Becoming a mortgage loan officer in Texas is a fairly straightforward process that is overseen by the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending. Loan officers there also have to register with the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, a national database of mortgage loan officers.
Step 1
Log on to the Web home of the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending and download the application form for a mortgage broker/loan officer license (see References section).
Step 2
Register for the Texas loan officer pre-licensing exam at the website of Pearson VUE (see References), the company that administers the test on behalf of the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending. If you pass the test, you will receive a certification. The test covers a host of topics, including federal laws and regulations, basic financial matters, the basics of the Real Estate Settlements Procedures Act, the fundamentals of Texas mortgage loan officer rules and other legal basics. To prepare for the test, download the test topics from Pearson VUE (see Resources section).
Step 3
Fill out the form and mail it to the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending Division of Licensing at 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite 201, Austin, Texas 78705. Include a check made out to the department for $329.25, the total of the fees and charges involved in applying to become a loan officer in Texas. Also attach the certification you received for passing your pre-licensing test administered by Pearson VUE.
Step 4
Agree to allow the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending to run a criminal background check on you -- a requirement for mortgage loan officers.
Step 5
Log on to the website of the Nationwide Mortgage Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (see References section) to register yourself as a mortgage loan officer if the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending approves your application.