Most cities and counties require a general business license. Many industries also need a state license. Financial-services work (collection, lending, money transmission, mortgage) is licensed state by state. Use the roadmap wizard or the directory to see who typically needs which filing.
Who needs a state financial-services license?+
Third-party collectors and many debt buyers; companies that make consumer loans above a state’s trigger; businesses that transmit customer funds or sell payment instruments; and firms that originate, broker, or service residential mortgages. Banks and credit unions lending under a charter are usually exempt from the non-depository license. Confirm the exact category with the agency.
Where do I file?+
With the state agency that issues that license — often a banking department, DFI, collection board, or secretary of state. Mortgage, many lender, and most money-transmitter applications go through NMLS. Collection is mixed: some states use NMLS, some a board, and some issue no statewide collection license. Open the state index for the desk.
How long does it take?+
This site does not quote processing times. Each agency sets its own review clock, and a deficiency letter resets it. For timelines, use fastlicense.com.
What does it cost?+
This site does not quote service fees or government fee bands. Confirm the current filing fee and any required surety bond on the agency’s checklist. To compare providers and costs, use licensestore.com.
Can I do it myself?+
Yes. The agency will take a complete application from the applicant. The work is assembling the right authority, control-person disclosures, and any bond the statute requires. Cornerstone Licensing prepares and files if you want that done for you.
What about multiple states?+
There is no national license for these verticals. You file in each state where the customer, borrower, or debtor lives — not only where your office sits. The state directory lists the agency for each core license.
Who does the actual work?+
Filings arranged through this site are prepared and submitted by Cornerstone Licensing. This site’s job is to name who needs the license and which desk takes the application. Filing counts and approval rates are not reprinted here; read those on Cornerstone’s own site.
What's included if Cornerstone files?+
Application preparation, document assembly, filing with the agency or NMLS, deficiency response, and renewal tracking. If the statute requires a surety bond, they place it. Government fees are paid to the agency, not set on this site.
Do you handle renewals?+
Cornerstone tracks renewal dates and files renewals so a license does not lapse. Confirm each state’s renewal calendar on the regulator’s site.
See the license and the desk.
Three questions name the license type. The full state list stays in the directory.