Credit score options
No Minimum Credit Score Mortgages: Conventional, FHA, VA and USDA
Travis Penny, Senior Mortgage Broker, NMLS 1649161
Reviewed by Travis Penny, NMLS 1649161
Last reviewed October 27, 2026
For years I've had to turn down good borrowers for one number. On many conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans, one of the wholesale lenders I work with no longer sets its own minimum credit score. If your file gets an approval from automated underwriting, your score by itself isn't what stops you. Residential home loans in Maine and Florida. Not everyone will qualify.
Travis Penny, NMLS 1649161 | Vision Mortgage, NMLS 1286953. Equal Housing Opportunity. Subject to credit approval and underwriting. Not everyone will qualify. Programs and guidelines can change without notice.
How it works
- Fresh credit and a full application.
- Your file runs through automated underwriting (DU, LP or GUS).
- If it's approved, regular underwriting continues.
What still matters
- Payment history
- Debt-to-income ratio (DTI)
- Steady, documented income
- Reserves after closing
- Down payment
- The automated underwriting findings
Loans that still have a score minimum
Manually underwritten loans, conventional with mortgage insurance, Conventional Cash-Out 90, conventional non-warrantable condos, jumbo and non-QM loans, select down payment assistance programs, and certain specialty products. FHA still has its own program minimums. Not for DSCR loans or HELOCs. Other lenders may set their own score minimums (overlays).
Who this can help
- Buyers turned down for their score alone
- Thin or rebuilt credit with steady income
- Veterans
- Rural buyers
Frequently asked questions
Is there really no minimum credit score?
For many conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans, the lender I work with doesn't set its own score floor when the file gets an automated underwriting approval. Some loans still have minimums.
Does everyone qualify?
No. Underwriting requirements still apply, and not everyone will qualify.
What is automated underwriting?
It's a computer review of your whole file: credit history, DTI, income, assets and reserves. The main systems are Fannie Mae's DU, Freddie Mac's LP, FHA's TOTAL Scorecard (run through DU or LP), and USDA's GUS.
I was denied for my score. Should I try again?
If it was your score alone, it may be worth a fresh look. Approval isn't guaranteed.
Does this apply to DSCR loans or HELOCs?
No. It applies only to residential conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans.
Which states?
Residential home loans in Maine and Florida.
Keep exploring
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