Nonbank lender or intermediary
NMLS Consumer Access and state regulator
Correct state, activity and branch
Check the license for the entity, product and state
A license number without its state, activity and current status is incomplete evidence. Find the exact entity first, then read the official record for the transaction you are considering.
Bottom Dollar Payday is not the lender. This page helps prepare and compare decisions; it does not submit an application or access accounts or application records.
Bank
FDIC BankFind Suite
Exact bank identity and relevant regulator
Credit union
NCUA consumer resources
Institution identity, charter/insurance context and membership
Choose the authority you need to consult
Selecting a category does not query a registry or produce a validation.
What do you already know?
A company supplied an NMLS number
Search the number in the official consumer-access tool, then check the legal name, state authorizations and relevant activity. Do not stop when a name appears; the number identifies a record, not blanket permission for every product.
You only know a storefront or website name
Find the legal operator and creditor name in the offer or terms. Record the branch address. Similar trading names in different cities can belong to different entities.
You cannot find a matching entry
Recheck spelling, legal name, product category and authority. Contact the regulator with the evidence rather than declaring the business licensed or unlicensed from an incomplete search.
Use a lookup designed for that kind of institution
State regulators may use NMLS Consumer Access for covered financial-service providers. It includes information relevant to authorization and contact details; coverage and record meaning must be read with the regulator’s instructions. Maryland’s guidance, for example, notes a separate directory for some charter information. Do not generalize one search to every institution. [F06]
| Entity named in the offer | Starting resource | What to confirm next |
|---|---|---|
| Nonbank lender or intermediary | NMLS Consumer Access and state regulator | Correct state, activity and branch |
| Bank | FDIC BankFind Suite | Exact bank identity and relevant regulator |
| Credit union | NCUA consumer resources | Institution identity, charter/insurance context and membership |
| Entity not yet identified | Agreement and site legal disclosure | Legal name before registry searching |
The bank and credit-union resources are separate official lookup routes, not proof that an advertised short-term product is offered. [F07] [F08]
Read the record as a set of matches
Use the company or branch name in your own agreement, not a name copied from an unrelated review page. Match contact information and the official website when available. A suspended, surrendered or expired record is not interchangeable with a current authorization; unresolved status needs clarification from the authority.
Save the search date and the record you actually saw. This page does not perform that search or certify a named company.
Keep an evidence note you can explain
A simple record is more useful than a screenshot with no context.
| Field | Record from your actual search | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity and identifier | Exact name and record number | Prevents confusing similar brands |
| Jurisdiction and activity | State and license category | Separates a loan permission from another financial activity |
| Branch or business address | Address relevant to the transaction | Avoids substituting another office |
| Status and observation date | Wording shown by the authority and date checked | Prevents treating old evidence as current |
| Unresolved discrepancy | Name, site or activity that does not match | Creates a concrete regulator question |
Do not treat copied credentials as authentication
Scammers may use convincing names or pressure you to pay before guaranteed approval. Independently open the official registry and company website instead of following only a message link. A real registry entry does not prove the sender controls that company. Use the scam checker when a payment demand or contact method seems wrong. [F09]
Separate authorization from product value
Even a correctly matched record does not answer whether the offered payment is affordable, whether optional products are being added, or whether the lender will approve you. Read the written costs and dates separately. A regulator’s link or logo on a website is not that agency’s endorsement of the website.
Escalate a specific unresolved question
Send the regulator the legal name, claimed identifier, product, state and the discrepancy you found. Use the authority’s own contact or complaint channel. Share account details only when requested through that verified process. Do not post sensitive contracts publicly merely to obtain opinions about a license number.
Questions before continuing
Does this page run a live license search?
No. It routes you to official tools and explains how to read a record. Selecting a category does not validate any company.
Why does a bank need a different lookup?
Banks and nonbank lenders can be supervised under different institutional and licensing frameworks. A nonbank category is not a universal institution directory.
Is a business registration enough?
A corporate registration addresses corporate existence, not necessarily permission for the financial activity in your state. Check the activity-specific authority.
Related decisions
Sources and scope
Sources describe rules and resources; they do not endorse Bottom Dollar or certify listed businesses. Numerical examples are calculations, not offers.
