How to get a Vermont mortgage loan officer (MLO) license
NMLS education, the SAFE test, fees and sponsorship in the order you'll do them — from the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division and NMLS.
Step by step
- Create your individual NMLS account — you get an NMLS ID that follows you for your whole career.
- Complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensing education — the 20-hour SAFE course, with 2 of the elective hours on Vermont law.
- Pass the SAFE MLO test with the Uniform State Test — 120 (115 scored) questions, 190 minutes, $110, passing score 75.
- Authorize a credit report and FBI background check through NMLS ($15 + about $36.25; fingerprints at a vendor site).
- File the MU4 application in NMLS for the Mortgage Loan Originator License and pay the Vermont fee ($100) plus the $35 NMLS processing fee.
- Get sponsored by a licensed mortgage company — the license only becomes active once an employer sponsors it. Renew every year (Nov 1–Dec 31) with 8 hours of CE.
Pre-licensing & exam prep courses
- The CE Shop — self-paced 20-hour SAFE course plus state courses for every state, with exam-prep packages
- OnCourse Learning — online MLO packages with state hours and SAFE test prep included
- RealEstateU — low-cost self-paced 20-hour course with state hours for every state
- Aceable Mortgage — mobile-friendly 20-hour national course (state add-ons in about ten states)
Pick an NMLS-approved course that includes the Vermont hours. Some links may be affiliate links.
Vermont MLO license requirements
| License | Mortgage Loan Originator License |
| Regulator | Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division |
| Pre-licensing education | 20 hours (the 20-hour SAFE course, with 2 of the elective hours on Vermont law) |
| Exam | SAFE MLO test with UST · 120 (115 scored) questions · 190 min · $110 |
| Vermont license fee | $100 |
| Other state fees | Application fee $50 + license fee $50. Sponsorship fee $50. |
| NMLS fees | $35 processing · $15 credit report · ~$36.25 FBI check |
| Individual bond | None — the sponsoring company is bonded |
| Sponsorship | Must be employed and sponsored by one (and only one) Vermont-licensed lender, mortgage broker or loan servicer; sponsorship must be submitted before the application is approved |
| Annual CE | 8 hours |
| Processing time | Varies; often 2–6 weeks once the file is complete |
The 20 hours of PE must include 2 hours of Vermont law (3/3/2/10 + 2 VT). PE must be completed in the 3 years before you apply. Test: SAFE MLO Test with UST (the VT state component is also accepted). The MU4 business address must match the sponsor's licensed location and be within reasonable commuting distance of your home. Grant Vermont access before the FBI criminal background check is run; otherwise you will have to pay for a new check. Applicants who have not lived in the US for the last 10 consecutive years need a third-party international background report. Independent-contractor processors and underwriters need this license; sole-proprietor brokers and lenders do too. Statute: 8 V.S.A. § 2201. Temporary authority to operate is available (NMLS checklist: eligible) for MLOs moving from another state license or from a federally registered (bank) MLO position, up to 120 days while the application is pending. Employees of banks, credit unions and their federally regulated subsidiaries register federally in NMLS instead of getting this license.
Sources: NMLS Checklist Compiler data: Mortgage Loan Originator License (new application), fees and PE hours · NMLS Checklist Compiler data: Mortgage Loan Originator License (new application), agency requirements · NMLS State-Specific Education Requirements (PE and CE): Vermont · Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division · NMLS MLO Testing Handbook: test specifications. Checked 2026-10.
Get a free SAFE MLO test study plan
A week-by-week plan for the national test and the Uniform State Test, plus reminders for the background check and sponsorship. Free; launching soon.
MLO pre-licensing hours across the US
Other Vermont licenses
Life & Health insurance license · Property & Casualty insurance license · Adjuster insurance license · All Vermont insurance licenses · How to become a notary in Vermont
Questions
How long does it take to get an MLO license in Vermont?
Most people finish the 20 hours of education in 1–2 weeks, sit the SAFE MLO test a week or two later, then wait for the background check and Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division review. Plan on 4–8 weeks in total.
How much does a Vermont mortgage loan originator license cost?
About $296 in test, NMLS, background and Vermont fees, plus $300–600 for the pre-licensing course.
Do I need a college degree to be a loan officer in Vermont?
No. You need the NMLS education, a passing SAFE MLO test score, a clean background and credit review, and a licensed company to sponsor you.
Do bank loan officers need a Vermont license?
No — loan officers employed by federally insured banks and credit unions register with NMLS instead of getting a state license. Non-bank lenders and brokers need the state MLO license.