General 8-hour online continuing education course for MLO licensees who do not need a state-specific course.
$56.00
+ $12.00 NMLS Credit Banking Fee
Everything you need to renew your California mortgage license and real estate license... at the same time! Dual credit. Self paced. Online.
$99.00
1 Hour CA-DFPI SAFE: California Mortgage Continuing Education
This California NMLS course meets the DFPI state-specific requirement for MLO annual license renewal. Learn about California State Conduct & Rules today.
$19.50
7 Hour SAFE Core: 2023 Originator Fundamentals
This 7-hour CORE mortgage loan originator license renewal course covers the required education topics outlined by the NMLS, covering 3 hours of Federal Law, 2 hours of Ethics, and 2 hours of Nontraditional Mortgage Products.
$53.00
One of the best deals online. Go ahead and compare!
DRE or DFPI? Your California MLO license was either issued by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) or the Department of Real Estate (DRE). Each has different education requirements. If you are not sure, look up your record on the NMLS website.
DRE Requirements: If you are a mortgage loan originator licensed with the DRE, you only need to take the minimum 8-hour NMLS continuing education required by the SAFE Act. No California-specific education is required. All education must be completed by December 31. You may also choose our dual-credit NMLS/DRE CE course which provides 8 hours of both NMLS and DRE real estate CE credit. If you need all 45 hours for renewing your real estate license, you can get our 45-hour Ed-Pak SAFE DRE/NMLS real estate package. It includes 8 hours for your CA mortgage license renewal and everything else for your CA real estate license renewal.
DFPI Requirements: If you are a mortgage loan originator licensed with the DFPI, you must take 7 hours of core mortgage continuing education and a 1 hour California DFPI elective course. All education must be completed by December 31. Get your DFPI mortgage license renewal package here.
General SAFE Act CE Requirements: The SAFE Act requires licensed Mortgage Loan Originators to take a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education (CE) every year. The NMLS mortgage continuing education license renewal credit hours must be in the following categories:
Each state has its own continuing education requirements. If you are licensed in other states, check with each state to learn if you need to take any state-specific electives. See the NMLS education chart for details.
Don't wait until the last minute! Be sure to get your CE done at least 10 days before the due date. This will allow time for the CE credit to be uploaded to the NMLS database and for you to complete your license renewal paperwork. If you take your CE on December 31, you will certainly NOT get your license renewed on time.
I completed my CE. Now what? When a course is completed, OnlineEd will upload your credits to the NMLS database within one business day. We will send you a notification by email when this is done. Afterward, you can move forward with renewing your license through the NMLS website.
You need a minimum of 8 credit hours per year. Some states require additional hours and state-specific courses. Look up your NMLS education record on the NMLS website to see which credits you need. See the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements chart for more information on the states you are licensed in.
Each state has it's own deadline. The deadline for CE completion is December 31 in most states. Some states have earlier deadlines: Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Puerto Rico, South Carolina (DCA), Vermont, Washington, West Virginia. See the NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements chart for more information.
This is the deadline that guarantees that your renewal application will get approved on time. The NMLS recommends completing CE by December 8 in most states to allow enough time to process your renewal application. Many licensees wait until December 31 to complete their continuing education, then miss their renewal application deadlines. Your application will take additional time for state agencies to process, even after you complete CE.
If you do not complete continuing education during the calendar year, you must take a designated "Late CE" course for makeup credit (look for "Late CE" in the course title). These courses become available on January 1 and apply retroactive credit to years of CE that were missed. Regular CE courses will not count for retroactive credit.
If you complete CE on or before December 31 of the current renewal cycle, your CE is good for that year, regardless of what deadline your state agency has. Starting January 1, you must take a designated "Late CE" course to make up credits.
You do NOT need to take CE if you obtained your initial mortgage license this calendar year (i.e. you took a 20-hour pre-license course). If you previously held a mortgage license and obtained additional state licenses this calendar year, you DO need to complete CE in every state you are licensed in.
Yes. "Late CE" only counts towards previous years.
No. Only state-licensed loan originators need to complete SAFE Act required continuing education. Federally registered MLOs are exempt from CE requirements, but your lending institution may have its own education requirements.
Complete your continuing education requirements, update fingerprints if needed, pay the NMLS renewal application fee, and submit your renewal applications through the NMLS website. For more information, see the MLO License Renewal Handbook and the Guide to Preparing for License Renewal.
The annual renewal period is November 1 to December 31.
No! Completing CE requirements is just the first part of renewing your license. You also need to complete any license items on your NMLS profile, pay renewal fees, and submit renewal applications to state agencies through the NMLS. Your education provider cannot handle these functions for you. Make sure you start your continuing education early to allow time for the entire renewal process.
For more information, see the NMLS Education FAQ on the NMLS website.
Each state issues its own mortgage licenses and may choose its own hour requirements for license renewal. Below are the continuing education hour requirements for each state and links to courses that fulfill the education requirements.
For additional details, see the NMLS state-specific education document.
| State | Total Hours |
State Specific |
State Licensing Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8 | 0 | Alabama Banking Department |
| Alaska | 8 | 0 | Alaska Division of Banking & Securities |
| Arizona | 8 | 1 | Arizona Department of Financial Institutions |
| Arkansas | 8 | 0 | Arkansas Security Department |
| California (DRE) | 8 | 0 | California Department of Real Estate |
| California (DFPI) | 8 | 1 | California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation |
| Colorado | 8 | 0 | Colorado Division of Real Estate |
| Connecticut | 8 | 1 | Connecticut Department of Banking |
| Delaware | 8 | 0 | Delaware Office of the State Bank Commissioner |
| District of Columbia | 8 | 1 | District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking |
| Florida | 8 | 1 | Florida Office of Financial Regulation |
| Georgia | 8 | 1 | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance |
| Guam | 8 | 0 | Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation |
| Hawaii | 8 | 1 | Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions |
| Idaho | 8 | 1 | Idaho Department of Finance |
| Illinois | 8 | 0 | Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation |
| Indiana (SOS) | 8 | 0 | Indiana Secretary of State |
| Indiana (DFI) | 8 | 0 | Indiana Department of Financial Institutions |
| Iowa | 8 | 0 | Iowa Division of Banking |
| Kansas | 8 | 0 | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner |
| Kentucky | 8 | 1 | Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions |
| Louisiana | 8 | 0 | Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions |
| Maine | 8 | 0 | Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection |
| Maryland | 8 | 1 | Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation |
| Massachusetts | 8 | 1 | Massachusetts Division of Banks |
| Michigan | 8 | 0 | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services |
| Minnesota | 8 | 1 | Minnesota Department of Commerce |
| Mississippi | 8 | 0 | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance |
| Missouri | 8 | 1 | Missouri Division of Finance |
| Montana | 8 | 0 | Montana Division of Banking & Financial Institutions |
| Nebraska | 8 | 0 | Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance |
| Nevada | 8 | 0 | Nevada Division of Mortgage Lending |
| New Hampshire | 8 | 0 | New Hampshire Banking Department |
| New Jersey | 12 | 2 | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance |
| New Mexico | 8 | 1 | New Mexico Financial Institutions Division |
| New York | 11 | 3 | New York Department of Financial Services |
| North Carolina | 8 | 1 | North Carolina Commissioner of Banks Office |
| North Dakota | 8 | 0 | North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions |
| Ohio | 8 | 0 | Ohio Division of Financial Institutions |
| Oklahoma | 8 | 0 | Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit |
| Oregon | 10 | 2 | Oregon Division of Financial Regulation |
| Pennsylvania | 8 | 1 | Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities |
| Puerto Rico | 8 | 0 | Puerto Rico Bureau of Financial Institutions |
| Rhode Island | 8 | 1 | State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation |
| South Carolina (BFI) | 8 | 1 | South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions |
| South Carolina (DCA) | 8 | 1 | South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs |
| South Dakota | 8 | 0 | South Dakota Division of Banking |
| Tennessee | 8 | 0 | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions |
| Texas (SML) | 8 | 0 | Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending |
| Texas (OCCC) | 8 | 0 | Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner |
| Utah (DRE) | 9 | 1 | Utah Division of Real Estate |
| Utah (DFI) | 8 | 0 | Utah Department of Financial Institutions |
| Vermont | 8 | 0 | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation |
| Virginia | 8 | 0 | Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions |
| US Virgin Islands | 8 | 0 | Virgin Islands Division of Banking and Insurance |
| Washington | 9 | 1 | Washington Department of Financial Institutions |
| West Virginia | 9 | 2 | West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions |
| Wisconsin | 8 | 0 | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions |
| Wyoming | 8 | 0 | Wyoming Division of Banking |
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