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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Debt Collection Branch Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Debt Collection License

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

$25,000

Exam Required?Not Set
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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Finance Lenders Law License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Financing Law License (Branch)

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Money Transmitter License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program Administrator License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License (Branch)

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Student Loan Servicing License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

California Student Loan Servicing License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Individual Licenses

California Individual Financial Services Licenses

California Mortgage Loan Originator License

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

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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