South Carolina 2026 Conforming ($832,750) and County FHA Mortgage Limits — Palmetto Passage
Updated October 2026
For a one-unit property in any of South Carolina's 46 counties, the 2026 baseline conforming mortgage limit is $832,750. FHA uses a different system: its one-unit national floor is $541,287, and the Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area has an elevated FHA limit. The two programs should never be compared using a single shared limit.
One conforming baseline across all 46 counties
South Carolina has no county-level high-cost conforming increase for 2026. The same one-unit baseline applies whether you are buying in Charleston, Richland, Greenville, Horry, Beaufort or another county.
| Property and financing | 2026 treatment |
|---|---|
| One-unit conventional conforming loan | $832,750 in all 46 SC counties |
| Conventional high-cost ceiling | No elevated county ceiling applies in SC |
| One-unit FHA loan | $541,287 floor; verify the property's county |
| Charleston-North Charleston metro FHA loan | Elevated above the FHA floor |
| Two- to four-unit property | Separate unit-count limits apply |
Check FHFA Loan Limits for the conventional county schedule. A conforming limit measures the mortgage amount, not the home's purchase price. A purchase above $832,750 can still use a conforming mortgage when the down payment reduces the loan sufficiently.
Verify FHA by county, year and unit count
Use HUD FHA Mortgage Limits to locate the official lookup, select South Carolina, choose the property county and confirm 2026 and the correct number of units. Do not substitute a nearby city, mailing address or neighboring county for the parcel's actual county.
For Charleston-area purchases, retrieve the exact county figure rather than using the $541,287 floor. This guide identifies the elevated metro treatment without substituting an unverified dollar amount for HUD's county result.
For example, a $560,000 purchase with a $30,000 down payment produces a $530,000 base loan before any financed mortgage insurance. FHA's upfront mortgage insurance and maximum-mortgage calculation should be evaluated separately.
Translate the limit into an affordable payment
A program limit is not an approval amount. Income, debts, credit, occupancy and property eligibility still determine financing availability. A loan above the conforming limit generally requires jumbo financing or a larger down payment.
Taxes and insurance also matter: South Carolina's 4% legal-residence treatment differs sharply from 6% non-primary treatment, and coastal coverage can materially increase escrow.
Compare programs in the mortgage options guide, then use the monthly payment calculator to test the actual loan amount, estimated taxes, mortgage insurance and property coverage.
Compare Current Mortgage Rates
Compare current APRs, points, fees, and estimated monthly payments from participating lenders below.
Loan Program Comparison: 2026 Benchmarks
South Carolina 2026 Conforming ($832,750) and County FHA Mortgage Limits — Compare the 3.5% down option at 580+ FICO with 10% at 500–579, lender overlays, 1.75% upfront MIP and the applicable annual MIP tier.
Historical 2025 one-unit comparison: conforming $832,750; FHA floor $541,287. County and unit-count limits can differ.
| Loan program | Down payment / equity | 2026 one-unit baseline | Costs and page-specific comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA | 3.5% at 580+; 10% at 500–579 | $541,287 floor | 1.75% upfront MIP; 0.55% annual for >95% LTV, base loan ≤$726,200, term >15 years |
| Conventional | 3%–5% subject to eligibility | $832,750 | PMI generally below 20% down |
| VA | 0% for eligible borrowers | No VA limit with full entitlement | No monthly PMI; funding fee unless exempt |
| USDA | 0% for eligible borrowers | Income, address and repayment eligibility | Guarantee and annual fees; confirm current schedule |
| Jumbo | Lender-specific cash and reserves | Above applicable conforming limit | Lender-specific pricing and insurance |
| Home Equity / Refinance | Equity and underwriting dependent | Property and lender dependent | Compare closing costs, term and break-even |
Sources: FHFA limits; HUD FHA limits.
Editorial Methodology & Primary Sources
Verification date: Not recorded; check the primary source and lender timestamp before relying on an estimate.
Rate comparisons use participating lender feeds, not a whole-market survey or guaranteed offers. Freddie Mac PMMS is a market benchmark, not a personalized quote. Calculator models rely on published regulatory formulas and disclosed assumptions rather than fabricated first-person loan testing.
Monthly principal and interest use the amortization formula P × r / (1 − (1 + r)−n), where r is the monthly note rate and n is the number of payments; at zero interest use P / n. PITI adds monthly property taxes and homeowners insurance; PMI is separate. APR includes applicable finance charges under Regulation Z and is not the note rate used for payments. Compare lender Loan Estimates for actual APR and fees.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — Loan Estimates, APR and borrower disclosures; Regulation Z.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD / FHA) — FHA program guidance.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — VA loan eligibility and benefits.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — published rate benchmarks.
- U.S. Census state tax collections — state property tax benchmarks; confirm parcel-specific assessments and exemptions with the state revenue department and local assessor.
- SC Housing — state housing finance and property tax authority.
- South Carolina Department of Revenue — state housing finance and property tax authority.
The payment snapshot uses illustrative annual taxes of 1% of home price, $1,200 insurance and 0.5% PMI below 20% down, not verified local quotes. Other calculators disclose their inputs and assumptions. Published guidance and lender feeds may change independently; confirm current program rules, taxes and offers before a decision.