Why Is My Mortgage FICO (Fair Isaac) Score Different?

Free credit‑check scores rarely match the mortgage FICO score because lenders pull a specific version from a specific bureau at a specific time, while consumer sites usually show a generic, older model. Lenders typically use FICO Score 2 (Experian), FICO Score 4 (Equifax), or FICO Score 5 (TransUnion) for mortgage underwriting; the version you see on a free portal may be FICO Score 8 or 9, or a VantageScore, and often reflects a snapshot that's days or weeks old.

Additionally, the bureau's data update cycle, recent payments, or newly reported collections can shift the score between the moment you check it yourself and when the lender runs the inquiry.

• Version mismatch: free tools often display FICO Score 8/9, while mortgages use 2, 4, or 5.
• Bureau difference: each credit bureau maintains its own file; the score you view may come from Experian, but your lender could be pulling from Equifax.
• Timing lag: consumer sites update weekly or monthly; lenders pull the most current data at application time.
• Score model: some free sites use VantageScore, which weights factors differently from any mortgage FICO version.
• Data recency: recent credit actions (paying down a card, a new inquiry) may not appear on the free read‑out yet but will affect the lender's pull.
• Reporting frequency: some accounts report to one bureau only, altering the score each bureau calculates.

These discrepancies set the stage for the detailed version‑identification steps in the next section.

Your lender typically pulls a specific FICO version - usually FICO Score 2 from Experian, 4 from Equifax, or 5 from TransUnion - for your mortgage FICO score.

1. Check the loan estimate or rate‑lock disclosure; the version often appears in the fine‑print (e.g., 'FICO® Score 2').
2. Ask the loan officer or underwriter directly which bureau and version they use; most will confirm the version in writing.
3. Pull your own credit report from each bureau and locate the mortgage‑type score label (e.g., 'FICO Score 2 (Experian) - Mortgage'). That label tells you exactly which version the lender will see.

For a full version list see FICO score version guide.

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• Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion each calculate the mortgage FICO score with a different version of the FICO model (FICO Score 2 for Experian, FICO Score 4 for Equifax, FICO Score 5 for TransUnion), so the underlying algorithmic weights differ.
• Each bureau's credit file contains slightly different data; some lenders report to one bureau earlier, some report only to one bureau, causing timing gaps that shift the mortgage FICO score.
• The three models treat key mortgage factors - such as recent mortgage inquiries, installment loan history, and debt‑to‑income ratios - differently, which changes the score even when the underlying information is identical.
• Updating cycles vary by bureau; a new credit line may appear on Experian's file today but not on Equifax or TransUnion until the next batch, creating temporary score mismatches.
• Lenders often request a specific bureau's mortgage FICO score, so the score you see from another bureau may not reflect the version your lender actually uses (see 'identify which FICO version your lender actually uses').

Mortgage lenders set your rate using the mortgage FICO score - specifically the version each bureau built for home loans (Experian FICO Score 2, Equifax FICO Score 4, TransUnion FICO Score 5). They typically pull the score from the bureau listed on your loan file, and many lenders compare all three and apply the lowest as the rate driver.

For conventional mortgages the three‑bureau mortgage FICO score is the industry standard; FHA, VA, or USDA loans may apply program‑specific overlays, but the underlying score always comes from one of those three versions.

Reporting dates and data refresh cycles can cause your mortgage FICO score to move up or down even if your underlying behavior hasn't changed.

Each bureau updates its file on a different schedule - Experian (FICO Score 2) typically posts new data on the 20th of the month, Equifax (FICO Score 4) around the 15th, and TransUnion (FICO Score 5) near the 30th - so the same account may appear current on one report and stale on another, creating temporary score gaps.

When a creditor sends a balance change, a new inquiry, or a payment status after a reporting cut‑off, the mortgage FICO score will reflect that information only at the next update; until then, the score remains based on the prior snapshot, which can explain sudden jumps or drops when you pull a fresh report.

You can compare mortgage rates without hurting your mortgage FICO score by using only soft pulls, limiting hard inquiries to a single 30‑day window, and knowing which FICO version each lender checks.

Rate‑shopping works because the three mortgage‑specific models - FICO Score 2 (Experian), FICO Score 4 (Equifax) and FICO Score 5 (TransUnion) - treat all hard pulls made within a short period as one inquiry. Most lenders apply a 30‑day window (some up to 45 days). Any hard pull outside that window registers as a separate event and can lower the mortgage FICO score by a few points.

• Get pre‑qualified: ask lenders for a pre‑qualification that uses a soft pull; it shows a rate estimate but leaves the mortgage FICO score untouched.
• Shop within the window: submit all mortgage applications to different lenders within the same 30‑day window; the models count them as a single inquiry.
• Use the same bureau version: verify whether a lender looks at Experian's Score 2, Equifax's Score 4, or TransUnion's Score 5 (see the 'identify which FICO version your lender actually uses' section).
• Ask for a rate‑lock: once you find a competitive offer, lock the rate before the window closes to avoid additional pulls.
• Consider a 'soft‑pull quote' service: some platforms (FICO's mortgage‑score FAQ) let you receive rate quotes without a hard inquiry.

By confining all hard pulls to the rate‑shopping window and leveraging soft‑pull tools, you can shop confidently while keeping your mortgage FICO score intact, paving the way for the next step of finding and fixing any report errors.

Locate the errors on each bureau's report and get them removed so they stop pulling down your mortgage FICO score.

1. Order the three reports that lenders use: Experian (FICO Score 2), Equifax (FICO Score 4), and TransUnion (FICO Score 5). Free copies are available at Annual Credit Report.
2. Scan each report for typical mistakes - misspelled name or address, duplicate accounts, collections that are older than seven years, balances that don't match your statements, or closed accounts still listed as open.
3. Match every questionable line to a statement, bill, or online dashboard. Keep the supporting document (e.g., a paid‑off receipt or a screenshot showing the correct balance).
4. File a dispute with the specific bureau that shows the error. Use the bureau's online portal, attach a short note and the proof, and request correction. The bureau must investigate within 30 days.
5. After the investigation, download the updated report. If the item remains, submit a second‑level dispute or contact the creditor directly with the same documentation.
6. Alert your lender that the correction is now on file. Most lenders refresh the mortgage FICO score in the next reporting cycle, typically 30 - 45 days.
7. If the error caused a sizable score drop and you're nearing rate lock, ask the lender about a rapid rescore; this can reflect the correction in days rather than weeks.

A co‑borrower's credit file is pulled separately for each bureau - Experian (FICO Score 2), Equifax (FICO Score 4), TransUnion (FICO Score 5) - and the lender calculates an individual mortgage FICO score for each applicant;

the lower score typically limits the loan's rate and terms, so any negative item on the co‑borrower's report (new inquiry, higher utilization, late payment) can lower that person's mortgage FICO score and thus affect the overall loan despite the primary borrower's score staying unchanged.

An authorized user influences only the primary's credit file; unless the user is also a co‑borrower, they do not generate a separate mortgage FICO score. Adding a high‑limit, low‑balance authorized user can boost the primary's mortgage FICO score across all three bureaus, while removing one can cause a drop. Updates follow each bureau's standard reporting cycle, typically within about 30 days, but the timing is not guaranteed and does not automatically trigger a new mortgage‑specific calculation.

FHA, VA, and USDA programs each apply underwriting overlays that can let a borrower qualify even when the underlying mortgage FICO score (FICO Score 2 for Experian, 4 for Equifax, 5 for TransUnion) shows a blemish; the score itself does not change, but the program's rules determine whether the blemish blocks the loan.

• FHA typically permits one 30‑day late payment on a non‑mortgage account without automatic denial, so a borrower with a FICO Score 2 of 715 may still be eligible.
• VA typically looks at the age of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy - often requiring two years post‑discharge - yet the bankruptcy remains on the credit report and drags the FICO Score 5 lower (e.g., from 720 to 680).
• USDA uses debt‑to‑income ratios as a separate eligibility metric; a borrower with a 45 % DTI can meet USDA's guidelines, but the mortgage FICO Score 4 reflects the credit history unchanged (e.g., stays at 690).

For more detail on FHA's allowable delinquencies see the HUD FHA borrower eligibility guide.

Lenders add overlays when they deliberately boost the mortgage FICO score above the raw bureau number, usually to meet program thresholds or to reward a strong overall profile. An overlay might add 20‑30 points to a FICO Score 2 from Experian, or a similar cushion to a FICO Score 4 from Equifax, even though the consumer's official report shows a lower figure. The practice is common with FHA, VA, and USDA loans, where the underwriting rules permit a fixed 'margin' to compensate for the models' conservative bias. Because the overlay is not reflected in the credit‑bureau file, the borrower sees a higher mortgage FICO score on the lender's portal than on any free‑FICO check.

Lenders apply manual score adjustments when they recalculate the mortgage FICO score using human judgement instead of the automated algorithm. A loan officer may subtract points for a recent late payment that hasn't yet appeared on the Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion reports, or they may raise the score if they verify that high credit utilization is temporary. These tweaks typically affect the FICO Score 5 from TransUnion and the FICO Score 4 from Equifax, and they rely on the lender's internal policy rather than the bureau's static model. The result is a mortgage FICO score that can differ noticeably from the consumer's free‑FICO view, and the adjustment may vary each time the loan file is reviewed. Understanding lender score overlays

Identity theft or a merged file can make your mortgage FICO score drop overnight, even though you didn't open new credit. The drop is 'phantom' because the negative data belongs to someone else but appears on your Experian (FICO Score 2), Equifax (FICO Score 4), or TransUnion (FICO Score 5) report.

When you pull the three bureau reports, look for red flags that typically signal a mixed file or fraud:

• identical Social Security numbers attached to different names,
• hard inquiries you never authorized,
• accounts with wildly different address history,
• a 'mixed file' notice in the dispute section.

If any appear, place a fraud alert, dispute the inaccurate entries with each bureau, and request a corrected copy before your lender runs the next underwriting. Once the errors are cleared, you can move on to the rapid‑rescore option to get your mortgage FICO score back in line.

Rapid rescore can lift your mortgage FICO score within days instead of weeks. Lenders typically use the latest Experian (FICO Score 2), Equifax (FICO Score 4) or TransUnion (FICO Score 5) data, so a quick update can change the number you see at closing.

• Verify the error or new positive item on each bureau report; rapid rescore requires documented proof of the change.
• Request the lender's rapid‑rescore form, attach corrected report excerpts, and pay the usual $50‑$100 fee; the lender then submits a recalculation to the appropriate FICO version.
• Submit the request before the rate‑lock deadline (usually 30 days prior) to ensure the updated mortgage FICO score is used for pricing.
• Follow up within 48 hours; most lenders post the revised mortgage FICO score to underwriting in 1‑3 business days.
• If the lender declines, consider a full credit‑rebuild or a new application with a different lender, as rapid rescore works only when the original data error is clear.