Enter your score and down payment to see which of the six major mortgage programs you meet the published minimums for — VA purchase, VA IRRRL, VA cash-out, USDA, conventional and jumbo.
No-obligation VA pre-qualification review.
The VA itself sets no minimum credit score. Lenders apply their own underwriting standards and weigh residual income and recent payment history heavily. A borrower with established on-time housing payments may present a stronger file than one with recent late payments.
There's no VA minimum, so a lender overlay and your recent payment history matter more than hitting a specific number.
Reviewed by the licensed mortgage team at Simply Approved Mortgages · Last verified August 24, 2026 against the VA Lenders Handbook (M26-7)
See how score changes your paymentWithin typical VA purchase overlays; requires eligible service and a Certificate of Eligibility.
VA sets no score minimum; 580 is a common lender overlay for a purchase (Gold Star Wholesale VA Program Summary).
Meets the typical IRRRL overlay; requires an existing VA loan and net tangible benefit.
VA generally permits streamlined review without AUS, a new appraisal, or DTI calculation on many IRRRLs; lender requirements and credit-qualifying IRRRL rules may add documentation.
Eligible up to 100% LTV at most cash-out lenders.
580 to 90% LTV; 620 above that (660 above the conforming limit), per current lender program guides.
Eligible for the GUS automated path in eligible rural areas.
640 enables the GUS automated approval path; below that requires manual underwriting.
Meets agency minimums; pricing improves with a higher score.
Rate and PMI pricing improve sharply at 680, 720 and 760.
Most jumbo investors want 700+ and 10%+ down.
Portfolio guidelines; reserves of 6–12 months are typical.
Program minimums reflect published agency guidelines (VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36, USDA HB-1-3555, Fannie Mae Selling Guide). VA figures shown here are lender overlays, not VA-set rules — the VA itself sets no minimum credit score. Individual lenders may apply stricter or looser overlays. This tool is educational and is not a credit decision, pre-approval, or offer of credit.
| Score range | Tier | What it means for your loan |
|---|---|---|
| 760+ | Best available pricing | Lowest conventional rates and minimum PMI. VA offers little advantage at this tier unless your debt ratio is high. |
| 720–759 | Strong | Conventional is usually cheapest. PMI is roughly half what it costs at 680. |
| 680–719 | Good | The genuine crossover zone — run both options. VA often wins because there is no mortgage insurance at any down payment. |
| 640–679 | Fair | VA typically beats conventional because PMI and loan-level price adjustments climb steeply here, while the VA funding fee does not move with score. |
| 580–639 | Rebuilding | VA with $0 down is the main path most lenders will approve. USDA needs 640 for the automated approval track. |
| 500–579 | Impaired | Most VA lenders decline below 580; a handful of true no-overlay VA investors will still go to 500 with 100% LTV on a purchase. Focus on 12 months of clean payment history. |
Mortgage underwriting uses older FICO models pulled from all three bureaus: FICO Score 2 from Experian, FICO Score 5 from Equifax and FICO Score 4 from TransUnion. The lender takes the middle of the three. With two borrowers, the lower of the two middle scores usually governs.
VA permits manual underwriting using a non-traditional credit history when you have no scoreable file — 12 months of documented rent, utility, insurance, childcare or tuition payments can substitute for tradelines.
Not sure where you stand? Check the full VA requirements or run the affordability calculator to see what your income supports.
For comparison: HUD allows a 580 FICO score with a 3.5% down payment on an FHA loan, and 500–579 with at least 10% down. That is an FHA rule, not a VA rule — VA loans set no minimum score at all.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac generally require a 620 minimum representative score. Pricing and private mortgage insurance costs improve significantly at 680, 720 and 760.
The VA sets no minimum credit score. Lenders set their own, commonly 580 to 620. VA loans require no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance for eligible veterans and service members.
Yes. VA permits manual underwriting with non-traditional credit — 12 months of on-time rent, utilities, insurance or tuition payments — when you have no scoreable credit file.
Start a VA pre-qualification with a licensed loan originator. Licensed in Colorado and Florida.
SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant, grounded in the VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36 and the county loan-limit file behind this page. It answers general VA questions. A licensed mortgage loan originator reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
Hi — I'm SAM with Simply Approved Mortgages. Ask a question about VA credit requirements, or pick one of the popular questions beside this box.
AI assistant — general VA loan education only, not financial, legal or tax advice, not a loan approval, pre-approval or commitment to lend. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) is an independent mortgage broker and is not the VA, HUD or any government agency, and is not endorsed by them. All loans are subject to lender underwriting, appraisal and final approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Lenders may review your credit as part of underwriting, and the requirements vary by lender. The VA itself sets no minimum credit score; individual lenders set their own guidelines. Knowing what is on your reports before you start makes it easier to correct errors and understand the options a lender may be able to consider.
Simply Approved Mortgages uses CIC SmartPay to securely collect the credit report fee for your VA pre-approval. Payment goes directly to the credit vendor — not to us — and unlocks your tri-merge report (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) so your loan officer can price your file.
You'll be redirected to CIC SmartPay.
Before you apply, it's smart to know exactly where your credit stands. MyITINCredit offers a $1 trial for 15 days that includes all three credit reports and scores, plus ongoing monitoring so you can catch errors, dispute inaccuracies, and watch for identity theft.
You'll be redirected to myitincredit.com. Third-party service — terms apply.
Credit report fees are paid directly to the credit vendor. Simply Approved Mortgages does not profit from the credit pull. MyITINCredit is an independent third-party service; pricing, terms, and features are set by that provider.
Hand-picked pages that answer the questions most people have after reading this one.
Related VA topics for this page — tap any question to jump straight to the answer.
A VA appraisal checks value and Minimum Property Requirements. If the value looks like it will come in low, Tidewater gives your agent a shot to submit more comps before the Notice of Value is finalized.
The VA funding fee schedule sets the one-time cost that replaces mortgage insurance on every VA loan. Here's the current chart, who's exempt, and how it's financed.
A VA loan can finance up to a 4-unit property with $0 down, as long as you live in one unit. Rent from the other units can even help you qualify.
Program rules and figures on this page are taken from the primary government sources below, not from third-party summaries.
Verified against VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Change 6 — August 12, 2026. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, VA, or any government agency.
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