According to Fannie Mae Lender Letter LL-2026-06 (September 9, 2026), announced publicly by U.S. Federal Housing Director Bill Pulte. Earlier Selling Guide Announcement SEL-2026-04 (April 22, 2026) had added VantageScore 4.0 as an approved model under a limited rollout.
What changed
For years, most conventional conforming loans used Classic FICO scores pulled from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Fannie Mae’s credit-score modernization path also approved VantageScore 4.0 (and, later, FICO Score 10T).
In April 2026, Fannie started with a limited lender rollout (SEL-2026-04). On September 9, 2026, LL-2026-06 made VantageScore 4.0 broadly available to all approved Fannie Mae sellers, effective immediately, through Desktop Underwriter (DU) when the lender is ready.
In plain English: underwriters can order another modern score model that looks at more of the same credit story — including newer data patterns — while the loan rules themselves still apply.
What this means if you are buying or refinancing
- Another lens on your credit. VantageScore 4.0 sits alongside Classic FICO. Some borrowers who have been told “your score isn’t there yet” may look different under a newer model — or they may not. It depends on the file.
- Same loan rules still apply. Income, assets, debts, appraisal, and Selling Guide eligibility do not disappear because the score model changed. This is not automatic approval.
- Classic FICO remains available. Lenders that are not operationally ready can keep using Classic FICO. Manually underwritten loans still use Classic FICO under the letter’s guidance.
- One model per loan. If a lender uses VantageScore 4.0, it must come from all three bureaus for that loan, and the same model applies to every borrower on the file — no mixing models on one loan.
- FICO Score 10T is not ready yet. The letter is clear: FICO Score 10T is part of the longer modernization path but is not currently eligible for delivery.
Official letters (full text)
We are attaching the primary Fannie Mae communications so you can read the source, not just a summary.
Lender Letter LL-2026-06 — VantageScore 4.0 broad lender availability (Sep 9, 2026)
Announcement SEL-2026-04 — approved credit score models (Apr 22, 2026)
This earlier Selling Guide announcement added VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T as approved models and started the limited rollout that LL-2026-06 expands.
Freddie Mac context (LPA September 2026 release notes)
Freddie Mac has been on a parallel limited-rollout path for VantageScore 4.0. Its September 2026 Loan Product Advisor release notes still remind sellers that only approved participants may deliver VS4 loans until broader eligibility is confirmed.
Download Freddie Mac LPA September 2026 release notes (PDF)
Important limits
- This post summarizes public GSE guidance. It is not a credit decision, rate quote, or guarantee of approval.
- Whether VantageScore 4.0 helps your file depends on your credit history, the product, and which model your lender runs for that loan.
- Availability at a given lender can lag the Fannie letter while systems, pricing, and credit vendors catch up.
- California and Oregon shoppers still need a full underwriting review — score model choice is one piece of the picture.
Bottom line: Fannie Mae’s LL-2026-06 opens VantageScore 4.0 to every approved lender as another way to read a credit file alongside Classic FICO. More data in the model. Same rules still apply. If you’ve been stuck on the sidelines, it may be worth a fresh look at your file.
Sources: Bill Pulte / U.S. Federal Housing post sharing Fannie Mae Lender Letter LL-2026-06 (Sep 9, 2026); Fannie Mae Announcement SEL-2026-04 (Apr 22, 2026); Freddie Mac LPA September 2026 release notes.
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