2026 California Conforming and FHA County Loan Limits

California’s 2026 conforming county loan limits for FHA, VA, Conventional and Jumbo loans

California’s 2026 Conventional Conforming County Loan Limit

For 2026, the FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Administration) set the baseline conforming loan limit (CCL) for 1 unit properties at $832,750 for Conventional financing (Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac) and up to $1,249,125 in California high cost counties.

What is a Conforming loan?  A conforming home loan must meet, or “conform” to certain criteria or guidelines set forth by Government Sponsored Entities (GSE’s) Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.  The loan amount is just one of those criteria needed to be classified as a ‘conforming’ loan.

What is a High Balance or ‘high-cost’ county loan limit?  Loan limits are derived by median home prices in a particular county and have a ceiling of 150% of the baseline mortgage limit.  Loan amounts between $832,750 and $1,249,125 are referred to agency ‘High Balance’ or ‘Super Conforming’ loans because they exceed the national baseline limit.  Fannie Mae Lender Letter.

You can view a map of the 2026 county loan limits here.

2026 FHA County Loan Limits in California

FHA determines their 2026 maximum county mortgage limit differently than FHFA.  The FHA (Federal Housing Administration) is required to set a single family floor and ceiling loan limit range, which is based on 65% to 150% of the national conforming loan limit.  Mortgagee Letter 2025-22

The FHA’s 2026 current floor is $541,287 and the ceiling is $1,249,125.  FHA county loan limit search here.

FHA High Balance Jumbo loan limit – California FHA loan amounts in high-cost counties between $541.287 and $1,249,125 are referred to FHA jumbo loans or FHA high balance loans.

2026 VA County Loan Limits in California

Good news….VA loans in California have no county loan limit for 2026!  In 2021, VA Circular 26-19-30, the VA announced that President Trump signed the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act that removes all county loan limits for Veterans!

Who sets or determines the loan limits? (click to read)

Government agencies Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA = Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Conventional financing), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) not only publish qualifying guidelines that all banks must comply with, they also dictate what the maximum county loan limit can be.

You can watch a video of how they calculate loan limits here or read about it here.

Loan limits listed below are for 1 unit properties.  Loan limits for 2-4 units are higher.  Contact me for details on qualifying and loan limits for 2-4 unit property.

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County2026 FHA Loan Limit2026 Conventional Loan Limit
Alameda1,249,1251,249,125
Alpine736,000832,750
Amador541,287832,750
Butte541,287832,750
Calaveras541,287832,750
Colusa541,287832,750
Contra Costa1,249,1251,249,125
Del Norte541,287832,750
El Dorado764,750832,750
Fresno541,287832,750
Glenn541,287832,750
Humboldt541,287832,750
Imperial541,287832,750
Inyo541,287832,750
Kern541,287832,750
Kings541,287832,750
Lake541,287832,750
Lassen541,287832,750
Los Angeles1,249,1251,249,125
Madera541,287832,750
Marin1,249,1251,249,125
Mariposa541,287832,750
Mendocino546,250832,750
Merced541,287832,750
Modoc541,287832,750
Mono776,250832,750
Monterey994,750994,750
Napa1,017,7501,017,750
Nevada649,750832,750
Orange1,249,1251,249,125
Placer764,750832,750
Plumas541,287832,750
Riverside690,000832,750
Sacramento764,750832,750
San Benito1,249,1251,249,125
San Bernardino690,000832,750
San Diego1,104,0001,104,000
San Francisco1,249,1251,249,125
San Joaquin678,500832,750
San Luis Obispo1,000,5001,000,500
San Mateo1,249,1251,249,125
Santa Barbara941,850941,850
Santa Clara1,249,1251,249,125
Santa Cruz1,249,1251,249,125
Shasta541,287832,750
Sierra541,287832,750
Siskiyou541,287832,750
Solano685,400832,750
Sonoma897,000897,000
Stanislaus545,100832,750,
Sutter541,287832,750
Tehama541,287832,750
Trinity541,287832,750
Tulare541,287832,750
Tuolumne541,287832,750
Ventura1,035,0001,035,000
Yolo764,750832,750
Yuba541,287832,750

 

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