AI-assisted research summary: This section requires licensing and NMLS registration for mortgage loan originators and related companies, and limits unlicensed loan processor/underwriter activity.
(a) Effective January 1, 2011, or such later date approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development pursuant to the authority granted under Public Law 110-289, section 1508(e), title 12 United States Code section 5107(e), a person, unless specifically exempted from this chapter, shall not engage in the business of a mortgage loan originator or mortgage loan originator company with respect to any dwelling located in this State without first obtaining and maintaining annually, a license under this chapter. Each licensed mortgage loan originator or mortgage loan originator company shall register with and maintain a valid unique identifier issued by NMLS and shall submit to NMLS any reports that shall be in a form and contain information as NMLS may require. (b) An independent contractor shall not engage in the activities of a loan processor or underwriter without a license pursuant to section 454F-4. Each independent contractor licensed as a mortgage loan originator shall obtain and maintain a valid unique identifier issued by NMLS. An independent contractor who is not an exclusive agent of a mortgage loan originator company, in addition to obtaining a license as a mortgage loan originator, shall obtain a license as a mortgage loan originator company. (c) A loan processor or underwriter who does not represent to the public, through advertising or other means of communicating or providing information, including through business cards, stationery, brochures, signs, rate lists, or other promotional items, that the individual can or will perform any of the activities of a mortgage loan originator, who does not advertise that the individual can or will perform any of the activities of a mortgage loan originator, and who does not engage in the activities of a mortgage loan originator shall not be required to be licensed under this chapter. (d) If this section or any provision of this section conflicts at any time with any federal law, then the federal law shall prevail and this section or the relevant provisions of this section shall become ineffective and invalid. The ineffectiveness or invalidity of this section or any of its provisions shall not affect any other provisions or applications of this chapter which shall be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this section are severable. [L Sp 2009, c 32, pt of §2; am L 2010, c 84, §10; am L 2013, c 168, §6; am L 2016, c 122, §7]