Any company or individual in the State of California who engages in the business of making residential mortgage loans, to include loan processing and underwriting or servicing residential mortgage loans, for California borrowers is required to obtain a California Residential Mortgage Lending Act (CRMLA) license surety bond. The CRMLA license is not a broker license but licensed CRMLA lenders can provide brokerage services to clients. To use this license for brokering activities, you need to obtain a California mortgage loan originator license.
Under a CRMLA license, a company or individual is authorized to make federally related mortgage loans, make construction loans, service residential mortgage loans, purchase and sell federally related mortgage loans, provide loan processing and underwriting services, provide brokerage services to institutional lenders, and more.
Unless otherwise informed, those seeking a CRMLA license are required to obtain a $50,000 surety bond. The bond must be obtained from a surety company authorized to do business in California.
Where can you instantly purchase CRMLA license surety bonds?
Colonial Surety offers the direct and digital way to obtain a CRMLA license surety bond (called mortgage broker bonds on our application). We are the insurance company — which means no agent, no broker, and no middleman and are licensed in all 50 states including California. The steps are easy — get a quote online, fill out your information, and enter your payment method. Your bond will be available instantly. It’s that simple!