What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage in 2026?
There is no single credit score you need to buy a house. It depends on the loan type and the lender.
Short answer: FHA loans allow scores down to 580 with 3.5% down, or 500 with 10% down. VA and USDA set no minimum score, though lenders often set their own. Fannie Mae dropped its 620 minimum for loans approved through its automated system in November 2025; 620 still applies to manually underwritten loans. A higher score still lowers what you pay.
By Ken Byrne, NMLS #187129 · ALCOVA Mortgage LLC, NMLS #40508 · Updated October 2026
This guide shows the credit score you need for a mortgage in 2026 by loan type, the scores homebuyer programs in Virginia, Maryland and DC require, and how your score changes your price.
To see which loans fit your score, talk to JB Financing mortgage loan officer Ken Byrne.
What credit score do you need to buy a house in 2026?
It depends on the loan. Here are the agency rules. Lenders may set higher minimums of their own.
| Loan type | Agency credit score rule | Minimum down payment |
|---|---|---|
| FHA | 580 or higher for 3.5% down; 500 to 579 with 10% down | 3.5% |
| Conventional, Fannie Mae automated approval | No minimum score | 3% for eligible buyers |
| Conventional, manual underwriting | 620 fixed rate, 640 adjustable; higher with less down | 5% |
| VA | No VA minimum; lenders may set one | Typically none |
| USDA | No USDA minimum; the automated system decides | None |
| Jumbo | No agency rule; set by each lender | Set by the lender |
Sources: HUD Mortgagee Letter 10-29; Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01 (April 22, 2026); VA Home Loan Buyer’s Guide; USDA Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program. The lender’s own minimum can be higher.
ALCOVA Mortgage’s program pages describe FHA and USDA credit guidelines as flexible and jumbo requirements as generally higher. They do not list a minimum score, so ask for the one that applies to your loan.
Did the 620 minimum for conventional loans go away?
At the agency level, largely yes. Many lenders still set their own floor. Fannie Mae removed the 620 minimum for loans run through its Desktop Underwriter system, starting with files created on or after November 16, 2025.
Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01, dated April 22, 2026. Source: Fannie Mae.
Desktop Underwriter judges the whole file instead of applying a set score cutoff. A manually underwritten Fannie Mae loan still needs at least 620 for a fixed rate or 640 for an adjustable rate. Manual loans top out at 95% loan-to-value, and a smaller down payment needs a higher score.
Freddie Mac uses its own system, Loan Product Advisor. Many lenders also keep their own floors, so a 600 score may still be declined by some lenders.
Sources: Fannie Mae announcement SEL-2025-09, November 5, 2025; Selling Guide B3-5.1-01.
Fannie Mae’s HomeReady and Freddie Mac’s Home Possible are two low down payment programs. For manually underwritten loans, they start at 620 and 660. Some loans need more.
What credit score do you need for an FHA loan?
580 for the 3.5% minimum down payment. Scores from 500 to 579 need 10% down. Below 500, FHA will not insure the loan.
| Score | FHA rule |
|---|---|
| 580 or higher | Eligible for maximum financing, 3.5% down |
| 500 to 579 | Limited to 90% loan-to-value, so 10% down |
| Below 500 | Not eligible |
| No credit score | Eligible with manual underwriting, payment ratios up to 31% and 43% |
Sources: HUD Mortgagee Letters 10-29 and 2026-11.
FHA adds two newer score models, FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0, for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. The 580 and 500 lines stay the same.
FHA mortgage insurance does not change with your score. With 3.5% down, the annual premium lasts for the life of the loan; with 10% down, it ends after 11 years.
See program details on our FHA loans page.
What credit score do you need for a VA loan?
VA does not set one. Its buyer’s guide says lenders may want at least 620, unless there is a large down payment.
VA looks for satisfactory credit, enough income and a Certificate of Eligibility. It also reviews your debt-to-income ratio and uses a residual income test.
Source: VA Home Loan Guaranty Buyer’s Guide; VA eligibility page.
Compare benefits on our VA loans page.
What credit score do you need for a USDA loan?
USDA says the program has no credit score requirement. Its automated underwriting system decides which score is acceptable.
Lenders may add their own minimum. USDA also accepts nontraditional credit, such as rent and utility history, and says that alone is not a reason to deny a loan.
Sources: USDA program page, June 22, 2026; USDA HB-1-3555, chapter 10.
Check eligible areas and income limits on our USDA loans page.
What credit score do you need for a jumbo loan?
There is no agency rule. Jumbo loans are above the conforming limit, so each lender sets its own score and down payment.
In the DC area, one-unit home loans above $1,249,125 are jumbo in 2026. ALCOVA Mortgage says jumbo credit requirements are generally higher.
Sources: FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits; ALCOVA Mortgage jumbo loans page.
What credit score do homebuyer programs in Virginia, Maryland and DC require?
State housing agencies often set their own minimums, and they can be higher than the loan program’s.
| Program | Minimum credit score |
|---|---|
| Virginia Housing conventional loans | 640 |
| Virginia Housing FHA, VA and USDA loans | 620 |
| Virginia Housing Plus Second | 620 with an FHA first, 640 with a conventional first; 680 for the larger amount |
| Maryland Mortgage Program | 640 for most products |
| Maryland SmartBuy 3.0 | 720 |
| DC Open Doors and DC4ME | 640 |
| HomeAdvantage DC | 660 |
| DC HPAP | 630 |
| West Virginia Housing Development Fund | 620, per the Fund’s guidance |
Sources: Virginia Housing program guides (August 2026); Maryland Mortgage Program product matrix (September 4, 2026); DC Housing Finance Agency program pages; WVHDF homebuyer guidance.
Virginia Housing’s down payment grant follows the first mortgage. It needs 640 with a Virginia Housing Conventional Bond loan and 620 with an FHA Bond loan.
See the Virginia options in Virginia Housing first-time buyer programs.
Maryland buyers can read our Maryland Mortgage Program guide.
In the District, see DC HPAP for 2026.
How does your credit score change your mortgage cost?
On a conventional loan, a lower score adds an upfront charge called a loan-level price adjustment. Lenders usually pass it on in the rate or in points.
Purchase loan price adjustments by credit score and loan-to-value ratio, from the matrix updated September 30, 2026. Source: Fannie Mae.
| Credit score | Charge on a $400,000 loan with 20% down | Charge on a $400,000 loan with 3% down |
|---|---|---|
| 780 or higher | $1,500 | $500 |
| 740 to 759 | $3,500 | $2,000 |
| 700 to 719 | $5,500 | $3,500 |
| 680 to 699 | $7,000 | $4,500 |
| 660 to 679 | $7,500 | $5,000 |
| 639 or lower | $11,000 | $7,000 |
Source: Fannie Mae Loan-Level Price Adjustment Matrix, September 30, 2026, purchase loans over 15 years. Charges are lower above 95% loan-to-value on this grid, but those loans also need mortgage insurance, which generally costs more with a lower score.
The best tier starts at 780, so you do not need a perfect score. First-time buyers with income at or below 100% of area median income (120% in high-cost areas) have these charges waived.
For context, loans Fannie Mae bought in the second quarter of 2026 had a weighted-average FICO score of 756.
Source: Fannie Mae second quarter 2026 financial supplement.
Which credit score do mortgage lenders use?
Usually the older “classic” FICO versions from all three credit bureaus, not the score in your banking app.
The lender takes the middle of your three scores. With two borrowers, it uses the lower of the two middle scores.
Since September 9, 2026, any lender can use VantageScore 4.0 instead on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, with one model per loan. Fannie Mae prices the two models the same way for loans it buys on or after October 1, 2026.
Sources: Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-02 and Lender Letter LL-2026-06; FHFA, Credit Scores, updated October 2, 2026.
Manually underwritten Fannie Mae loans still use classic FICO only.
Can you buy a house with no credit score?
Yes, on some loans. Lenders use other payment history, such as rent and utilities.
| Program | Option without a credit score |
|---|---|
| FHA | Manual underwriting, ratios up to 31% and 43% |
| Fannie Mae | Allowed on a principal residence for a purchase or limited cash-out refinance, with limits by underwriting path |
| Freddie Mac | Up to 95% loan-to-value on a one-unit home |
| USDA | Nontraditional credit is not a reason to deny |
Sources: HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11; Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.4-01; Freddie Mac, Mortgages for borrowers without credit scores; USDA HB-1-3555, chapter 10.
How can you raise your credit score before applying?
Start one to three months early. The fastest gains usually come from lower card balances and fixed errors.
| Step | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Pay card balances down before the statement date | Bureaus usually receive the balance from your latest statement |
| Dispute report errors | Bureaus generally have 30 days to investigate, up to 15 more if you send new information |
| Check your reports for free every week | AnnualCreditReport.com now offers weekly reports permanently |
| Shop lenders within 14 days | The CFPB says mortgage checks within 45 days are recorded as one inquiry, but older FICO versions use 14 days |
| Ask about a rapid rescore | Only a lender can request one, after you pay down or correct an account |
Sources: 15 U.S.C. 1681i; FTC, Free credit reports; CFPB; Experian (rapid rescore).
On medical debt, the CFPB’s 2025 rule was struck down by a federal court on July 11, 2025. Separately, the three bureaus adopted their own policies in 2022 and 2023 to leave paid medical collections and those under $500 off reports.
For a full timeline, use our 90-day credit plan.
Once your score is ready, see pre-qualification vs pre-approval.
Your score also shapes how much you need down. See how much down payment you need.
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See which loans your score may qualify for and what a stronger score could save you.
✓Free, no obligation✓Licensed in VA, MD, DC and WV✓Loan officer Ken Byrne, NMLS #187129
Frequently asked questions
What is the lowest credit score to buy a house?
FHA insures loans down to 500 with 10% down. VA, USDA and Fannie Mae automated approvals set no minimum. Lenders often set their own floor.
Can I buy a house with a 600 credit score?
Often, yes. FHA allows it with 3.5% down. A conventional loan may be possible through automated approval if the lender allows it.
Is 620 still the minimum for a conventional loan?
Not for Fannie Mae’s automated approvals since November 2025. It still applies to manually underwritten Fannie Mae loans, and many lenders keep it.
What credit score do I need for a VA loan?
VA has no minimum. Its buyer’s guide says lenders may want 620 unless there is a large down payment.
What credit score do I need for an FHA loan with 3.5% down?
580 or higher. Between 500 and 579 you need 10% down.
Do mortgage lenders use FICO or VantageScore?
Most still use classic FICO from all three bureaus. Since September 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also accept VantageScore 4.0.
Does checking my own credit lower my score?
No. The CFPB says checking your own credit does not affect your scores.
What credit score gets the best mortgage rate?
On Fannie Mae’s grid, 780 and up gets the lowest price adjustment. You do not need 850.
How fast can I raise my credit score?
Lower card balances can show up after one statement cycle. Error disputes generally take about 30 days.
This article is general information, not financial or legal advice and not a commitment to lend or an offer of credit. Agency rules, lender requirements and program terms change, and your eligibility depends on a full review of your credit, income, assets and the property. Confirm anything you plan to act on with a licensed mortgage professional. Rules were read on October 12, 2026.
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