United States
Hong KongWhat to bring to the NMLS exam
Valid government-issued photo identification, with a name matching your registration exactly. Everything else goes in a locker, and an on-screen calculator is provided.
A short list, and one item on it turns people away at the door.
Bring
Valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification. The name on it must match the name on your NMLS registration exactly.
Exactly. A middle initial on one and not the other has caused people to be refused.
If you have married, divorced or changed your name and one record was updated and not the other, fixing it takes longer than the morning of the exam allows. It is the single commonest reason a candidate is turned away.
Do not bring, or expect to lock away
- Phone, smartwatch, any connected device
- Notes, books, printed material of any kind
- Your own calculator
- Bags, coats and pocket contents
Lockers are provided. Bringing less makes check-in faster.
Provided for you
An on-screen calculator, and whatever scratch material the center's rules allow.
If scratch material is available, use the first minute to write out the ratio formulas and the TRID timeline. It is the closest a closed-book exam gets to bringing notes.
Online proctored sittings
Same identification requirement, checked on camera. Your desk must be clear and the room is scanned before you begin.
Run the system check days ahead rather than on the morning.
Arrive early
Thirty minutes. Check-in involves identification, a photograph and possibly a palm scan, and arriving late can cost you both the appointment and the fee.
Common questions
What identification do you need for the NMLS exam?
Valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification whose name matches your registration exactly.
Can you bring a calculator?
No. An on-screen calculator is provided.
What happens to your belongings?
They go in a locker. Phones, watches, notes and bags are not permitted in the testing room.
What if my name does not match?
You may be refused. Check the match well in advance, because correcting a record takes longer than exam morning allows.
How early should you arrive?
About 30 minutes, since check-in includes identification, a photograph and possibly a palm scan.