Updated April 16, 2026
What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage? Minimum Requirements by Loan Type
Minimum Credit Scores by Loan Program
FHA loans have the lowest official minimum at 500 with 10% down, or 580 with just 3.5% down. Conventional loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac require a minimum 620 score. VA loans have no official minimum credit score set by the VA, but most lenders require at least 580 to 620. USDA loans technically have no minimum either, but lenders generally require 640 for their automated underwriting system. Jumbo loans typically require 700 to 720+ because they are held on the lender's books and carry more risk. Keep in mind that these are agency minimums - individual lenders often set higher requirements called overlays.
Which Credit Score Do Lenders Actually Use?
Mortgage lenders pull all three credit bureau reports (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and use the middle score as your qualifying score. If your scores are 680, 710, and 725, your mortgage credit score is 710. For joint applications, lenders use the lower of the two applicants' middle scores, which means a co-borrower with a lower score can hurt your pricing. Mortgage lenders still predominantly use FICO Score 5 (Equifax), FICO Score 2 (Experian), and FICO Score 4 (TransUnion), which can differ significantly from the FICO 8 or VantageScore you see on free monitoring sites. Do not be surprised if your mortgage score is 20 to 40 points different from what Credit Karma or your bank app shows.
How Your Score Affects Your Rate and Costs
The relationship between credit score and mortgage pricing is not linear - it operates in tiers with specific cutoff points. Moving from 680 to 700 produces a meaningful improvement, while going from 780 to 800 produces almost no benefit. On a $350,000 conventional loan, a borrower with a 760 score might pay 6.25% while one with a 660 score pays 7.00% or higher. Over 30 years, that 0.75% difference amounts to more than $65,000 in additional interest. PMI pricing is also heavily credit-score-dependent: a 760 score might pay 0.25% annually while a 660 score pays 1.0% or more.
Building Credit if You Have No Score
Some borrowers, particularly younger adults and recent immigrants, may have thin credit files that do not produce a score. FHA offers manual underwriting for borrowers without traditional credit scores, using alternative credit references like rent payments, utility bills, and insurance premiums. Building a score from scratch typically takes six months of activity on at least one credit account. The fastest path is to open a secured credit card, use it for small purchases, and pay the balance in full each month. Becoming an authorized user on a family member's established credit card can also help build your file quickly.
Rapid Rescoring: The Fast Track to a Higher Score
If your credit score is just below a pricing tier and you are actively in the mortgage process, your loan officer may suggest rapid rescoring. This is a service where the lender works with the credit bureau to quickly update your credit report after you pay down a balance, remove an error, or resolve a dispute. The turnaround is usually three to five business days instead of the 30 to 45 days a normal update takes. Rapid rescoring can only add positive changes - it cannot remove legitimate negative items. This tool is particularly valuable when your score is a few points below 620, 680, 720, or 740, as crossing these thresholds can meaningfully improve your rate.
Whatever your credit score, Rate Direct helps you find lenders who work with your profile. Compare personalized rates in minutes.
Today's mortgage rates
Conventional
5.625% (5.754% APR)
FHA
5.250% (5.370% APR)
VA
5.125% (5.239% APR)
Conventional: 80% LTV, 780 FICO. FHA: 96.5% LTV, 680 FICO. VA: 100% LTV, 700 FICO. 30-year fixed, primary residence. Your rate may vary.
Have questions? Email info@ratedirect.net - same-day responses.
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