Georgia Mortgage Guides

Georgia FHA Loan Requirements 2026

FHA loan limits for all 159 Georgia counties — all at the $524,225 national floor — credit score and down payment requirements, MIP costs, and how FHA pairs with Georgia Dream assistance programs.

📖 8 min readUpdated June 2026Georgia · FHA Loans

$524,225FHA limit (all 159 GA counties)

3.5%Min down payment (580+ credit)

0.55%Annual MIP (most loans)

640Min credit for GA Dream + FHA

In This Guide

FHA loan limits in Georgia
FHA loan requirements
Mortgage insurance premiums
FHA + Georgia Dream combination
FHA loan FAQs

FHA Loan Limits in Georgia (2026)

All 159 Georgia counties share the same FHA loan limit of $524,225 for 2026 — the national floor. Georgia has no high-cost counties in 2026. This uniform limit applies throughout the state: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, and all rural counties alike. You can verify the current figures directly using HUD’s official FHA Mortgage Limits lookup tool.

Coverage	FHA Loan Limit	Conforming Limit
All 159 Georgia counties	$524,225	$806,500

The $524,225 FHA limit is sufficient for the majority of Georgia home purchases. In the Atlanta suburbs and newer developments, some properties exceed this limit — buyers in those markets will need a conventional loan for the portion above the FHA cap.

FHA Loan Requirements in Georgia

Requirement	Standard FHA	GA-Specific Notes
Credit score	580 (3.5% down); 500–579 (10% down)	Most GA lenders require 620+; Georgia Dream requires 640+
Down payment	3.5%	Can be combined with Georgia Dream $10,000–$12,500 DPA
DTI ratio	Up to 57% with strong factors	43% preferred
Primary residence	Required	Owner-occupied only
Attorney	Not an FHA requirement	Georgia requires closing attorney

FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums (MIP)

MIP Type	Rate	On a $350,000 Loan
Upfront MIP (UFMIP)	1.75% of loan amount	$6,125 (typically financed)
Annual MIP (monthly)	0.55%/yr (30-yr, LTV 95%+)	~$160/mo

FHA vs. Conventional in Georgia

Factor	FHA	Conventional
Min credit score	580	620
Down payment	3.5%	3–20%
Mortgage insurance	MIP (upfront + annual, often for the life of the loan)	PMI (cancels automatically at 78% LTV)
Loan limit (most GA counties)	$524,225	Higher conforming limit — confirm the current year’s figure with FHFA
Georgia Dream pairing	FHA + Georgia Dream Combination	Conventional + Georgia Dream Combination
Best for	Lower credit scores, gift funds for down payment, first-time buyers	680+ credit, plans to cancel mortgage insurance early, stronger assets

FHA + Georgia Dream Combination

The most popular Georgia Dream combination is pairing it with an FHA first mortgage. On a $285,000 home purchase with 3.5% down ($9,975 down payment), the $10,000 Georgia Dream DPA effectively covers the entire down payment and contributes approximately $25 toward closing costs.

Item	Amount
Purchase price	$285,000
FHA down payment (3.5%)	$9,975
Georgia Dream DPA	$10,000
Net from buyer for down payment	$0 (covered by DPA)
Minimum buyer contribution required	$1,000 (Georgia Dream requirement)

Georgia FHA Loan FAQs

What is the FHA limit in Atlanta?

All Atlanta metro counties — Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Forsyth, Clayton, Fayette, and others — share the same $524,225 FHA loan limit for 2026. Atlanta has no high-cost county designation, which means the national floor applies throughout the entire metro. For buyers looking at homes priced above approximately $543,000, a conventional loan is required since FHA would need a higher down payment to stay within the loan limit.

Can I use FHA to buy a townhome in Georgia?

Yes. FHA finances detached homes, attached townhomes, 2–4 unit properties, and condominiums (in FHA-approved projects). Townhomes are generally straightforward for FHA in Georgia — the main concern is HOA stability and ownership concentration for attached units in common-wall developments. If the townhome is in a condo project (not just a fee-simple townhome), confirm the project’s FHA approval status before making an offer.

Does Georgia have a waiting period after bankruptcy for FHA loans?

FHA requires a 2-year waiting period after Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge (1 year if the bankruptcy was due to extenuating circumstances beyond your control). For Chapter 13, FHA allows eligibility after 1 year of satisfactory payment plan completion with court permission. These are national FHA standards that apply in Georgia. Georgia itself adds no additional waiting period requirements beyond FHA’s federal guidelines.