Which credit score do car, card and loan lenders pull? Lookup table
Mortgage lenders pull Classic FICO from all three bureaus, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lenders can use VantageScore 4.0 instead. FHA adds VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T for case numbers from January 1, 2027. Auto lenders typically use FICO Auto Scores (250 to 900), and card issuers often use FICO 8, FICO 9 or a FICO Bankcard Score. Personal loan lenders vary, so ask before you apply.
Key takeaways
- Since September 9, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lenders choose between Classic FICO and VantageScore 4.0, using one model for every borrower on the loan.
- FHA allows VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T alongside Classic FICO for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027, and still requires a tri-merge report.
- Auto and card scores built for those industries run from 250 to 900, so they aren't even on the same scale as your app's score.
- Mortgage lenders must show you the scores they used, and so must any lender that turns you down using a score.
On this page8 sections
- The lookup table
- Mortgages: Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0 and the middle score
- Car loans: FICO Auto Scores
- Credit cards: FICO 8, FICO 9 or a Bankcard Score
- Personal, student and retail loans
- Small business loans: your personal score and SBSS
- Why the number in your app is different
- How to find out which score a lender will use
Your app says 712. The loan officer says 668. Neither number is fake, and nobody made a mistake. You're looking at two different scoring models, possibly from different bureaus, pulled on different days.
The fix starts with knowing which score the lender in front of you actually uses. The table below is the 2026 answer, checked against the agencies that set the rules. Each section after it is a short summary that points to the full guide for that loan type.
The lookup table
This is what each type of lender most often pulls. "Usually" matters: myFICO says it's up to each lender to decide which credit score it will use, and within the rules below, lenders make their own choices.
| Loan type | Score usually pulled | Range | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional mortgage (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) | Classic FICO (FICO 2, 5 and 4) or VantageScore 4.0, lender's choice | 300 to 850 | One model for every borrower on the loan; tri-merge report still required |
| FHA mortgage | Classic FICO; VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T also allowed for case numbers from Jan. 1, 2027 | 300 to 850 | Middle of three scores, lowest borrower sets the loan's score |
| Car loan | FICO Auto Score (versions 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 by bureau) | 250 to 900 | An industry version built for auto lending |
| Credit card | FICO 8 or 9, or a FICO Bankcard Score | 300 to 850 or 250 to 900 | Issuer's choice |
| Personal, student or retail loan | FICO 8 most often, but varies by lender | Usually 300 to 850 | Prequalification shows you offers before a hard pull |
| Small business loan | Your personal score, sometimes FICO SBSS | SBSS runs 0 to 300 | SBA dropped its mandatory SBSS prescreen for small 7(a) loans in March 2026 |
Sources: FHFA, HUD ML 2026-11, myFICO, Chase, and a summary of SBA Procedural Notice 5000-875701.
Mortgages: Classic FICO, VantageScore 4.0 and the middle score
Since September 9, 2026, every approved Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lender can choose Classic FICO (FICO 2 from Experian, FICO 5 from Equifax, FICO 4 from TransUnion) or VantageScore 4.0, and must use the same model for all borrowers on a loan (FHFA). FHA follows for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027. HUD's Mortgagee Letter 2026-11 adds VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T alongside Classic FICO, keeps the tri-merge report, and leaves the 500 and 580 thresholds unchanged (HUD).
Whichever model the lender picks, it pulls all three bureaus and typically uses your middle score, and on a joint application the lower of the two middle scores counts (myFICO). That's why your best bureau rarely matters, and why the borrower with the weakest middle score sets the number for both of you. Lenders can also set minimums above the program's own (overlays). Run your three scores through the middle score finder, and see the credit scores mortgage lenders pull for the full rules, a two-borrower example, and where FICO 10T stands.
Car loans: FICO Auto Scores
Auto lenders typically use FICO Auto Scores, which myFICO describes as the industry scores used in the majority of auto financing credit evaluations. They run from 250 to 900, and each bureau sells its own set of versions: 2, 4 or 5 depending on the bureau, plus 8 and 9 at all three (myFICO). A 700 on your app and a 700 on an auto score aren't the same reading, and each lender draws its own pricing tiers on that wider scale. Our FICO Auto Score guide covers why the dealer's number differs from yours, what a tier difference costs in dollars, and how to see your auto score before you shop.
Credit cards: FICO 8, FICO 9 or a Bankcard Score
Card issuers may use FICO Score 8 or 9, or a FICO Bankcard Score built for card lending (myFICO). Like the auto versions, Bankcard Scores run from 250 to 900, and each bureau offers its own lineup:
| Bureau | Versions myFICO lists for card decisions |
|---|---|
| Experian | FICO Bankcard Score 9, 8 and 2, plus FICO Score 3 |
| Equifax | FICO Bankcard Score 9, 8 and 5 |
| TransUnion | FICO Bankcard Score 9, 8 and 4 |
Since the issuer picks both the version and the bureau, two card applications in the same week can be judged on two different numbers. Many issuers also weigh your income and existing debts, which no score includes.
Personal, student and retail loans
myFICO says lenders for personal, student and retail credit most often use FICO Score 8, "the score most widely used by lenders." There's no single standard, though, and a lender may use a different version or another type of score altogether.
The practical move is prequalification: most lenders show offers with a soft inquiry, and soft inquiries don't affect FICO Scores (myFICO). You see the rate range before anyone pulls the score that counts. See how prequalification works.
Small business loans: your personal score and SBSS
For a small business loan, expect your personal score to be part of the decision. Some lenders also use FICO's Small Business Scoring Service score (SBSS), which runs from 0 to 300; Chase says an SBSS of at least 140 is typically considered good, though lenders may set higher minimums (Chase).
The SBA used to require an SBSS prescreen on its smaller 7(a) loans. Effective March 1, 2026, it dropped that requirement for 7(a) Small Loans of $350,000 or less, and nothing mandatory replaced it, so each lender sets its own cutoff and may still use SBSS at its discretion (summary of SBA Procedural Notice 5000-875701).
Why the number in your app is different
Four things can differ at once: the model, the version, the bureau the data came from, and the date it was pulled. Your app is still a good trend line, just not the number to plan a mortgage around. Our guide on free scores vs. lender scores walks through a side-by-side mortgage example and how to get closer to the lender's number.
How to find out which score a lender will use
- Ask before you apply: "Which scoring model and version do you use, and which bureaus do you pull?" If the lender pulls one bureau, that's the report to check first.
- For a mortgage, the lender must give you the scores it used, the range, the date, and up to four key factors (15 U.S.C. 1681g(g)).
- If you're denied or offered worse terms based on a score, the notice has to include the score and key factors (15 U.S.C. 1681m).
- Type that score into the score decoder to see its band under each model and the next cutoff.
- Work on the inputs every model shares: on-time payments, lower reported card balances, and accurate reports.
Common questions
What credit score do mortgage lenders use in 2026?
For loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the lender chooses Classic FICO (FICO 2, 4 and 5) or VantageScore 4.0. FHA uses Classic FICO now and adds VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2027.
Do car dealers use FICO or VantageScore?
Many auto lenders use a FICO Auto Score, an industry version that runs from 250 to 900. Some use other models, so ask the dealer or lender which one they pulled.
Why is my lender's score lower than my app's score?
Usually because it's a different model, a different version, a different bureau, or a different day. Mortgage lenders also use your middle score of three, not your best one.
Do lenders still use the SBSS score for SBA loans?
Some do. The SBA dropped its mandatory SBSS prescreen for 7(a) Small Loans of $350,000 or less effective March 1, 2026, but lenders may still use SBSS, which runs from 0 to 300, at their own discretion.
Can I choose which score a lender uses?
No. The lender picks the model within its investor's rules. What you control is the information in your reports, which feeds every model.
Sources
- Credit scores (Enterprise credit score requirements)FHFA, updated Oct. 2, 2026fhfa.gov
- Mortgagee Letter 2026-11HUD, Oct. 8, 2026hud.gov
- FICO Score versionsmyFICOmyfico.com
- What is the highest business credit score?Chasechase.com
- SBA sunsets SBSS requirements (Procedural Notice 5000-875701 summary)CRS Credit APIcrscreditapi.com
- 15 U.S.C. 1681g Disclosures to consumersCornell Law School LIIlaw.cornell.edu
- 15 U.S.C. 1681m Requirements on users of consumer reportsCornell Law School LIIlaw.cornell.edu
- Credit checks and inquiriesmyFICOmyfico.com
We check every source listed here before publishing and review this page when the rules it covers change. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it and log the correction.