(1) Each mortgage broker and mortgage lender license shall remain in full force and effect until relinquished, suspended, revoked or expired. With each initial application for a license to operate as a mortgage broker or mortgage lender, the applicant shall pay through the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry to the commissioner a license fee of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00); however, if the initial mortgage broker or mortgage lender license is issued between November 1 and December 31, the license will expire December 31 of the following licensing year. Upon the expiration of the initial license, the licensee shall pay an annual renewal fee of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) on or before December 31 of each year. If the annual renewal fee remains unpaid, the license shall expire, but not before December 31 of any year for which the annual renewal fee has been paid. If the renewal fee is not paid before the expiration date of the license, then the licensee shall be liable for the initial license fee, which is One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), plus a penalty in an amount not to exceed Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) for each day after the expiration of the license. All licensing fees and penalties shall be paid into the Consumer Finance Fund of the department. If the application is withdrawn or denied, the application fee along with any other applicable fee are not refundable.

(2) The minimum standards for license renewal for mortgage loan originators shall include the following:

(a) The mortgage loan originator continues to meet the minimum standards for license issuance under Section 81-18-9(4).

(b) The mortgage loan originator has satisfied the annual continuing education requirements described in Section 81-18-15(5).

(c) The mortgage loan originator has paid all required fees for renewal of the license. Annual renewals of this license shall require a fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

(3) The license of a mortgage loan originator failing to satisfy the minimum standards for license renewal shall expire. The commissioner may adopt procedures for the reinstatement of expired licenses consistent with the standards established by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry. If the renewal fee remains unpaid, the license shall expire, but not before December 31 of any year for which the annual renewal fee has been paid. However, if the initial loan originator license is issued between November 1 and December 31, the license will expire December 31 of the following licensing year. If the renewal fee is not paid before the expiration date of the license, the mortgage loan originator shall be liable for the initial license fee, which is Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00), in order to renew.

(4) Any licensee making timely and proper application for a license renewal shall be permitted to continue to operate under its existing license until its application is approved or rejected, but shall not be released from or otherwise indemnified for any act covered by this chapter or for any penalty incurred under this chapter as a result of any violation of this chapter or regulations adopted under this chapter, pending final approval or disapproval of the application for the license renewal.

(5) In order to meet the annual continuing education requirements referred to in Section 81-18-15(2)(b), a licensed mortgage loan originator shall complete at least eight (8) hours of education approved in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, which shall include at least:

(a) Three (3) hours of federal law and regulations;

(b) Two (2) hours of ethics, which shall include instruction on fraud, consumer protection and fair lending issues; and

(c) Two (2) hours of training related to lending standards for the nontraditional mortgage product marketplace.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5) of this section, continuing education courses shall be reviewed, and approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry based upon reasonable standards. Review and approval of a continuing education course shall include review and approval of the course provider.

(7) Nothing in this section shall preclude any education course, as approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, that is provided by the employer of the mortgage loan originator or an entity that is affiliated with the mortgage loan originator by an agency contract, or any subsidiary or affiliate of such employer or entity.

(8) Continuing education may be offered either in a classroom, online or by any other means approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.

(9) A licensed mortgage loan originator:

(a) Except for Section 81-18-15(3) and subsection (13) of this section, may only receive credit for a continuing education course in the year in which the course is taken; and

(b) May not take the same approved course in the same or successive years to meet the annual requirements for continuing education.

(10) A licensed mortgage loan originator who is an approved instructor of an approved continuing education course may receive credit for the licensed mortgage loan originator’s own annual continuing education requirement at the rate of two (2) hours credit for every one (1) hour taught.

(11) A person having successfully completed the education requirements approved by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry in subsection (5) of this section for any state shall be accepted as credit towards completion of continuing education requirements in Mississippi.

(12) A licensed mortgage loan originator who later becomes unlicensed must complete the continuing education requirements for the last year in which the license was held prior to issuance of a new or renewed license.

(13) A person meeting the requirements of subsection (2)(a) and (c) of this section may make up any deficiency in continuing education as established by rule or regulation of the commissioner.