If you need help studying for the NMLS Loan Officer exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free Loan Officer practice test!
How to Register
Exam Scores
Retaking the Exam
Online NMLS Prep Course
What Test-Takers Are Saying
FAQs
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 120 multiple-choice questions total, but only 115 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The five unscored questions on the exam are called “pre-test” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pre-test. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 3 hours and 10 minutes. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed!
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam:
1. FEDERAL MORTGAGE RELATED LAWS
24% of the exam
- TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID)
- Truth in Lending Act (TILA), 12 CFR Part 1026 (Regulation Z)
- Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), 12 CFR Part 1002 (Regulation B)
- Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), 12 CFR Part 1024 (Regulation X)
- Other federal laws and guidelines
- Regulatory authority
2. UNIFORM STATE CONTENT
11% of the exam
- State mortgage regulatory agencies
- Compliance
- License law and regulation
- SAFE Act
3. GENERAL MORTGAGE KNOWLEDGE
20% of the exam
- Mortgage loan products
- Qualified and non-qualified mortgage programs
- Terms used in the mortgage industry
4. MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATION ACTIVITIES
27% of the exam
- Loan inquiry and application process requirements
- Qualification: processing and underwriting
- Financial calculations
- Closing
5. ETHICS
18% of the exam
- Ethical issues
- Ethical behavior related to loan organization activities
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to set up an NMLS account on their website. You can then sign up for a testing window, which costs $110, and schedule a testing appointment with Prometric.
Exam Scores
To pass the exam, you’ll need to answer at least 75% of the questions correctly.
You should receive your official scores within a few days of taking the exam.
Loan Officer Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test as many times as you want. Just know that there is a waiting period between attempts, and you’ll have to pay the full testing fee each time.
Once you pass the exam, you won’t be able to take it again, so your first passing score is final.
Online NMLS Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online NMLS prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The NMLS course includes:
The NMLS prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their NMLS exam. Click below to check it out!
What Test-Takers Are Saying
Don’t just take our word for it! See what real test-takers are saying about the NMLS Loan Officer exam:
“Know QM vs. non-QM loan requirements backwards and forwards! Also know what balloon mortgages are, the 3 types of reverse mortgages, and the 3 different types of appraisals and how/when they are used.”
Practical_Two_2160
“You will most likely run into the same question several times but worded differently than before. Likewise, there will be SOME of the same answer choices—use the process of elimination to double-check or answer some of the previous questions you struggled with earlier. Also, beware of ‘trick’ questions that include wording such as ‘which fees are NOT applied to APR?’ or any other phrasing that turns the answer around to its opposite.”
Jack Snyder
Quora
“I got ONE math question that required the online provided calculator. I got maybe 10 questions about regulations, but none of them were tricky—they were lay-ups.”
HappyItemRoom
“One thing to keep in mind is to look for answers in other questions. I had one question regarding timing of something. I was between two answers. The next question on the test was very similar and did not have one of the answers of the previous question.”
whskid2005
FAQs
How many questions are on the Loan Officer exam?
The exam contains 120 questions.
What is the time limit for the Loan Officer exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours and 10 minutes.
What is the passing score for the Loan Officer exam?
You’ll need to answer at least 75% of the questions correctly to pass the exam.
How much does the Loan Officer exam cost?
The testing fee is $110.
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