(a) In addition to the requirements of Section 10153, an applicant for a license endorsement as a mortgage loan originator shall complete at least 20 hours of education courses, which shall include at least the following:

(1) Three hours of federal law and regulations.

(2) Three hours of ethics, which shall include instruction on fraud, consumer protection, and fair lending issues.

(3) Two hours of training related to lending standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.

(b) For purposes of this section, education courses are only acceptable if they have been reviewed and approved, or otherwise deemed acceptable, by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry, in accordance with the SAFE Act. Education may be offered in a classroom, online, or by any other means approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry, in accordance with the SAFE Act.

(c) A person who successfully completes the education requirements approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry in any state other than California shall be granted credit by the commissioner toward completion of the education requirements of this section.

(d) Before being issued a license endorsement to act as a mortgage loan originator, an individual shall pass a qualified written test developed or otherwise deemed acceptable by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry and administered by a test provider approved or otherwise deemed acceptable by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry.

(e) A written test shall not be treated as a qualified written test for purposes of this section, unless the test adequately measures the applicant’s knowledge and comprehension in the following subject areas: ethics, federal law and regulation pertaining to mortgage origination, state law and regulation pertaining to mortgage origination, and federal and state law and regulation relating to fraud, consumer protection, the nontraditional mortgage marketplace, and fair lending issues.

(f) This section does not prohibit a test provider approved by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry from providing a test at the location of the employer of the applicant or any subsidiary or affiliate of the employer of the applicant, or any entity with which the applicant holds an exclusive arrangement to conduct the business of a mortgage loan originator.

(g) An individual shall not be considered to have passed a qualified written test administered pursuant to this section unless the individual achieves a test score of not less than 75 percent correct answers to questions.

(h) An individual who fails the qualified written test may retake the test, although at least 30 days must pass between each retesting, except as provided in subdivision (i).

(i) An applicant who fails three consecutive tests shall wait at least six months before retesting.

(j) A mortgage loan originator who fails to maintain a valid license endorsement for a period of five years or longer or who fails to register as a mortgage loan originator shall retake the qualified written test.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 511, Sec. 61. (SB 1495) Effective January 1, 2023.)