Down payment assistanceVirginia
Virginia Housing Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
Suspended. No new certificates have been issued since 2023-05-01.
A Mortgage Credit Certificate turned part of the mortgage interest a first-time buyer paid each year into a federal income tax credit for as long as they lived in the home with the original loan. Virginia Housing suspended its MCC program as of May 1, 2023 and is not issuing new certificates. Buyers who already hold a certificate keep it and claim it under its original terms.
This program has ended. It is listed so you know not to count on it.
Suspended since May 1, 2023. Do not plan around this credit.
Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- Suspended. No new certificates have been issued since 2023-05-01.
- Type of help
- Tax credit
- Where
- Statewide, Virginia
- Run by
- Virginia Housing (formerly VHDA)
- First-time buyer
- First-time buyers, with exceptions
- Income limit
- None
- Homebuyer education
- Not required
How the tax credit works
A federal income tax credit tied to your mortgage interest.
- Monthly payment: None
Who qualifies
- First-time buyers, with exceptions. Not accepting new applicants. Historically the program followed the bond-loan first-time rule with targeted-area exceptions.
- Income. No current limits to check. The program is suspended and new certificates are not available.
- Program suspended as of 2023-05-01. Nothing to apply for.
How to apply
- 1There is no application. Virginia Housing is not issuing new Mortgage Credit Certificates.
- 2If you already hold a Virginia Housing MCC, keep claiming it on your federal return and see Virginia Housing's homeowner resources page for reissuance or refinance questions.
- 3For current help, look at the Virginia Housing DPA Grant, Closing Cost Assistance Grant, Plus Second Mortgage, and SPARC, all of which are active.
Watch out for
- Third-party sites still describe the Virginia MCC as an active benefit. It is not. Do not build a budget around a tax credit you cannot get.
- Existing certificate holders who refinance may need a reissued certificate to keep the credit. That is a Virginia Housing servicing question, not a new application.
Straight answers
Can I still get a Virginia Housing MCC?
No. Virginia Housing suspended the program as of May 1, 2023 and the suspension is still in place as of 2026-09-23. This page stays up so buyers who search for it know it is gone.
I have an MCC from before 2023. Is it still good?
Yes. Your certificate keeps working under its original terms while you live in the home and keep the loan it was issued with. Virginia Housing points existing holders to its homeowner resources page.
What replaces it for a first-time buyer today?
Virginia Housing's active programs are the DPA Grant (2% to 2.5% of the price), the Closing Cost Assistance Grant for VA and USDA loans, the Plus Second Mortgage, and SPARC's 1% rate reduction through local sponsors.
Sources
- Virginia Housing Mortgage Credit Certificates (suspension notice) (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.
Programs are the easy part. Timing is the hard part.
Most buyers lose assistance on a deadline, not on eligibility. Sean helps you map out the counseling, the lender conversation, and the contract dates so nothing slips.