What Is the Minimum VA Loan Credit Score?

Anna-Louise Jackson, Editor at LendingTree

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The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) doesn’t set a specific VA loan credit score requirement. Lenders, however, can set their own minimum VA loan requirements. Most require at least a 620 score, but some go as low as 500.

Key takeaways

The VA doesn’t set a program-wide minimum credit score requirement.
However, individual lenders may impose their own requirements for a VA loan.
If you don’t have a credit history, you may be able to use alternative methods, such as providing proof of payment for rent or other bills, to qualify for a VA loan.

What VA loan credit score do you need?

While the VA doesn’t set a minimum credit score to qualify for a VA loan, many lenders won’t accept a score below 620.

So can you use a VA loan to buy a house with a 600 credit score, or even a 500? The answer is likely yes. If you have credit blemishes, make sure to shop around — there are mortgage lenders available who will give loans to veterans with bad credit scores. VA loans can be accessible to those home buyers with scores in the 500s and low 600s.

However, as with any type of mortgage loan, the higher your credit score, the lower your interest rate offers will be.

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What credit score do you need to get a VA loan with LendingTree?

LendingTree will provide loan offers for VA loan borrowers with credit scores as low as 504. However, the average VA loan borrower who took out a home loan through LendingTree has a credit score of 710.

For borrowers looking to refinance an existing VA loan with LendingTree, you’ll need a minimum credit score of 512, but borrowers have scores of 699, on average.

What is the minimum credit score to buy a house?

Loan type	Minimum credit score	FICO® credit score rating	Who sets the minimum?
VA	500	Poor	The lender
FHA	500 (with a 10% down payment)	Poor	The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
USDA	640	Fair	The lender
Conventional (conforming)	620	Fair	Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

VA loans are a great option for veterans and active-duty service members who have low credit scores. Compared to other types of loans, VA loans have one of the lowest minimum credit score requirement and, unlike FHA loans, don’t automatically require a bigger down payment if you have low credit.

Can you get a VA loan with no credit?

If you have no credit history, don’t worry, you can use alternative methods of showing a VA loan lender that you have a history of repaying your debts and making on-time payments.

Many bills you may have paid regularly for years — such as rent, utilities or a cell phone bill — can be used just like a standard line of credit to show a lender that you’re responsible and motivated to pay your debts.

Sometimes called “alternative tradelines,” these bills can usually help you qualify when applying for a VA loan if the financial relationships they represent are at least a year old.

What are the VA loan credit requirements?

In addition to meeting your lender’s VA loan credit score requirement, your ability to handle other credit and debt obligations in the past 24 months will be scrutinized. This includes:

Two years of rental and mortgage history. If you’ve paid your rent or mortgage on time over the last two years, VA lenders feel more confident that you’ll pay a new mortgage on time.

Last 90 days of credit activity. Lenders analyze your payment history, unpaid balances and monthly payments to see how well you manage debt, such as credit cards, student loans and car loans.

Two years of employment and residency history. Recently discharged veterans should provide information about any deployments and military job experience if they have less than a two-year job or address history.

Federal debts. Government-approved lenders run your information through CAIVRS (Credit Alert Interactive Verification Reporting System) to verify that you have no delinquent federal debts, such as student loans or previous VA loans.

History of foreclosure or bankruptcy. VA guidelines allow you to take out a VA loan two years after a foreclosure or bankruptcy. That’s less than the three to seven years you’d have to wait to get a new conventional or FHA loan.

Debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. There is no hard-and-fast rule about how much debt you can carry and still meet the necessary qualifications for eligibility for a VA loan. However, if your DTI ratio is above 41%, your underwriter will have to investigate the reasons why and evaluate whether you can afford the loan.

Why are the VA’s credit requirements less strict?

VA loans are guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which means that the VA has agreed to cover a portion of the loan amount — typically 25% — if you default on your mortgage payments.

As a result, lenders generally consider VA loans to be less risky, making them more willing to work with eligible borrowers who have lower credit scores.

How to get a VA loan with bad credit

You may be able to get a VA home loan with bad credit, but you’ll pay a higher interest rate and you may end up with a higher monthly mortgage payment. A 740 credit score or higher will earn you the most competitive interest rate offers.

Here are five simple steps you can take to improve your credit score and snag a lower VA interest rate:

Fix errors on your credit report: You can request free copies of your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) by going to AnnualCreditReport.com. If you find any information on those reports that isn’t accurate, use our guide on disputing credit report errors to have them removed.
Pay your bills on time: Payment history accounts for 35% of your overall FICO score. Do your best to pay your bills on time and in full to make a positive impact.
Be mindful of your credit usage: Your credit utilization ratio, which is the percentage of credit you’re using versus your total credit limit amount, accounts for another 30% of your overall FICO score. As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to try to keep your credit usage as low as possible — ideally under 30%.
Wait to apply for new credit: Opening new credit accounts can also ding your score. When in doubt, wait until after you’ve gotten the keys to your new home to make any changes to your credit.
Avoid cosigning any loans for others: Cosigning a loan means you’re liable for the payments if the other borrower defaults. Think carefully before taking on this responsibility for a loved one, especially if you’re planning on buying a home in the near future.

Frequently asked questions

The VA doesn’t specify a minimum credit score for VA loans. However, in practice, many lenders won’t accept a score below 620.

Yes, some lenders, like Rocket Mortgage and Carrington Mortgage Services, will accept credit scores lower than the standard 620 benchmark. In fact, LendingTree’s network accepts VA loan credit scores as low as 504. You may just have to shop around to find the right fit.

VA loan denial is fairly uncommon. According to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, only almost 9% of VA loans were denied in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 15% of FHA loans.

Still, the VA states that a borrower must have a “reasonable ability to repay the loan,” which means that factors like having a lower income or spotty employment history could jeopardize your approval.

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