FHA Loans in South Carolina: Three Loan Limits and an Attorney at the Closing

The Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS reports that through August 2026 the median detached home sold in Charleston County for $728,800. The FHA loan limit for a one-unit home in that county is $690,000, which is lower than what a median home costs there. Berkeley and Dorchester counties have the same limit, and their medians for the same period were $421,200 and $400,000.

South Carolina has three FHA loan limits for 2026: $541,287 in 41 counties, $638,250 in Beaufort and Jasper counties, and $690,000 in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. The county the home is in decides which one applies, and in the Lowcountry that can decide whether an FHA loan works at your price.

I'm Jeff Moran, NMLS #483943, and I originate mortgages through C2 Financial Corporation from Bluffton. I have been in the mortgage business since 1996, and FHA files are an ordinary part of my week rather than a fallback. The South Carolina page covers the closing rules, and the FHA explainer covers how the program works everywhere.

What are the FHA loan limits in South Carolina?

HUD published these in Mortgagee Letter 2025-23, and they apply to FHA loans whose case numbers were assigned on or after January 1, 2026. A case number is the number FHA assigns to your loan when the lender requests it. The floor is the lowest limit FHA sets anywhere, and 41 of South Carolina's 46 counties are at it.

County	One unit	Two units	Three units	Four units
Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester	$690,000	$883,300	$1,067,750	$1,326,950
Beaufort, Jasper	$638,250	$817,050	$987,650	$1,227,400
The other 41 counties	$541,287	$693,050	$837,700	$1,041,125

The 41 include Greenville, Richland, Lexington, Horry and Spartanburg counties, along with every other county not in the first two rows.

How does the $690,000 limit work in Charleston County?

HUD's Handbook 4000.1 sets an FHA loan at the lesser of the county limit or 96.5 percent of the home's value, and the upfront mortgage insurance premium is financed on top without counting against the limit. The 96.5 percent is the most a client with a credit score of 580 or higher can borrow, which means 3.5 percent down. On a $728,800 home, 3.5 percent down would be a base loan of $703,292, which is above $690,000. The loan has to come down to the limit, so the down payment is at least $38,800, about 5.3 percent.

A median-priced home in Berkeley or Dorchester County is nowhere near the limit. In Charleston County the answer depends on the price, and the Charleston area page covers the neighborhoods.

FHA loans in Bluffton and Beaufort County

In August 2026, the Hilton Head Area REALTORS' market reports showed a Bluffton median of $531,225, a Hardeeville median of $445,000, and a Hilton Head condo or villa median of $529,000. At 3.5 percent down, the Bluffton median is a base loan of about $512,600, comfortably under the $638,250 limit that Beaufort and Jasper counties share. A Hilton Head detached home, at a $1,099,000 median, is far above it.

A Hilton Head or Bluffton condo adds an FHA rule. When the lender requests the case number, the condominium project has to be on FHA's approved list, or the unit has to go through FHA's single-unit approval. FHA can also stop issuing new case numbers in a project where more than half the units already carry FHA loans. I check the list before you write an offer.

FHA also does not insure vacation homes, because its single-family programs are for homes you will occupy as your principal residence, so a second home in the Lowcountry takes a different loan. My Hardeeville FHA page covers new construction.

The closing attorney and your FHA closing costs

South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to conduct a residential closing, including the title search and the disbursement. You choose the attorney, and no lender, broker or agent can require a firm. The settlement or closing fee on your Loan Estimate is that attorney's fee.

That helps an FHA purchase in two ways. The fee is a cost you can shop, which matters because the handbook says closing costs cannot count toward your 3.5 percent minimum required investment, the cash you put in. And a seller can pay closing costs for you: sellers, agents and builders may contribute up to 6 percent of the sales price toward closing costs, prepaid items, points and the upfront premium, but never toward the minimum required investment. On a $450,000 home that ceiling is $27,000.

In a South Carolina purchase the buyer customarily pays for the owner's title policy. That is custom rather than statute, so the contract can move it, and I price the version where the seller covers it. FHA adds one check of its own: the lender confirms that nobody involved in the file, including the closing agent and the title company, is on HUD's exclusion list.

How does my credit score change an FHA loan?

A client with a credit score of 580 or higher is eligible for the 96.5 percent loan, and a score between 500 and 579 limits the loan to 90 percent of value. FHA is built for clients whose credit or savings are not yet where conventional pricing rewards them, and a client with a strong score may do better on a conventional loan. Which loan fits puts FHA next to conventional and VA, and I price both on the same purchase so you can compare them.

Where to start

When you're ready, you can see rates and the payment for a home in your county, with South Carolina closing costs included, and you choose the option that works best for you. Getting pre-approved in South Carolina explains what I will ask for, and you are welcome to call me at 843-765-0000 just to talk it through.

Nothing here is a loan approval, a denial, or a commitment to lend, and final approval depends on the property, the appraisal and full underwriting. Limits and premiums are revised periodically, so please confirm current figures with me.

Common questions

What is the FHA loan limit in South Carolina in 2026?

It depends on the county. Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties have the highest limit in the state, Beaufort and Jasper counties have the next, and the other 41 counties are at the national floor. The limit applies to FHA loans whose case numbers were assigned on or after January 1, 2026.

Do I need a lawyer for an FHA loan in South Carolina?

Yes. South Carolina requires a licensed attorney to conduct a residential closing, and that covers FHA purchases and refinances. You choose the attorney, and the settlement fee on your Loan Estimate is theirs.

Can I use an FHA loan in Charleston County if the home costs more than the limit?

Yes, with a larger down payment. The loan cannot exceed the county limit, so the difference between the price and the limit, along with the standard minimum, comes from you. I calculate that at the start of your search.

Can I buy a condo in Hilton Head or Bluffton with an FHA loan?

Only if the condominium project is on FHA's approved list when the case number is assigned, or the unit gets single-unit approval. I check the project before you make an offer.

Does FHA allow a vacation home in South Carolina?

No. FHA's single-family programs are for principal residences, and a vacation home is not eligible. At least one person on the loan must move in within 60 days of closing and plan to stay at least a year.