Assistance program · North Dakota
DCA
North Dakota state agency help for low-income buyers with an agency mortgage: 3% of the loan as a credit toward the cash you need at closing (down payment, closing costs and prepaid expenses); it cannot be combined with other assistance
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Grant
- Grant you never repay
- First-time buyer?
- Not stated — ask
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Grant you never repay
What it gives
Source text
Through the DCA program, NDHFA provides low-income buyers with affordable mortgage loans that include down payment and closing cost assistance. Amount of assistance equals three percent of the first mortgage loan amount in the form of a credit towards your out-of-pocket cash requirement. This can be used for downpayment, closing costs and prepaid items. DCA cannot be used in conjunction with any other down payment assistance programs. A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
You must meet income limits, which vary based on county and family size. Only one to two-unit properties (one unit must be occupied by borrower). You must complete a homebuyer education course and receive a certificate of completion that is dated before loan closing. … All of our programs require a $500 out-of-pocket cash investment. - First-time buyers only Not stated — ask
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score Not stated — ask
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of North Dakota
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in North Dakota
The program covers all of North Dakota. The first column is North Dakota's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The typical home value ($249,900) fits within North Dakota's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in North Dakota is $85,700.
| Figure | North Dakota | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $249,900 | $84,200 (McIntosh County) to $349,600 (McKenzie County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 in all 53 counties | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 53 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $85,700 | $85,700 (Barnes County) to $104,650 (Dunn County) | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
-
Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. North Dakota has 3 agencies on HUD's list, and 0 serve people in Spanish.
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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 9 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to North Dakota Housing Finance Agency.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
- Is it only for first-time buyers?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- Is there any case in which the grant has to be paid back?
Against the others
How it compares with North Dakota's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in North Dakota, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is the only one of North Dakota's 2 programs whose page does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. None of the 2 publishes an amount with the figure in its own wording. One other program in the state also gives "grant" help: FirstHome Start. It is the only one that requires a homebuyer course.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCAthis program | Grant | Not published | Doesn't say | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| FirstHome Start | Grant | Not published | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Help and programs
Homebuyer education courses: when you need one
What a homebuyer education course is, when Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and assistance programs require one, and where to take it for free or in Spanish.
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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.