Professional Standards: Criminal Background Check

Step 1: Am I required to complete a Criminal Background Check (CBC) in NMLS?

Mortgage Loan Originators (MU4 and MU4R Filings)

Every mortgage loan originator (whether state-licensed or federally registered) is required to complete a CBC in NMLS.

The Criminal Background Check Authorization Request is required for submission of the application form (Form MU4 for state licensing, Form MU4R for federal registration).

All other Individuals in NMLS (MU2 Filings)

As determined by each state agency, certain Control Persons, Direct Owners, Indirect Owners, Executive Officers, Branch Managers, and Qualifying Individuals are required to submit a CBC through NMLS. The requirement to submit a CBC through NMLS varies by license types, position held, and agency. Please review the MU2 NMLS CBC Requirements Chart to determine individuals reported on the MU2 Form that are required to submit a CBC through NMLS. Failing to grant access to all relevant agencies before CBC results are returned requires you to authorize and pay for a new CBC.

Step 2: Scheduling a fingerprint appointment

Once an individual or employer has paid for the CBC request through NMLS, the individual will be able to schedule a fingerprint appointment. Go to Schedule a Fingerprint.

NOTE: If you already have fingerprints in NMLS that are less than three years old, you will not need to be reprinted. NMLS can use the existing fingerprints that are on file. Due to FBI regulations, individuals must provide new fingerprints when requesting a new CBC if previously submitted fingerprints are more than three years old. NMLS also offers employers the follow methods for providing fingerprints to NMLS:

1. 1. On-site Group Appointment – Fieldprint can arrange an on-site visit to accommodate groups of 30 or more for a fee to cover all travel costs and set-up. All individuals must be fingerprinted at the same time. For more information regarding on-site group appointments, see Group Fingerprint Appointments.Use existing equipment or network – NMLS recognizes that some entities may have existing systems for fingerprint collections and a volume that makes it worthwhile to establish a direct connection. Due to the technical and legal requirements necessary to facilitate such an alternative fingerprint submission process, NMLS can only offer this option under certain conditions. See Submitting Fingerprints from an Existing Network for details.

NOTE: After authorizing a new CBC and selecting to submit new fingerprints, fingerprints must be submitted within 180 days. If fingerprints are not submitted within 180 days, the background check window will expire and a new CBC will need to be authorized and paid for.

Step 3: Viewing CBC results in NMLS

Fingerprints are automatically processed with results reported back to NMLS from the FBI usually within 48 hours of submission. Some exceptions to this may occur if an individual has been sent to Name Check processing where results may not be returned from the FBI for up to 90 days. CBC status can be viewed through Composite View from your individual account.

If your Institution is State licensed, see View CBC Status Quick Guide for more details.

If your Institution is Federally registered, see View CBC Status Quick Guide for more details.

NOTE: If the FBI determines that the prints are illegible, you will receive a system notification and be required to request a new CBC.

Costs

The CBC Processing Fee is assessed each time a new request is submitted unless a previously submitted CBC Authorization is in a “Pending” status.

**Paper Card Capture costs more due to the manual processing of fingerprints. For more details see Electronic vs Paper.

Refund Policy

Payments collected through the NMLS are non-refundable.

FBI Privacy Act

FBI-Required Privacy Act Statement