Mortgage Certification

Candidates for the CMEM designation must provide evidence of the following:

• Completion of five years on-the-job experience in the regulation and supervision of mortgage companies, including at least one year in an agency supervisory role.
• Completion of at least 92 hours of combined basic and advanced classroom, instructor-led mortgage examination training, plus:
  • CSBS LEAD (formerly Senior School) or equivalent approved advanced management/leadership/supervisory training. This may include agency-sponsored and/or relevant master's program courses.
• Attestation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a supervisor within the candidate's organization. All attestations shall be considered final once signed. Attestation as to a candidate's skill will be supported by a defined response form that outlines the necessary and appropriate skills. A high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation forms provided by the applicant’s supervisor when granting certification. For that reason, the individual signing the form should be familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills/abilities, and should be confident that the applicant meets all the requirements as noted on the application.

The attestation form addresses the following categories:

TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the department:

• Meets education, skills, and ability guidelines for the CME and CSME (application for the CME and CSME credentials need not be made)
• Effectively supervises personnel to ensure adherence to all procedures and policies
• Monitors senior examination personnel to ensure department mission, goals, and responsibilities are being met
• Effectively organizes and delegates assignments
• Effectively supervises the entire examination process
• Effectively provides for personnel management in the areas of budgeting, recruiting, training, team-building, negotiation, motivation, coaching and counseling, performance evaluation, and disciplinary actions
• Effectively participates in departmental policy formulation and strategic planning

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective supervision of the overall activities of mortgage providers:

• Effectively determines a mortgage provider’s condition from completed reports of examination
• Effectively administers appropriate departmental response from examination findings and follow-up on correction of problems and violations

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations and participates in development of amendments to laws or new legislation:

• Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations
• Effectively reviews violations and approves corrective action or enforcement powers
• Actively participates in development of new mortgage legislation or amendments to existing legislation

HUMAN RELATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:

• Effectively and clearly communicates with people and organizations internal and external to the department
• Effectively conducts meetings with management, owners and the boards of directors of mortgage providers
• Effectively coordinates examination planning, execution and regulatory response with other state and federal supervisory or law enforcement authorities
• Effectively and clearly communicates with other state agencies and the state legislature if necessary

RECERTIFICATION

Every three years, certified examiners are required to submit 63 continuing education hours (CEHs) in order to renew a CMEM certification. If an examiner exceeds this requirement, up to 14 CEHs may be carried over into the new three-year term. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner's knowledge, skills, and abilities.