California has no state minimum credit score for a mortgage. The minimum comes from the program behind the loan. An FHA loan allows maximum financing at a minimum decision credit score of 580.[1] Fannie Mae requires 620 on manually underwritten fixed-rate loans, and its Desktop Underwriter system uses no set minimum.[3] VA publishes no number of its own.[4]
What is the minimum credit score to buy a house in California?
The minimum credit score to buy a house in California is whatever the loan program requires, because state law doesn’t set one. Here are the published program floors, each from the agency that sets it:
| Program | Published minimum | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FHA | 580+ eligible for maximum financing. 500 to 579 limited to 90% loan-to-value. Under 500 not eligible. | HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11[1] |
| Conventional (Fannie Mae), Desktop Underwriter | No minimum credit score required for new casefiles created on or after Nov. 16, 2025. DU assesses credit risk. | Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01[3]; Announcement SEL-2025-09[9] |
| Conventional (Fannie Mae), manual underwriting | 620 fixed-rate. 640 adjustable-rate. | Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-5.1-01[3] |
| VA | No VA number published. Must meet VA’s and the lender’s credit standards. | VA purchase loan page[4] |
| USDA Guaranteed | No USDA credit score requirement. Applicants must show willingness and ability to manage debt. Lenders set their own minimums. | USDA Rural Development[7] |
| Jumbo and non-QM | Set by each investor. No agency floor. | See jumbo and non-QM |
These are program floors. Lenders can set stricter requirements of their own, often called overlays. Lower, LLC, the lender The Taylor Weiner Team originates through, says on its FAQ page: “You can get approved with a credit score as low as 580, as long as you meet our other eligibility criteria.” The same page adds: “There are certain circumstances and programs in which a credit score of 580 is enough, but typically you need a credit score of 620.”[10]
What credit score do you need for an FHA loan?
An FHA loan allows maximum financing when the borrower’s minimum decision credit score is 580 or higher.[1] For a purchase, HUD describes that as a down payment as low as 3.5%.[2] From 500 to 579, the loan is limited to 90% of value, which means at least 10% down. Below 500, the transaction isn’t eligible for FHA insurance.[1]
HUD’s Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, dated October 8, 2026, adds FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 alongside Classic FICO. It applies to FHA case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. HUD states that the existing minimum score thresholds stay the same whichever model is used, and that FHA will keep requiring a tri-merge credit report.[1] For more, see our FHA loan guide for Orange County.
What’s the minimum score for a conventional loan?
For a conventional loan sold to Fannie Mae, there is no minimum credit score when the file is run through Desktop Underwriter (DU). Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide says “a minimum credit score is not required for DU loan casefiles.”[3] This is a recent change. Fannie Mae’s Announcement SEL-2025-09, dated Nov. 5, 2025, removed the 620 minimum for new DU loan casefiles created on or after Nov. 16, 2025.[9] DU weighs credit as part of its overall risk assessment instead. For manually underwritten Fannie Mae loans, the minimum is 620 for fixed-rate loans and 640 for adjustable-rate loans, and other eligibility limits apply.[3] Your score can still affect the pricing you’re offered, and lenders may apply higher minimums. See fixed-rate loans and FHA vs. conventional.
What credit score do you need for a VA or USDA loan?
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs doesn’t publish a minimum credit score on its purchase loan page. It says you must meet VA’s standards and your lender’s standards for credit, income and other requirements.[4] The lender’s minimum is the number to ask about. For the USDA Guaranteed loan program, USDA Rural Development states that “the program has no credit score requirements,” but applicants are expected to show a willingness and ability to handle and manage debt.[7] Lenders that offer USDA Guaranteed loans set their own minimums. You may see 640 quoted online. In USDA’s credit guidance for its separate Section 502 Direct program, 640 is the score at or above which an applicant qualifies for streamlined credit analysis. Below 640, the Direct program reviews the file more fully, for example verifying rent or mortgage payments, so 640 isn’t a hard floor even there.[8] See our VA loan and USDA loan pages.
What credit score do I need for a jumbo loan?
A jumbo loan is above the conforming limit, so neither Fannie Mae nor FHA sets the floor. Each jumbo investor sets its own credit score minimum, often alongside reserve and down payment rules. Our jumbo loan page covers how the team approaches jumbo files, and the 2026 California loan limits page shows where jumbo starts in each county.
Why the minimum score is not the whole approval
Meeting a credit score floor makes a file eligible to be considered. It doesn’t approve it. Lenders also look at your debt-to-income ratio, which the CFPB defines as your total monthly debt payments divided by your gross monthly income.[6] They also weigh your down payment, cash reserves, employment and income history, and the property. FHA ties some of these together: when the minimum decision credit score is below 580, or there is no score, manually underwritten FHA loans are limited to 31% housing and 43% total debt ratios.[1] The affordability calculator shows how ratios turn into a price range.
What is the biggest killer of credit scores?
The CFPB lists the main things scoring models look at: your bill-paying history, your current unpaid debt, how much of your available credit you’re using, and new applications for credit.[5] Before a mortgage, the practical habits follow from that list:
- Pay every account on time.
- Keep card balances low relative to their limits.
- Avoid opening new credit while you’re shopping for a loan and during underwriting.
Does every lender use the same score?
No. The CFPB notes that “you do not have just ‘one’ credit score.” Scores differ by model, data source and the date they’re calculated.[5] Mortgage programs set rules for which score counts. FHA’s rules, for example, use a tri-merge credit report and a defined minimum decision credit score.[1]
Does it hurt your credit score to refinance?
Applying for any new credit can have an effect, because new applications are one of the factors scoring models consider.[5] How much it matters depends on your file. To see whether a refinance is worth it on cost alone, use the refinance calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What credit score is needed for a home loan?
It depends on the program. FHA allows maximum financing at 580 and caps the loan at 90% of value from 500 to 579.[1] Fannie Mae’s DU has no set minimum, while manual Fannie Mae loans need 620 (fixed) or 640 (ARM).[3] VA publishes no number of its own.[4]
Does every lender use the same credit score?
No. Scores vary by model, data source and date, and each program sets its own rule for which score counts. Lenders may also set minimums above the program floor.[5]
Can I get a mortgage with no credit score?
Sometimes. FHA’s manual underwriting rules cover borrowers with no credit score, with debt-to-income ratios limited to 31% and 43%.[1] Whether a specific file works depends on the program and on documenting other credit history.
If you want to know where your score fits before you shop for a home in Orange County or Los Angeles County, The Taylor Weiner Team can review which programs your file is eligible for. Contact the team or read the buy a home guide. This article is general information, not an approval.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mortgagee Letter 2026-11, “Updated Minimum Decision Credit Score Methodology for the Implementation of Alternative Credit Scores” (October 8, 2026). hud.gov (PDF).
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA Answers, “How can FHA help me buy a home?” answers.hud.gov.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-5.1-01, General Requirements for Credit Scores (04/22/2026). selling-guide.fanniemae.com.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “VA-backed purchase loan.” va.gov.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “What is a credit score?” consumerfinance.gov.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “What is a debt-to-income ratio?” consumerfinance.gov.
- USDA Rural Development, “Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program,” section “What are the credit requirements?” rd.usda.gov (archived copy, December 29, 2025: web.archive.org).
- USDA Rural Development, Single Family Housing Direct Division, “Section 502 and 504 Direct Loan Program Credit Requirements” (revision date October 18, 2024). rd.usda.gov (PDF) (archived copy: web.archive.org).
- Fannie Mae, Selling Guide Announcement SEL-2025-09 (Nov. 5, 2025), “Minimum credit score requirements.” singlefamily.fanniemae.com (PDF).
- Lower, LLC, “FAQs,” answers to “What credit score do I need to get approved?” and “How do I know if I will qualify for a loan?” lower.com/faqs (checked October 25, 2026).
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