HELOC credit score requirements by tier
| FICO score | Rate impact (July 2026) | What you can get |
|---|---|---|
| 780+ | Best rate tier | ~7.10% · 85% CLTV · full lender access |
| 720-779 | Excellent pricing | ~7.15%-7.25% · 85% CLTV · full lender access |
| 680-719 | Standard pricing | ~7.35%-7.75% · 80% CLTV · most banks |
| 640-679 | Rate premium tier | ~7.85%-8.75% · 75% CLTV · credit unions + some banks |
| 620-639 | Portfolio-only at most banks | ~8.75%-10.50% · 65-70% CLTV · specialty lenders — standard tier on our direct program |
| 600-619 | Declined at most banks | Approvable on our direct program with compensating factors |
| Below 600 | Rare / non-QM only | 10%+ if available · very small lender pool |
What each score tier means practically
780+ — Full menu
Every HELOC lender in the country will quote you. You'll get the lowest advertised rates, promo eligibility (Bank of America's 5.24% intro), and can push CLTV to 85% without penalty. If Third Federal serves your state at 6.24%, you'll qualify at that rate.
720-779 — Excellent pricing, tiny premium
Effectively identical to 780+ at most lenders. A few price-tier at 740, so scoring 740 vs. 720 might save 10-15 bps. Not worth waiting to build FICO further if you need the loan now.
680-719 — Standard tier
Most bank HELOC programs still open. You'll pay 20-50 bps above the 720+ borrower. CLTV typically capped at 80% instead of 85%. Not a disqualifier for anything, just a mild premium.
640-679 — Reduced lender pool
Big-bank programs (Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America) get selective here. Credit unions and portfolio lenders become the primary path. Rate premium 75-150 bps. CLTV usually capped at 75%. Non-QM programs available if bank/credit union declines.
620-639 — Specialty lenders only
Most conforming HELOCs decline. Portfolio credit unions and non-QM specialty programs remain. Rate premium 1.5-3.0%. CLTV capped at 65-70%. Cash reserves of 6-12 months required. Application often requires manual underwriting.
600-619 — Our direct program's floor
Most banks and credit unions decline outright at 619. On our direct program, this range is approvable with compensating factors: 30%+ equity, 6 months of cash reserves, and a clean 12-month mortgage payment history. Pricing sits closer to the 620-639 non-QM tier than to specialty pricing above — and you're not paying a broker fee since we fund the loan internally.
Below 600 — Very limited anywhere
Extremely small lender pool. Some non-QM lenders will consider 580+ FICO with 30%+ equity and clean recent payment history, but pricing runs 10%+. Usually better to spend 6-12 months rebuilding credit before applying. If you're at 580-599 and need capital sooner, ask us about a short-term bridge product while the credit repair work runs in parallel.
What affects your HELOC FICO beyond the number itself
- Recent late mortgage payments — kills applications faster than a low score. Even one 30-day late on your first mortgage in the last 24 months disqualifies most conforming programs regardless of FICO.
- Utilization on revolving credit — high utilization (60%+) suggests overleveraged even at good FICO. Pay cards down before applying.
- Recent hard inquiries — 3+ hard pulls in the last 12 months trigger extra scrutiny.
- Length of credit history — thin file (under 3 years, under 4 tradelines) can override a good score.
- Recent bankruptcies — separate from FICO impact; see our HELOC after bankruptcy guide.
How to raise your FICO before applying
Fastest wins in 60-90 days:
- Pay down revolving credit to below 10% utilization on each card
- Add yourself as authorized user on a family member's long-history, low-utilization card
- Dispute any errors on your credit reports (free at annualcreditreport.com)
- Ask for credit-limit increases on existing cards (lowers utilization ratio)
- Never miss a payment on anything for 6+ months before applying
What score does your lender see vs. what you see
Free credit monitoring services (Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, Experian's free tier) show VantageScore. Mortgage lenders pull FICO — specifically FICO 2 (Experian), FICO 5 (Equifax), and FICO 4 (TransUnion). The middle score of those three is your qualifying score.
Difference between VantageScore and FICO can be 20-40 points in either direction. If Credit Karma shows 720, your lender may see 685 or 745. Only way to know is a soft-pull pre-qualification with an actual lender.
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