CFPB, FRB, OCC Announce 2026 Higher-Priced Mortgage Loan Appraisal Exemption Threshold

CFPB Rules & Policy

Published January 1st, 2026

Detected February 11th, 2026

Summary

The CFPB, Federal Reserve Board, and OCC announced the 2026 threshold for higher-priced mortgage loan appraisal exemptions will increase to $34,200 from $33,500. This annual adjustment reflects changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

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What changed

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Reserve Board, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) have announced the adjusted dollar threshold for exemptions from special appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgage loans. For 2026, this threshold will increase from $33,500 to $34,200. This adjustment is based on the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) as of June 1, 2025, and will be effective January 1, 2026.

This update primarily affects financial institutions that originate mortgage loans. While the change itself is an annual adjustment and does not impose new obligations, institutions should ensure their systems and compliance programs reflect the new $34,200 threshold for loans made in 2026 to correctly apply appraisal exemption rules. No specific compliance deadline is mentioned, as the threshold is effective at the start of the calendar year.

What to do next

Update internal systems and policies to reflect the new $34,200 threshold for higher-priced mortgage loan appraisal exemptions effective January 1, 2026.

Source document (simplified)

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency today announced that the 2026 threshold for higher-priced mortgage loans that are subject to special appraisal requirements will increase from $33,500 to $34,200.

The threshold amount will be effective January 1, 2026, and is based on the 2.1 percent annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, known as CPI-W, as of June 1, 2025.

The Dodd-Frank Act added special appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgage loans to the Truth in Lending Act, including that creditors obtain a written appraisal based on a physical visit to the interior of the home before making a higher-priced mortgage loan. The rules implementing these requirements contain an exemption for loans at or below a threshold amount that is adjusted annually to reflect CPI-W increases.

Read the Appraisals for Higher-Priced Mortgage Loans Exemption Threshold

Media Contacts

CFPB: CFPB Media Relations

press@cfpb.gov
FRB: Meg Nelson
(202) 452-2955
OCC: Monica McCoy
(202) 649-6870

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive. For more information, visit www.consumerfinance.gov .

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Page last modified

Dec. 15, 2025

11:18 AM EST

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