Illinois vs Montana for MLO Licensing

Total Fees

$391.25

$591.25

Pre-Licensing

20 hrs

22 hrs

Timeline

4-8 wks

3-6 wks

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	Illinois	Montana
Total Fees	$391.25 ✓	$591.25
Pre-Licensing Hours	20 hrs ✓	22 hrs
Processing Time	4-8 weeks	3-6 weeks ✓
Renewal Cycle	N/A	N/A
Renewal Fee	$200 ✓	$400
CE Hours	8 hrs	8 hrs
Reciprocity	None	None

Key Differences

→

Cost

Illinois is $200 cheaper for total licensing fees.

Winner: Illinois

→

Education Hours

Illinois requires only 20 pre-licensing hours.

Winner: Illinois

→

Processing Speed

Montana processes applications in 3-6 weeks.

Winner: Montana

Category Winners

Lower Cost

Illinois $391.25

vs Montana ($591.25)

Fewer Hours

Illinois 20 hrs

vs Montana (22 hrs)

Faster Processing

Montana 3-6 wks

vs Illinois (4-8 wks)

Illinois

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

Official Website →

Full Illinois MLO requirements →

Montana

Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions

Official Website →

Full Montana MLO requirements →

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