Ohio RMLA registrant bonds.
From $300.

Ohio registers mortgage brokers under the Residential Mortgage Lending Act (R.C. § 1322.07), the same registration lenders hold, so an Ohio mortgage broker files this bond.

Every registrant under Ohio's Residential Mortgage Lending Act must maintain a corporate surety bond in favor of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. ORC 1322.32 sets the penal sum at one-half of one percent of last year's originations, from $50,000 to $150,000. The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount.

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Required before an RMLA registrant conducts business in Ohio under ORC 1322.32

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Penal sum 0.5% of last year’s originations — $50,000 floor, $150,000 cap, +$10,000 per extra location

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0.6% of the bond amount — your exact price appears at the application

0.6% rate$300 at the $50,000 minimumInstantissuance at checkoutNo credit check up to $250,000above that, a soft pull at most, never a hard inquiry

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Price

How much does an Ohio RMLA registrant bond cost?

0.6% of the bond amount, from $300 at the $50,000 minimum. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.

How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

No quote round-trip on the RMLA registrant bond — enter your penal sum, pay, and file with the Division. Here is the whole thing:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details, ownership, the penal sum your registration requires, and an effective date. No credit check up to $250,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which never affects your score.

INSTANTLY

Pay & e-sign

The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount — your exact price appears before you pay, and the bond issues the moment you do.

SAME DAY

File with the Division

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to upload to NMLS or file with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions with your RMLA registration.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the RMLA bond actually guarantees

The Ohio Residential Mortgage Lending Act, ORC Chapter 1322, is the registration regime for the companies that originate, buy, service, or broker residential mortgage loans in Ohio. ORC 1322.32 states plainly that no registrant shall conduct business in this state unless it has obtained and maintains in effect at all times a corporate surety bond.

The bond runs in favor of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, and the penal sum is computed as one-half of one percent of the aggregate loan amount of residential mortgage loans originated in the immediately preceding calendar year — floored at $50,000 and capped at $150,000 for registrants, with an additional $10,000 for each location beyond the first. Mortgage servicers post at least $150,000.

It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. Because the penal sum is recomputed off last year's origination volume, the required amount can move at renewal; we track the term and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out.

ORC 1322.32Section 1322.32 of the Revised Code, 'Corporate surety bond; notice of action or judgment,' provides that no registrant shall conduct business in this state unless the registrant has obtained and maintains in effect at all times a corporate surety bond in favor of the superintendent of financial institutions. The penal sum is one-half of one percent of the aggregate loan amount of residential mortgage loans originated in the immediately preceding calendar year, with a minimum of fifty thousand dollars and a maximum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars for registrants, plus ten thousand dollars for each location beyond the first; a mortgage servicer maintains at least one hundred fifty thousand dollars. Confirm your computed penal sum with the Division of Financial Institutions.

You need this bond if you're

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Applying for an Ohio RMLA registration through NMLS with the Division of Financial Institutions

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Renewing a registration whose penal sum was recomputed off last year’s origination volume

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A mortgage servicer registering under Chapter 1322 at the $150,000 minimum

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Adding Ohio locations and increasing the bond by $10,000 per additional office

After you buy

Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.

If a claim is made

A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.

The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.

Renewal and term

The premium covers a one-year term from the effective date you choose.

Renew before the expiry date to keep the bond in force: the license, permit or contract it backs expects continuous coverage.

How to file it

File with the Division. Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to upload to NMLS or file with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions with your RMLA registration.

What sets the price

The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount, $100 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.

No credit check up to $250,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which never affects your score.

Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — business details, ownership, the penal sum, and an effective date.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Ohio RMLA bond?The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount. The penal sum itself comes from ORC 1322.32 — one-half of one percent of last year’s originations, at least $50,000 and no more than $150,000 for registrants — so your exact price appears at the application.

How do I compute my penal sum?Take one-half of one percent of the aggregate loan amount of residential mortgage loans you originated in the immediately preceding calendar year, then apply the $50,000 floor and $150,000 cap and add $10,000 for each location past the first. Confirm the figure with the Division before filing.

Do mortgage servicers post a different amount?Yes. Under ORC 1322.32 a mortgage servicer maintains a bond of at least $150,000.

Is there a credit check?No credit check up to $250,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which never affects your score.

Who is the obligee, and where does the bond go?The Superintendent of Financial Institutions. The executed bond arrives by email, ready to upload to NMLS or file with the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions with your registration.

Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.

How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.

Which license is yours

Ohio mortgage license bonds.

We write 2 mortgage license bonds in Ohio. Each license has its own bond, amount and price; pick the one your license calls for.

License bond	Required by	Bond amount	Price
Residential Mortgage Lending Act Bond (this page)	ORC 1322.32	$50,000 or more	From $300
RMLA Letter of Exemption Bond	ORC 1322.32	$50,000 or more	From $300

Related bonds

Other Ohio bonds.

Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, 13 October 2026. Page updated 15 October 2026.

RMLA registrant bond, issued today.

0.6% of the bond amount, issued the moment you pay. Free until issued.

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