50-State Financial Services Licensing Compliance Guide
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California Finance Licensing

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Licenses are typically required for individuals and businesses that provide finance industry services in the United States. This guide contains information about professional finance licensing in California.

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Company Licenses

California Financial Services Company Licenses

California Branch Office Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) License Endorsement

Agency:California Department of Real Estate
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20 NMLS processing fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Debt Collection Branch Registration

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$15/person credit report + fingerprint processing fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Debt Collection License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Bond Requirements:

$25,000

Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$350

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Licenses are perpetual and do not need to be renewed, however, licesees must complete an annual attestation in the NMLS system by December 31 to keep their NMLS registration active.

Supplemental Reporting

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

Annually by March 15.

Law:

CA FIN Code § 100021

Notes:

Licensees are required to file an Annual Report with the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation containing:

  • The total number of California debtor accounts purchased or collected on in the preceding year
  • The total dollar amount of California debtor accounts purchased in the preceding year
  • The face value dollar amount of California debtor accounts in the licensee’s portfolio in the preceding year
  • The total dollar amount of California debtor accounts collected in the preceding year, and the total dollar amount of outstanding debt that remains uncollected
  • The total dollar amount of net proceeds generated by California debtor accounts in the preceding year
  • Whether or not the licensee is acting as a debt collector, debt buyer, or both; and
  • The case number of any action in which the licensee was held liable by final judgment under Title 1.6C or Title 1.6C.5 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code

California Exempt Mortgage Company Registration

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 NMLS processing fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Finance Lenders Law License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 + $200 application fee + $100 investigation fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Financing Law License (Branch)

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 + $200 application fee + $100 investigation fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Money Transmitter License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$5000 application fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Annually by December 31.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program Administrator Branch License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300 application fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program Administrator License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300 application fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Real Estate Broker License Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) License Endorsement

Agency:California Department of Real Estate
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Real Estate Corporation License Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) License Endorsement

Agency:California Department of Real Estate
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 + $300 application fee + $15 credit report

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$100 + $900 application fee + $100 investigation fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License (Branch)

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by December 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Student Loan Servicing License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Yes
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Yes

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$400 application fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Annually by December 31.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Student Loan Servicing License (Branch)

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$400 application fee

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

  • Annually by December 31.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

Individual Licenses

California Individual Financial Services Licenses

California Mortgage Loan Originator License

Agency:California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI)

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$30 + $300 application fee + $15 credit report + $36.25 background check

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Due:

  • Annually by December 31.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Real Estate Broker License Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) License Endorsement

Agency:California Department of Real Estate

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$30 + $300 license/registration fee + $15 credit report + $36.25 background check

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

California Real Estate Salesperson License Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) License Endorsement

Agency:California Department of Real Estate

Initial Registration

Instructions:

Requirements Checklist

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$30 + $300 license/registration fee + $15 credit report + $36.25 background check

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$300

Due:

  • Licenses expire on December 31 of each year. Licensees are recommeded to renew by November 1.
  • Licenses issued in November or December remain valid through the next renewal period.

Explore licensing in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Revised April 19, 2024. Complete data last reviewed November 14, 2021.
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