United States
Hong KongExam rules, and what gets you dismissed
Unauthorized material, any connected device, communicating with anyone, leaving without permission or attempting to remove exam content will end the sitting. The fee is not refunded and the conduct is recorded.
Testing centers enforce their rules without discretion, and the consequences are worse than losing the fee.
What ends a sitting
- Any unauthorized material at the workstation
- A phone or connected device, even switched off, on your person
- Communicating with another candidate
- Leaving the room without permission
- Attempting to copy, photograph or write down exam content
- Providing false identification
The consequences
The sitting ends immediately and the fee is forfeited. The conduct is reported and recorded against your NMLS record.
That last part matters most. A license application asks about your history, and a testing violation is exactly the sort of thing a regulator assessing character and fitness will want explained.
Reproducing questions from memory, sharing them, or seeking them from others is a violation. Sites offering "real exam questions" are describing either fabricated material or stolen material, and using the second is a problem for your license.
Things that are not violations
Asking the proctor a question about the process. Requesting a bathroom break under the center's procedure. Reporting a technical problem.
Candidates sometimes sit in silent difficulty because they are afraid to raise a hand. Raise it.
Online proctored sittings
The same rules with continuous monitoring. A person entering the room, looking away from the screen persistently, or a second device detected can all end the session.
This is a genuine argument for a test center if your home cannot be reliably private for four hours.
Common questions
What gets you dismissed from the NMLS exam?
Unauthorized material, a connected device, communicating with anyone, leaving without permission, or attempting to record exam content.
Do you lose the fee if dismissed?
Yes, and the conduct is recorded against your NMLS record.
Can you ask the proctor a question?
Yes. Questions about process and technical problems are not violations.
Is it a violation to share exam questions afterwards?
Yes. Exam content is confidential and reproducing or sharing it is a violation.
What ends an online proctored session?
Another person entering the room, a second device, or persistent failure to remain visible, among others.