The NMLS reported 16,076 state-licensed mortgage companies registered in the NMLS for the quarter that ended September 30, 2013, a decrease of 2 percent from 16,397 compared to the third quarter of 2012. During the same period, the number of licenses held by those companies increased by 4.6 percent, from 33,129 to 34,663. The license counts include separate licenses required for DBAs (Doing Business As) and multiple licenses for different authorities required in certain states.

New York reported the greatest decline in company license applications, which was an annual percentage change of 12.6 percent. The state that experienced the greatest increase in applications was Rhode Island, which had an annual percentage change of 42.8 percent. The rates in California held steady over the previous 12 months—the Bureau of Real Estate saw an increase of 0.5 percent, and the Department of Business Oversight saw an increase of 3.2 percent in application filings.

The NMLS Third Quarter 2013 report shows that the number of Mortgage Loan Originators (MLO) who are state-licensed or state-registered through NMLS increased by 8.4 percent, from 115,826 to 125,572. The number of licenses held by those MLOs also increased by 27.8 percent, from 243,840 to 311,589.

In addition, the number of federally registered MLOs is 404,385 and the number of institutions is 10,747. 

The NMLS state-licensing report can be accessed here, and the federal registration report can be accessed here.