(a) “Mortgage loan originator” means an individual who, for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain, takes a residential mortgage loan application or offers or negotiates terms of a residential mortgage loan.
(b) Mortgage loan originator does not include any of the following:
(1) An individual who performs purely administrative or clerical tasks on behalf of a person meeting the definition of a mortgage loan originator, except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section 22014. The term “administrative or clerical tasks” means the receipt, collection, and distribution of information common for the processing or underwriting of a loan in the mortgage industry and communication with a consumer to obtain information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a residential mortgage loan, to the extent that the communication does not include offering or negotiating loan rates or terms, or counseling consumers about residential mortgage loan rates or terms.
(2) An individual who solely renegotiates terms for existing mortgage loans held or serviced by his or her employer and who does not otherwise act as a mortgage loan originator, unless the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the SAFE Act requires such an employee to be licensed as a mortgage loan originator under state laws implementing the SAFE Act.
(3) An individual that is solely involved in extensions of credit relating to timeshare plans, as that term is defined in Section 101(53D) of Title 11 of the United States Code.
(4) An individual licensed as a mortgage loan originator pursuant to the provisions of Article 2.1 (commencing with Section 10166.01) of Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code and the SAFE Act.
(c) “Registered mortgage loan originator” means any individual who is all of the following:
(1) Meets the definition of mortgage loan originator.
(2) Is an employee of a depository institution, a subsidiary that is owned and controlled by a depository institution and regulated by a federal banking agency, or an institution regulated by the Farm Credit Administration.
(3) Is registered with, and maintains a unique identifier through, the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry.
(d) “Loan processor or underwriter” means an individual who performs clerical or support duties as an employee at the direction of, and subject to the supervision and instruction of, a mortgage loan originator licensed by the state or a registered mortgage loan originator.