Updated · Mike Certo, NMLS #260555
Utah Down Payment Assistance Programs Guide
Utah's down payment help runs through Utah Housing Corporation plus a strong local bench — with one big structural difference from most states: the standard assistance is an amortizing loan, not a deferred-or-forgiven second. Here's the honest map.
Utah Housing Corporation family
- FirstHome: FHA/VA first mortgage for first-time buyers, 660+ score, county income and price limits.
- Score: For the 620–659 credit range — the on-ramp when FirstHome's floor is out of reach.
- HFA Advantage: Conventional path, 700+ score.
- HomeAgain: The repeat-buyer option — reported paused as of mid-2026; ask us about current repeat-buyer alternatives.
- DPA second mortgage: Up to 6% of the first mortgage (4% on Score) — 30-year, fully amortizing, with its own monthly payment. UHC's newer Deferred DPA option removes the monthly payment, with the balance due at sale, refinance, or payoff — current terms confirmed at structuring.
- Veteran Grant: $2,500, never repaid — active military or separated within 5 years, first-time buyers.
- $20,000 First-time Homebuyers Assistance Program: New construction only, never inhabited, price ≤ $450,000, 0% no-payment subordinate lien on a UHC mortgage. At sale/refi, repayment = the lesser of the assistance or 50% of home equity; refinancing into another UHC mortgage can resubordinate with nothing due. Funds until depleted. Not combinable with the Veteran grant.
City and county programs
- Own in Ogden: $10,000 first-time buyers / $15,000 K-12 teachers / $20,000 firefighters — 0%, no monthly payment, Ogden city limits.
- Salt Lake City / CDCU: Community Development Corporation of Utah lending, backed by $6.4M the city approved May 2026 — current offerings confirmed at pre-approval.
National DPA programs
- Chenoa Fund — FHA-paired DPA with repayable and forgivable structures (Utah-headquartered, works nationwide).
- Arrive Home — national DPA including an ITIN borrower path.
- Essex Mortgage / NHF — multi-tier DPA for FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional buyers.
FAQ
What down payment assistance is available in Utah?
Utah's main help comes from Utah Housing Corporation: a second loan of up to 6% of your first-mortgage amount for down payment and closing costs, plus the separate $20,000 First-time Homebuyers Assistance Program for newly built homes. Local programs — Own in Ogden, Salt Lake City's community-development lending — stack the menu further. We match programs to your county, income, and credit.
Is Utah down payment assistance a grant or a loan?
Mostly a loan. Utah Housing's standard assistance is a 30-year, fully amortizing second mortgage with its own monthly payment — not a grant and not forgivable. UHC also now offers a Deferred DPA option with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the home — we confirm its current terms with UHC when we structure your file. The exception: the $2,500 Veteran grant, which is never repaid.
What is the $20,000 first-time homebuyer program in Utah?
Utah's First-time Homebuyers Assistance Program (created by SB 240) lends first-time buyers up to $20,000 at 0% interest with no monthly payment — for newly constructed, never-lived-in homes priced at $450,000 or less, financed with a Utah Housing mortgage. Funds are available until depleted (open as of July 2026). Repayment is capped by statute: at sale or refinance you repay the LESSER of the assistance you received or 50% of your home-equity amount — for a sale, equity is the sale price minus your mortgage payoff (less up to 1% seller-paid closing costs); for a refinance, it's the appraised value minus the payoff. And if you refinance into another Utah Housing qualifying mortgage, the program loan can simply resubordinate — with no payment due at that time. Note: it can't be combined with the Veteran or Law Enforcement grants.
Can I use the Utah $20,000 program on an existing home?
No — it applies only to newly constructed homes that have never been inhabited, priced at $450,000 or below. For existing homes, we pair a Utah Housing loan with its up-to-6% down payment assistance second instead.
What credit score do you need for a Utah Housing loan?
660 minimum for the FirstHome loan (first-time buyers, FHA/VA), 620 for the Score loan, and 700 for the conventional HFA Advantage. The Score loan exists specifically for buyers in the 620–659 range.
Does Utah have down payment assistance for Veterans?
Yes — the Utah Homebuyer Veteran Grant gives eligible first-time buyers who are serving, or separated within the past five years, $2,500 that never has to be repaid. Eligibility is validated through the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs before closing.
What are the income limits for Utah Housing loans?
Set by county and household size — in Salt Lake County, FirstHome limits run roughly $117,600 for 1–2 person households and $137,200 for 3+, with a purchase-price cap near $562,000 (as of July 2026; limits move during the year — we confirm your county's current figure when we structure your loan).
Does Salt Lake City or Ogden have their own down payment assistance?
Yes — Own in Ogden lends $10,000 to first-time buyers ($15,000 for K-12 teachers, $20,000 for firefighters) at 0% with no monthly payment inside city limits, and Salt Lake City funds homeownership help through the Community Development Corporation of Utah, backed by $6.4 million the city approved in May 2026.
Does Utah have a first-time homebuyer savings account?
No — unlike Colorado and some other states, Utah offers no state tax deduction for a first-time homebuyer savings account; nothing on Utah's TC-40A income-tax schedule covers one. Utah's help comes through Utah Housing loans, the $20,000 new-construction program, and its low flat 4.45% income tax.