NMLS SAFE MLO: 5 Free Practice Questions

Updated 11 October 20264 min read

Key takeaway

Answer 5 original Sitonce questions without an account, then check your score and read the explanations.

This small study sample helps you spot ideas to review.
It does not reproduce the full examination or predict a pass.
The separate full course provides lessons and further practice.

These are original Sitonce study questions, not official or recalled exam items. No account is needed to answer this public sample or read its explanations.

Start the 5-question sample

Your 5-question practice sample

Choose one answer per question. You can change your choices before checking your score. A blank earns zero.

Question 1 of 5For a mortgage transaction subject to the TRID application definition, what constitutes an application?

Name, income, social security number, property address, estimate of value and loan amount soughtA signed application formAny contact where a rate is quotedA completed file ready for underwriting

Answer and explanation for question 1

Answer: A. For a covered TRID transaction, the six application items are name, income, Social Security number to obtain a credit report, property address, estimated property value and mortgage loan amount sought. A signature is not a seventh required item.

CFPB Regulation Z 1026.2(a)(3): application

Question 2 of 5For a mortgage covered by the standard Homeowners Protection Act rule, with payments current and no applicable exception, borrower-paid PMI terminates automatically when the scheduled balance reaches what percentage of the original value?

80 percent78 percent75 percentIt does not terminate automatically

Answer and explanation for question 2

Answer: B. Automatic termination ordinarily occurs at scheduled 78% of original value if payments are current. Borrower-requested cancellation at 80% is a different mechanism. The rule has coverage conditions and exceptions, which the question explicitly excludes.

CFPB: automatic PMI termination

Question 3 of 5Which compensation arrangement is permitted under 12 CFR 1026.36(d)?

A bonus for closing loans above a set interest rateAdditional pay for loans carrying a prepayment penaltyA fixed percentage of the amount of credit extended that does not vary with loan amount or other loan terms.A higher rate of pay on adjustable-rate products

Answer and explanation for question 3

Answer: C. A fixed percentage of the amount of credit extended is permitted within the regulation. Compensation cannot vary with a loan term such as interest rate, product type or prepayment penalty. The fixed percentage cannot change with the loan amount.

CFPB Regulation Z 1026.36(d): compensation

Question 4 of 5What is the federal minimum pre-licensing education requirement for a state-licensed mortgage loan originator?

8 hours, including 3 hours of federal law24 hours, including 3 hours of ethics20 hours, including 8 federal law and 4 ethics20 hours, including 3 federal law, 3 ethics and 2 non-traditional lending

Answer and explanation for question 4

Answer: D. At least 20 hours: three federal-law hours, three ethics hours, two nontraditional-mortgage hours and the remaining elective hours. This is the federal minimum; a state may add requirements.

SAFE Act minimum education requirements

Question 5 of 5What is the federal minimum annual continuing education requirement for a state-licensed mortgage loan originator?

8 hours: 3 federal law, 2 ethics, 2 non-traditional lending, 1 elective20 hours12 hours: 4 federal law, 4 ethics, 4 electives8 hours, freely allocated

Answer and explanation for question 5

Answer: A. At least eight hours: three federal-law hours, two ethics hours, two nontraditional-mortgage hours and at least one other hour. Twenty hours is the pre-licensing minimum, not the annual minimum; states may add requirements.

SAFE Act minimum education requirements

Your topic scorecard

Correct answers out of the questions sampled in each topic; Items lists the question numbers
Topic	Items	Score
TRID applications	1	? / 1
Mortgage insurance	2	? / 1
Originator compensation	3	? / 1
SAFE Act education	4, 5	? / 2
Total	1-5	? / 5

This sample covers selected national SAFE MLO concepts. It does not cover every test domain, use official weighting or provide state-specific licensing advice. Federal minimums and the conditions in each question matter. A perfect score only means you answered this small sample correctly. It does not establish exam readiness or predict a pass.

For each missed answer, write the controlling fact or rule in one sentence. Then work through an unfamiliar question on the same topic. Repeating this answer key from memory is not the same as learning the rule.

Continue with the full course

The public sample is a small part of your preparation. View the separate NMLS Exam course for its lessons, practice and full mock options. Account and course-access requirements apply to those separate features.

Common questions

Do I need an account for these questions?

No. The questions and answer explanations are public. Automatic scoring is optional; without JavaScript you can use the answer explanations and manual scorecard.

Does this score predict whether I will pass?

No. This short sample is not weighted or calibrated to predict an official result. Use missed answers to choose what to review next.

Is the full course the same as this sample?

The full course is a separate learning experience with lessons, practice and mock options. Follow View course to see its access requirements and current offer.