Is FICO (Fair Isaac) Score 9 Used For Mortgages?

Yes, some mortgage lenders accept FICO Score 9, but it is far from universal. In 2024 roughly one‑third of lenders have upgraded their underwriting platforms to read Score 9, while the majority still rely on older versions such as FICO 8 or FICO 5 because their automated underwriting systems (AUS) have not been reconfigured.

Adoption varies by loan type and software vendor. Lenders that run the latest versions of Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter or Freddie Mac's Loan Product Advisor can pull a Score 9 directly, whereas many conventional lenders continue to use the older models that reference previous scores. For a deeper look at how widespread the practice is, see the next section on 'how common is FICO 9 among mortgage lenders?'. official overview of FICO Score 9

• Around 30 % - 40 % of mortgage lenders already use FICO Score 9 in 2024.
• Large banks such as Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase have integrated FICO Score 9 into their automated underwriting system (AUS) platforms like Experian Bridge and Desktop Underwriter.
• Many regional banks and credit unions still rely on older versions (FICO 8 or 5) because their legacy AUS setups haven't been updated.
• Some non‑bank lenders apply FICO Score 9 selectively for high‑balance or refinance loans, where its medical‑debt treatment can boost approval chances.
• Industry surveys show adoption accelerating; analysts expect at least half of major lenders to switch to FICO Score 9 by 2025 (2024 FICO adoption trends report).

Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and many portfolio mortgages already accept FICO Score 9. Lenders that run an Automated Underwriting System (AUS) such as Desktop Underwriter or Loan Product Advisor can input the newer score, and government‑backed programs have updated their guidelines to reference it as well.

• Conventional loans (Fannie Mae Desktop Underwriter, Freddie Mac Loan Product Advisor)
• FHA loans (approved for FICO 9 under the 2023 HUD update)
• VA loans (VA guidelines allow FICO 9 as of 2024)
• USDA Rural Development loans (USDA now recognizes FICO 9)
• Portfolio/non‑QM loans (banks that underwrite in‑house often adopt the latest score)
• Some bank‑owned (B2B) mortgages that use internal AUS models

No, FHA, VA and USDA loan programs do not use FICO Score 9 for underwriting.

These government‑backed loans still require the legacy bureau scores specified in each agency's guidelines. Lenders may pull a FICO 9 for internal analysis, but they cannot submit it to the agency's Automated Underwriting System (AUS).

• FHA - uses the Total™ AUS and mandates legacy scores (FICO 2, 4, 5) for eligibility  -  see the FHA underwriting guidelines.
• VA - relies on the VA Vantage® AUS and accepts only legacy scores (FICO 2, 4, 5)  -  refer to the VA loan credit requirements.
• USDA - requires legacy scores (generally FICO 1‑5) within its Rural Development underwriting process.

Consequently, borrowers must meet the legacy score thresholds; a lender that reports only FICO Score 9 will not satisfy the agency's credit criteria.

FICO Score 9 is accepted by a handful of major Automated Underwriting Systems (AUS) that lenders have chosen to enable in 2024.

1. Desktop Underwriter (DU) - Fannie Mae's AUS now pulls FICO 9 when the lender opts into the 'FICO 9‑compatible' workflow, allowing the score for conventional, FHA and VA loans that meet the updated eligibility criteria Fannie Mae DU user guide.
2. Loan Product Advisor (LPA) - Freddie Mac's AUS supports FICO 9 for both conventional and non‑QM products; lenders must select the 'FICO 9' credit model in the system settings Freddie Mac LPA documentation.
3. Encompass Automated Underwriting - ICE Mortgage Technology's platform can ingest FICO 9 from the bureau feed, and many large lenders have activated it for their pipelines, especially for high‑balance and jumbo mortgages ICE Mortgage Technology Encompass AUS page.
4. MortgageIT's proprietary engine - Some regional lenders using MortgageIT's custom AUS have integrated FICO 9, typically for portfolio‑line loans where they control the underwriting rules MortgageIT automated underwriting overview.

FICO Score 9 should be the standard credit model for most mortgages by 2026.

Adoption has accelerated since 2023 when large banks such as Wells Fargo and JPMorgan began feeding FICO Score 9 into their automated underwriting systems (AUS). In 2024 Fannie Mae updated Desktop Underwriter to accept FICO Score 9, and Freddie Mac announced full integration for its Loan Product Advisor in early 2025. These moves pressure other conventional lenders to switch, because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require the newer score for new purchases after mid‑2025.

Given the industry‑wide upgrade schedules, most lenders are expected to have transitioned by late 2025, making FICO Score 9 the de‑facto baseline for mortgage underwriting in 2026. This shift will affect the sections on medical‑debt treatment and score‑boost comparisons that follow.

FICO Score 9 treats medical debt more leniently, delaying its impact and ignoring small or resolved balances.

Under FICO Score 9, a medical collection does not enter the scoring universe until 180 days after the first delinquency date. Any collection with a balance under $500 is excluded entirely, and if the debt is paid or settled before the credit bureau receives the report, it never influences the score. This contrasts sharply with older models that count medical collections as soon as they appear, regardless of amount or payment status.

For example, a borrower with a $2,500 medical collection reported 30 days after the bill would see an immediate score drop under FICO 8, but FICO 9 ignores the account until the 180‑day mark; if the borrower clears the balance at day 90, the collection never appears in the score. A separate case: a $400 medical collection reported today will not affect the borrower's FICO 9 at all, though it would have reduced a FICO 8 score.

Because some lenders still rely on older versions, prospective homebuyers should confirm which version the lender's automated underwriting system (AUS) uses before assuming medical debt will be harmless for mortgage approval.

FICO Score 9 can raise your number if you carry medical collections, but it won't automatically lift everyone's score.

If you have unpaid or recently paid medical debt, FICO Score 9 reduces the weight of those accounts and ignores collections that are paid in full. That change often translates into a handful of points higher than you'd see under older models such as FICO 8 or FICO 5, especially for borrowers whose credit file is otherwise clean.

If your report contains no medical debt, the new weighting may shift emphasis to other factors - like credit utilization or recent inquiries - so your score might stay flat or dip slightly compared with older versions. In short, the boost is limited to specific credit profiles, not a blanket improvement.

As noted in the 'how FICO 9 treats medical debt' section, the model's softer medical‑debt handling is the key driver of any increase. Real‑world case studies in the next section illustrate exactly how those few points can affect mortgage approval outcomes. FICO Score 9 methodology overview

FICO Score 9 can swing a mortgage decision from denial to approval within the same credit profile.

Real‑world cases illustrate the shift:

• A couple in Ohio with a 710 pre‑2020 FICO, $2,800 in unresolved medical collections and a debt‑to‑income ratio of 45 % was declined by an automated underwriting system (AUS) that still used older models; after the same data were run with FICO Score 9, the collections were treated as paid‑in‑full, the ratio dropped to 42 %, and the loan was approved at 4.75 % interest.
• A single‑parent borrower in Texas, credit score 720 under FICO Score 9, had $5,000 in recent hospital bills. The new model ignored the medical debt, allowing the AUS to issue a clearance for a conventional 30‑year loan, whereas a 718 score from a 2017 model triggered a manual underwriter review and a higher rate.
• A first‑time homebuyer in Florida, score 735 with FICO Score 9, qualified for an FHA loan despite a short‑term payday loan that older scores flagged as high risk; the newer algorithm reduced the impact of the payday loan, resulting in a $10,000 lower down‑payment requirement.

These examples show that lenders using FICO Score 9 often see higher approval rates and better pricing for borrowers with medical or short‑term debt, reinforcing the trends discussed in the 'how FICO 9 treats medical debt' section. For more details on the scoring changes, see the official FICO Score 9 overview.

Ask the lender which FICO version their underwriting platform runs. The quickest way is to call the loan officer or mortgage broker and request, 'What credit model does your Automated Underwriting System (AUS) use for this loan?' If they use Fannie Mae's Desktop Underwriter, they'll typically tell you they rely on FICO Score 8 for conventional applications, while a newer Fannie Mae Desk‑Top Underwriter 2 may pull a FICO Score 9 on request. Some lenders also disclose the version on the Loan Estimate or in the closing disclosure under the 'Credit Score' line item.

If the answer isn't clear, request a copy of the credit report the lender pulled; the bureau header will list the model (e.g., 'FICO Score 9, version 1'). Another tactic is to ask whether the lender participates in the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac AUS that now allows FICO Score 9 for qualified borrowers  -  see the recent update from FICO's Score 9 announcement. Knowing the exact version lets you compare how medical debt or other changes affect your score before you move on to the next section on 'questions you must ask lenders about their credit model.'

Ask which credit model determines your mortgage eligibility and how it's applied in the lender's underwriting workflow.

• Which FICO Score 9 version, older FICO version, or alternative model does the lender use for mortgage qualification?
• Does the lender feed the score into an automated underwriting system (AUS) such as Desktop Underwriter or Loan Product Advisor, and how does that AUS treat the chosen model?
• How does the lender weight medical debt, collections, or recent inquiries under the current credit model?
• If the primary model is unavailable, does the lender apply a fallback score, and what is that fallback?
• For FHA, VA, or USDA loans, does the lender adjust the minimum required score based on the credit model?
• Can the lender provide a copy of the credit decision report showing the exact score and factor weights used?

If your lender uses an older FICO model, you can still boost your mortgage chances by (1) asking the loan officer to run FICO Score 9 on a free‑trial basis or via a credit‑reporting service, (2) shopping around for another lender that already utilizes the newer version, (3) requesting a manual review from the underwriter and supplying extra proof of income or assets to offset any older‑model score penalties, (4) pulling your credit reports, disputing any inaccuracies, and paying down high-balance revolving accounts to improve the underlying data that all FICO versions share, (5) holding off on new credit inquiries or large purchases until after you lock in a rate, and (6) considering a co‑borrower with a stronger credit profile to compensate for the older score.

These steps let you sidestep the limitations of legacy scoring while you wait for broader adoption of FICO Score 9 across automated underwriting systems (AUS) and lenders.