Check a lender's license yourself
Updated November 6, 2026. General information, not legal advice. ResearchLoan is not a lender.
Search the lender's legal name on your state financial regulator's website, or on NMLS Consumer Access if your state uses it. An active license for your state tells you the regulator knows this company. It does not tell you the offer is a good one, so read the terms as well.
A note on who does this check
You do. ResearchLoan does not rate, review or vouch for any lender in the network. Lender requirements and licensing vary from state to state, so the lookup below is worth doing yourself on any company you are about to sign with. It takes about five minutes.
Five steps, about five minutes
- Get the legal name. Take it from the loan agreement or the fine print at the foot of the lender's site. A marketing name often differs from the name on the license, and a search on the wrong one shows nothing.
- Find your state's regulator. Search your state's name plus "department of financial institutions" or "banking department". Titles vary. The Conference of State Bank Supervisors at csbs.org keeps a list of state agencies.
- Search the regulator's license lookup. Many states have one on their own site, and many point you to NMLS Consumer Access at nmlsconsumeraccess.org, a free public search run for state regulators. It started with mortgage licensing and now also holds other types of license in a number of states, so it may not cover your state or this loan type.
- Read the result, not just the name. Look for an active or approved status, the state, and a license type that fits the product. A license for a different loan type or another state doesn't answer your question.
- Look at the complaints. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau publishes a searchable complaint database. Your state attorney general may also list actions against lenders.
When no license shows up
A blank result can mean several things, and only the last of them is a clear stop. Work through them in order:
| What you see | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing under the brand name | The license is held under a legal name | Search again with the name in the agreement |
| The agreement names a tribal entity | The lender says it operates under tribal law, not your state's license | Read the governing law clause. Tribal lenders may exceed state caps on cost |
| The agreement names a bank | A bank may be the lender, with a company servicing the loan | Look up the bank with its regulator, and read who collects the payments |
| Your state has no such lookup online | The records exist but aren't searchable there | Call or email the regulator and ask |
| No trace of the company at all | It may not be licensed where you live | Don't send personal details or money until you get a clear answer |
Signs that deserve more than a license check
The Federal Trade Commission warns about advance fee loan scams, where someone asks you to pay before you receive any money. Treat these as reasons to stop, whatever a license search says:
- A request for a fee before the loan is funded, by gift card, wire transfer or payment app
- Pressure to decide in the next few minutes
- No written terms, or terms that differ from what you were told
- No way to reach the company except a chat window or one phone number
What a license doesn't settle
A license is a floor. It doesn't tell you whether the price is fair for you or whether the due date fits your pay schedule. Those answers are in the paperwork. Read the Truth in Lending box, number by number for the cost, and loan agreement clauses worth finding for what happens after you sign.
Questions about license lookups
Does an active license mean a lender is safe?
It means the company holds a license with that regulator at that moment. It says nothing about whether the loan suits your budget, and it doesn't rule out complaints. Check the complaint records and read the agreement too.
Can I ask the lender for its license number?
Yes, and it is a reasonable first question. Then check the number with the regulator yourself instead of relying on a logo or a statement on the lender's own site.
Where do I complain if something goes wrong?
You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint and with your state regulator. Keep your agreement, your payment records and any messages.