Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 81 - BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (§§ 81-1-1 — 81-29-3) › Chapter 18 - MISSISSIPPI S.A.F.E. MORTGAGE ACT (§§ 81-18-1 — 81-18-63) › IN GENERAL (§§ 81-18-1 — 81-18-55) › Section 81-18-14 - Prelicensing education requirements; written test requirement

(1)
In order to meet the prelicensing education requirement referred to in Section
81-18-9(4)(d)
, a person shall complete at least twenty (20) hours of education approved in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, which shall include at least:
(a)
Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations;
(b)
Three (3) hours of ethics, which shall include instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending issues;
(c)
Two (2) hours of training related to lending standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace; and
(d)
Four (4) hours of education related to the Mississippi S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act.
(2)
For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, prelicensing education courses shall be reviewed, and approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry based upon reasonable standards. Review and approval of a prelicensing education course shall include review and approval of the course provider.
(3)
Nothing in this section shall preclude any prelicensing education course, as approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, that is provided by the employer of the applicant or an entity that is affiliated with the applicant by an agency contract, or any subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or entity.
(4)
Prelicensing education may be offered either in a classroom, online or by any other means approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
(5)
The prelicensing education requirements approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry in subsection (1) of this section for any state shall be accepted as credit towards completion of prelicensing education requirements in Mississippi.
(6)
A person previously licensed under this chapter who applies to be licensed again on or after July 1, 2009, must prove that they have completed all of the continuing education requirements for the year in which the license was last held.
(7)
In order to meet the written test requirement for mortgage loan originators referred to in Section
81-18-9(4)(e)
, an individual shall pass, in accordance with the standards established under this subsection, a qualified written test developed by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry and administered by a test provider approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry based upon reasonable standards.
(8)
A written test shall not be treated as a qualified written test for purposes of subsection (7) of this section unless the test adequately measures the applicant's knowledge and comprehension in appropriate subject areas, including:
(a)
Ethics;
(b)
Federal law and regulation pertaining to mortgage origination;
(c)
State law and regulation pertaining to mortgage origination; and
(d)
Federal and state law and regulation, including instruction on fraud, consumer protection, the nontraditional mortgage marketplace and fair lending issues.
(9)
Nothing in this section shall prohibit a test provider approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry from providing a test at the location of the employer of the applicant or the location of any subsidiary or affiliate of the employer of the applicant, or the location of any entity with which the applicant holds an exclusive arrangement to conduct the business of a mortgage loan originator.
(10)
(a)
An individual shall not be considered to have passed a qualified written test unless the individual achieves a test score of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) correct answers to questions.
(b)
An individual may retake a test three (3) consecutive times with each consecutive taking occurring at least thirty (30) days after the preceding test.
(c)
After failing three (3) consecutive tests, an individual shall wait at least six (6) months before taking the test again.
(d)
A licensed mortgage loan originator who fails to maintain a valid license for a period of five (5) years or longer shall retake the test, not taking into account any time during which such individual is a registered mortgage loan originator.
Laws, 2009, ch. 544, § 8; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2010, ch. 462, § 9; reenacted without change, Laws, 2012, ch. 571, § 8, eff. 7/1/2012.
Reenacted without change by Laws, 2020, ch. 310, SB 2427,§ 9, eff. 7/1/2020.
Reenacted by Laws, 2016, ch. 360, SB 2504, 9, eff. 7/1/2016.