Thinking about a career as a Texas Loan Officer

Ever thought about getting your Loan Officer license but was not sure of the steps you needed to take in order to get started? Follow the 4 simple steps below and in no time you will be well on your way to helping people achieve the American dream of owning their own home.

1. Complete pre-licensing educational courses.

Complete 60-hours of Loan Officer pre-licensing education with courses that satisfies the current Texas Savings & Mortgage Lending Department’s (TSML) educational requirement to obtain your Loan Officer’s license. These courses must contain core hours and 2-hours of Ethics per each 30-hours.

2. Register for the state exam through Pearson Vue (800) 275-8246.

You can register to take the Loan Officer state exam over the phone or you can register online. If registering by phone, you will call Pearson Vue at (800) 275-8246. Below are the times during the week which registrations can be placed.

Monday-Friday 7am - 10pm
Saturday 7am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 3pm

If wanting to register online, you can do so by going to www.pearsonvue.com and registering. Registrations can be taken online 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Once you have completed your online registration a confirmation email will be sent to you.

Walk-Ins are also welcome at the testing center but they are on a first come, first served basis and are based upon space availability. If there is space available, you will need to call the Pearson-Vue toll free number to register and pay for the exam. You must arrive no later than 30 minutes before the exam is administered.

3. Take the State Exam at Pearson Vue.

The state exam is 75 computer generated multiple-choice questions. You will have exactly a 2-hour time limit to take the exam. The exam is also given in Spanish as well as English. If taking the state exam in Spanish, you have exactly a 3-hour time limit to complete the exam. The state exam fee is $42 plus an additional $17.50 for fingerprinting. Total Exam Fee: $59.50. Re-takes will be $42.

4. Submit passing test score and application to the Texas Savings and Mortgage Lending Department:

A licensee application is available through Texas Savings and Mortgage Lending’s (TSML) website at www.sml.state.tx.us. You can also call TSML at (512) 475-1350 and have one mailed to you. The total application fee is $334 and includes the following:

$275 Application Fee

$20 Mortgage Broker Recovery Fund
to cover the cost of an FBI/DPS criminal history background check

You will submit via mail your license application with your passing test score report and all appropriate fees to the Texas Savings and Mortgage Lending at the following address.

Texas Savings and Mortgage Lending’s (TSML)
2601 N. Lamar, Suite 201
Austin, Texas 78705