Virginia Housing Down Payment Assistance Grant

At a glance

Amount

2% of the price with a Virginia Housing Conventional Bond loan, 2.5% with an FHA Bond loan, toward your down payment

Type of help

Grant

Where

Statewide, Virginia

Run by

Virginia Housing (formerly VHDA)

First-time buyer

First-time buyers, with exceptions

Income limit

Yes, see below

Price limit

Yes, see below

Minimum credit score

620

Homebuyer education

Required

How the grant works

Money you do not pay back, as long as you meet the program's stay-in-the-home terms.

• Monthly payment: None

Who qualifies

• First-time buyers, with exceptions. Every borrower must be a first-time buyer, meaning no one has owned and occupied a primary residence in the last 3 years. The rule is waived if the home is in a Virginia Housing Area of Economic Opportunity (a federal targeted area).
• Income. The grant uses Virginia Housing's lower DPA Grant income limits, counting income from everyone in the household. Effective 2026-08-01: $148,000 for 1 to 2 people and $174,000 for 3 or more in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, which covers Northern Virginia. Richmond is $96,000 / $110,000, Charlottesville $95,000 / $109,000, Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News $97,000 / $113,000, Culpeper $98,000 / $115,000, and all other areas $90,000 / $103,000. The higher bond and targeted-area limits do not apply when the grant is used.
• Price. Sales price and loan limits by area, effective 2026-08-01: $800,000 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, $675,000 in Culpeper, $575,000 in Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, $550,000 in Richmond and Charlottesville, $500,000 everywhere else. The first mortgage also cannot exceed the standard conforming loan limit.
• Property types: Single-family detached, Townhouse, Condo, Other primary residences the first mortgage allows. Must be your primary residence.
• Must be paired with a Virginia Housing Conventional Bond or FHA Bond first mortgage from a Virginia Housing approved lender. It does not work with VA, USDA, non-bond, or non-Virginia Housing loans.
• You need at least a 1% down payment of your own, which can come from any source the first mortgage allows, including a gift.
• Minimum credit score follows the first mortgage: 640 for Conventional Bond, 620 for FHA Bond.
• You cannot receive cash back at closing beyond your verified earnest money deposit and fees you paid outside closing.
• The grant can be layered with down payment help from a non-Virginia Housing source, such as a county or employer program, if the first mortgage allows it.

How to apply

1. 1Take Virginia Housing's free homebuyer education class (online or in person, about 8 hours). It is required for first-time buyers on a Virginia Housing loan and the certificate is good for 2 years. Every borrower must complete it before loan approval.
2. 2Pick a lender from Virginia Housing's approved lender search and ask for a Conventional Bond or FHA Bond first mortgage with the DPA Grant.
3. 3Get pre-approved and confirm your household income and target price fit the DPA Grant limits for your area.
4. 4Once you have a ratified contract, your lender locks the first mortgage and reserves the grant at the same time. The grant follows the rate lock and expires with it.
5. 5At closing you sign a one-page Grant Award Letter. The lender funds the grant and Virginia Housing reimburses the lender.

Watch out for

• The grant pays down payment only. If you are short on closing costs, ask your lender about seller credits, lender credits, or a local program that covers closing costs.
• Using the grant means the lower income limits apply, even in a targeted area. If your income is between the DPA Grant limit and the standard bond limit, look at Plus Second Mortgage instead.
• The grant cannot be combined with the Plus Second Mortgage or the Closing Cost Assistance Grant. Your lender picks one Virginia Housing assistance product per loan.
• Bond loans carry a federal recapture tax provision if you sell within 9 years and your income has risen above the federal limits. Most buyers never owe it. Refinancing does not trigger it.
• Grant funds are reserved with your rate lock, so you cannot lock in the grant before you have a contract. Rates and terms can change without notice.

Straight answers

Sources

• Virginia Housing Down Payment Assistance Grant (homebuyer page) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing DPA Grant Program Guidelines and Procedures (Last Revised August 2026) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Income and Sales Price / Loan Limits (effective 2026-08-01) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Conventional Bond Program Guidelines (first-time definition, education, credit score; Last Revised August 2026) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Home Loans overview (minimum credit scores by loan type) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Areas of Economic Opportunity (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Homebuyer Education (free class) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Virginia Housing Find a Lender (read Sep 23, 2026)

Program details are summarized from public sources and change without notice. Funding badges reflect the last time we checked, not a guarantee of availability. This is buyer education from a real estate agent, not a loan pre-approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is decided by each program administrator and your lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.