MISMO releases VA, FHA form standards for industry use

The Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization has moved a pair of initiatives related to two government-guaranteed mortgage loans programs up to candidate recommendation status.

First, the data mapping for a key form in the Veterans Affairs loan process has achieved this status, meaning the standard has been thoroughly reviewed by industry participants and is now available for implementation across the mortgage industry. It is also moving to a 30-day public comment period, a press release said.

The mapping process translated VA Form 26-1820, the report and certification of loan disbursement, into a standardized XML dataset for improved data integrity, automation and interoperability, while reducing the amount of manual entry needed.

"Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the VA Documents to Data Workgroup, stakeholders now have a standardized, machine-readable format that improves data accuracy, streamlines reporting, and supports broader modernization goals," MISMO President Brian Vieaux said in a press release.

The VA mortgage guarantee program has been undergoing a modernization process. In November 2025, MISMO completed a 30-day comment period on a Federal Government Housing Agency Servicing Dataset, which is also a part of this VA modernization effort.

The working group has a three-phase initiative, of which the Form 26-1820 mapping was the first.

In Phase 2, Form 26-1880, request for a certificate of eligibility, and Form 26-1817, which is used for eligibility of an unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran, the mapping was submitted for review.

The third phase involves Form 26-1805, which is used to prove equal opportunity in housing. The mapping is in final preparation for submission.

When all three phases are completed, this workgroup will be integrated into MISMO's Originations Community of Practice. The Community's current focus is the implementation of data exchange guidance for origination data and processes using MISMO version 3.6, its webpage said.

Separately, MISMO has published a new dataset for another government mortgage program.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development Addendum to the Uniform Residential Loan Application has also reached candidate recommendation status.

This form is required for Federal Housing Administration-insured originations. The borrower and the direct endorsement underwriter have to sign this during the initial and final stages of the origination process.

"This new dataset aligns with the MISMO Reference Model and demonstrates how industry collaboration can extend standardized data structures to support FHA-specific requirements," Vieaux said in a separate press release. "By leveraging the existing MISMO framework, we are enabling more seamless implementation and greater interoperability across systems."

The Originators Community of Practice structured the HUD form to support disclosure and reporting requirements related to authorized agent and third party originator relationships.

It creates a standard to electronically express and transmit the loan-specific information required on the HUD Addendum, MISMO said.

The MISMO 3.6 reference model was released in 2023 and updated in May 2025. At the same time of this update, MISMO version 3.6.1 was also released.

This January, a new standard for appraisals, UAD 3.6, was open for use by the mortgage industry for conforming loans; mandatory adoption will be required in November. Government programs will also be using this standard.