The Cost of FICO Mortgage Credit Reports has Soared for Borrowers

Orange County (Calif.) Register, April 3, 2026-Jeff Lazerson
The cost for mortgage lenders or consumers (depending on who pays for it) for a tri-merged credit report with FICO scores appended could increase 40% to 50% in 2026, according to a December 12 letter from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) to Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — which is the conservator and regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Here we are today with credit reports reaching insanely expensive prices. So far, $360 is the highest credit report cost that I’ve heard about being charged by a major lender when the loan closes for a married couple. For a single borrower: $180. There’s no charge if the loan doesn’t close.

At my shop, a single borrower or a joint (married couple) credit report was $33 four short years ago. Today, it’s $134. That’s four times the cost in just four years.

The MBA argues that the cost of FICO credit reports is just too high. And there’s not enough competition (another scoring system named Vantage Score has been approved by the FHFA-but it hasn’t been implemented yet).
Click here for more