FHA Loan Requirements in South Carolina

Quick answer

For 2026, the FHA one-unit loan limit in most South Carolina counties is $541,287 (the national floor); Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties allow up to $690,000 and Beaufort and Jasper counties allow up to $638,250, per HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23 data effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026. Borrowers need a 580 credit score for 3.5% down (500-579 needs 10% down), must occupy the home as a primary residence, and pay upfront plus annual mortgage insurance. SC Housing programs can help with the down payment. Estimate payments with the FHA loan calculator.

2026 South Carolina FHA loan limits by county

HUD sets FHA limits per county from area median prices each year. The national one-unit floor for 2026 is $541,287 and the national ceiling is $1,249,125 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, published December 11, 2025). South Carolina counties for 2026:

Only 5 of 46 counties sit above the national floor. Verify any county at HUD's FHA Mortgage Limits lookup before relying on a figure.

FHA baseline requirements (national rules)

• Credit score 580+: 3.5% minimum down payment. Scores 500-579 require 10% down. Below 500 is generally ineligible.
• Debt-to-income: HUD guidance generally looks for housing payments within about 31% of gross income and total debts within about 43%, though automated approvals can stretch higher with compensating factors.
• Primary residence only: FHA insures one primary home at a time; investment properties and second homes are excluded.
• Mortgage insurance: upfront MIP (financed into the loan) plus annual MIP in the monthly payment — confirm current rates at HUD.
• Appraisal standards: the home must meet FHA minimum property requirements for safety, soundness, and security.

Official rules: HUD Handbook 4000.1 and the HUD single-family housing page; borrower guidance at the CFPB.

South Carolina down payment help: SC Housing

South Carolina's housing finance agency is SC Housing (South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority), which runs the SC Housing Homebuyer Program (first-time buyer mortgages with down payment assistance) and the Palmetto Home Advantage program (open to repeat buyers, all 46 counties, no first-time-buyer requirement). Loans run through participating lenders. Details: schousing.sc.gov homebuyer programs page. Income limits (Palmetto Home Advantage uses a $140,000 statewide income limit), credit minimums, and homebuyer education apply.

South Carolina-specific notes

• Closing costs: SC buyers typically pay roughly 2-5% of the price in closing costs; FHA allows seller concessions up to 6%. Attorney-supervised closings are customary in South Carolina — budget the attorney fee.
• Property types: Charleston and Hilton Head condos must be in FHA-approved projects. Rural properties may alternatively qualify for USDA loans with no down payment.
• Coast and appraisal: coastal appraisals frequently involve flood-zone, windstorm, and hurricane-insurance review; older Lowcountry homes often draw wood-rot, termite, and well/septic conditions.
• Compare paths: run the numbers in the FHA loan calculator and the mortgage calculator, and read FHA vs. conventional loans for the crossover math.

Worked example: Columbia vs. Charleston area

Take a $320,000 Richland County purchase with 3.5% down ($11,200). The base loan of $308,800 fits easily under the $541,287 floor — payment and DTI decide the deal. Contrast a $680,000 Charleston County purchase with 3.5% down ($23,800): the $656,200 base loan exceeds the floor but fits inside the $690,000 Charleston-area limit — the same purchase would be capped in a floor county. Run both in the FHA loan calculator with local tax and insurance, and check the mortgage rate benchmarks for cited national rate context.

Common South Carolina FHA mistakes to avoid

• Assuming Charleston prices fit FHA everywhere. Only Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties reach $690,000 — neighboring counties sit at the floor, so verify the property's actual county.
• Skipping SC Housing pre-qualification. Palmetto Home Advantage is open to repeat buyers statewide with no first-time-buyer requirement — check the program before assuming no help exists.
• Underbudgeting attorney and insurance costs. Attorney-supervised closings plus coastal windstorm and flood premiums reshape cash-to-close and the monthly payment — quote both early.
• Ignoring the MIP lifetime cost. With minimum down, annual MIP typically lasts the life of the loan — price the full payment and plan a future conventional refinance once equity reaches 20%.

SC Housing and FHA layered together

South Carolina buyers often combine an FHA first mortgage with SC Housing down payment assistance through a participating lender — the assistance covers part of the down payment and closing costs while the FHA loan supplies the balance. Both approvals are needed, so start early: income limits, price caps, and the homebuyer education certificate all take time to complete. Repeat buyers should note Palmetto Home Advantage drops the first-time-buyer requirement statewide, widening the pool of assisted FHA purchases. In Charleston's competitive market, a fully underwritten pre-approval with documented assistance funds competes far better than a bare pre-qualification letter.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 2026 FHA loan limit in South Carolina?

Most SC counties use the $541,287 national floor for a one-unit home in 2026. Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties allow up to $690,000 and Beaufort and Jasper counties up to $638,250, per HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23 data. Verify your county at HUD's FHA Mortgage Limits lookup.

What credit score do I need for an FHA loan in South Carolina?

The same national rules apply: 580 or higher qualifies for 3.5% down; scores 500-579 require 10% down. Individual lenders may set higher minimums, so compare at least two disclosures.

What down payment help does SC Housing offer?

SC Housing runs the SC Housing Homebuyer Program for first-time buyers and Palmetto Home Advantage (open to repeat buyers in all 46 counties), both with down payment assistance through participating lenders. See the SC Housing homebuyer programs page for terms.

Can I use an FHA loan for a Charleston condo?

Only if the condo project is FHA-approved. Check the FHA-approved condo list through HUD before making an offer.

Where are official FHA loan limits published?

In HUD's annual Mortgagee Letter (2025-23 for 2026) and the county-level FHA Mortgage Limits lookup at entp.hud.gov — always confirm the current year before relying on any figure.

Cite this page

LoanMatchers Editorial Team. “FHA Loan Requirements in South Carolina.” https://loanmatchers.com/learn/fha-loan-requirements-south-carolina/. Accessed 2026-09-10.

Sources

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Ask CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — consumerfinance.gov
• HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-23 — 2026 Nationwide Forward Mortgage Loan Limits — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — hud.gov
• HUD — single-family mortgage insurance and homeownership — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — hud.gov
• SC Housing homebuyer programs (incl. Palmetto Home Advantage) — S.C. State Housing Finance and Development Authority — schousing.sc.gov

Benchmarks are national averages from the publishers above, not offers. See our methodology.