The Department of Financial Institutions (OFI) of the Public Protection Cabinet in Kentucky is responsible for all supervision and regulation of the Mortgage Broker License in the Kentucky.

All Kentucky mortgage licenses are handled through the National Mortgage Licensing System. Prelicensing requirements include approved courses that are 20 or more hours and contain 3 hours of Federal Law, 3 hours of Ethics, 2 hours of Non-traditional Mortgage Lending plus 12 or more hours of electives. This may be in addition to Kentucky-required content.  An overview of the Kentucky mortgage licensing process is available online. A minimum of eight hours per year of continuing education is required per year, per the SAFE act.

The licensing fee for NMLS for Loan Originators is $119. The licensing fee for a broker is $850. Click on the links in the preceding sentences for more details about each license.

New Mortgage Brokers, and those licensed in another state for less than one year, are required to complete 30 hours of approved continuing education courses. All other applicants are required to complete 12 hours of approved continuing education courses before registering. All those with a Mortgage Broker License are required to complete 12 hours more of approved continuing education courses every year. Copies of the Educational Certificates are submitted to the Office of Financial Institutions annually.

Fingerprints need to be furnished with the application. An FBI Criminal Background Check will be made ascertaining whether there have been any felony convictions within the previous 5-year period, and whether there have ever been convictions involving fraud. Registration is approved on a case by case basis. This investigation process takes approximately six to eight weeks. A full credit report authorization also accompanies the application.

Effective in June, 2003, all Mortgage Brokers need to have a physical office in Kentucky in order to do business there. Post Office boxes are not permitted. There must be a street address and access for the public during regular business hours. Out-of-State Mortgage Brokers who were previously licensed to do business in Kentucky now must open a physical office. If the business office is in a residence, the principal Mortgage Broker must live in the residence. A copy of the deed or lease needs to be furnished, along with a letter from the local zoning board stating that the residence meets all in-home office requirements.

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) provides excellent educational courses for those who both want to become a Mortgage Broker in Kentucky and those already licensed.

Kentucky Mortgage Forms	Kentucky Reciprocity States
Most Mortgage forms can be obtained online. Ones listed below pertain to new salespersons and brokers. Loan Originator Surety Bond Broker Surety Bond Form License Examination Policy	N/A (as of 2/23/2010)
Kentucky Approved Mortgage Schools Prelicensing and Postlicensing Education
Community Colleges N/A	Private Schools Advanced Education Systems LLC Career Development Center (Lexington) Kentucky Association of Mortgage Professionals (Owensboro)
Last Update:  2/22/2010 This list may not include all approved schools. Please visit the Department of Financial Institutions website for the latest list of approved schools.