How soon before closing should I receive a Closing Disclosure?

The CFPB says by law you must receive it at least three business days before closing. Some loan types, such as reverse mortgages and home equity lines of credit, use different disclosures.

Which form should I compare it with?

The CFPB says to use your most recent Loan Estimate.

Do all closing costs stay the same between the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure?

No. The CFPB says some can change somewhat and that legal rules set which ones and by how much. Ask the lender for the reason for any difference.

Can my rate change after I lock it?

The CFPB says a locked rate and points should not change, with exceptions, such as a low appraisal or income that cannot be verified.

Does a corrected Closing Disclosure mean another waiting period?

The CFPB's lender guidance says a new three-business-day wait applies if the APR becomes inaccurate, the loan product information becomes inaccurate or a prepayment penalty is added.

Guide

How to compare your Closing Disclosure with your Loan Estimate

Two stylized paper forms side by side with matching sections linked by a ribbon, illustrating comparing two mortgage documents. — Illustration. Not a real form.

A few days before closing on a mortgage, you will receive a Closing Disclosure. It is the lender's final statement of your loan terms and costs. This US guide explains when you should receive it, what to compare with your most recent Loan Estimate and what to ask the lender when a figure is different.

It explains the documents. It does not say whether any cost is allowed, whether a difference is acceptable, or what you should do at closing. Your Closing Disclosure describes your own loan, and only you and your lender, closing agent or an attorney can confirm its details.

Key takeaways

A Closing Disclosure is a five-page form with the final terms and costs of your mortgage.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says you must receive it at least three business days before closing.
Compare it with your most recent Loan Estimate, item by item. Ask the lender to explain any difference.
A difference does not by itself tell you something is wrong. Some costs can change between the two forms, and the CFPB says legal rules set which ones and by how much.

What a Closing Disclosure is

The CFPB describes the Closing Disclosure as a five-page form that sets out the final details of your mortgage loan, including the loan terms, your projected monthly payments and how much you will pay in fees and other costs to get the loan. It is separate from the Loan Estimate, which you received earlier and which showed the estimated version of those figures. If you want a walkthrough of the Loan Estimate, see our guide to how to read a mortgage Loan Estimate.

When you should receive it

The CFPB says that by law you must receive your Closing Disclosure at least three business days before your closing. The CFPB also suggests asking your lender or closing agent, at least a week before closing, how the form will reach you, for example by email or mail.

This does not apply to every loan. According to the CFPB you will not receive a Loan Estimate or Closing Disclosure if you are shopping for a reverse mortgage, a home equity line of credit, a manufactured housing or mobile home loan not secured by real estate, or a subordinate loan through certain types of homebuyer assistance programs. For these loans you should receive Truth-in-Lending disclosures instead.

If you have not received your Closing Disclosure, the CFPB says to request one from your lender immediately.

Paper-cut calendar strip with three highlighted days leading to a house shape, illustrating the three business days before closing. — The CFPB says you must receive the Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing.

What to compare with your Loan Estimate

Find your most recent Loan Estimate, then check these items on the Closing Disclosure against it. The CFPB lists them in its Closing Disclosure explainer:

Your name and the basics. The loan term, purpose, product and type should match what you expect.
Loan amount. If it is higher than on your Loan Estimate, the CFPB says to ask why. One possible reason it gives is that closing costs were rolled into the loan.
Interest rate. Check it against the Loan Estimate. If you locked your rate, see the section on rate locks below.
Prepayment penalty and balloon payment. Check whether either is listed and whether that matches your Loan Estimate.
Estimated total monthly payment, including whether taxes and insurance are collected through an escrow account.
Closing costs. The CFPB says the costs should be similar to your Loan Estimate but may be somewhat different. It also asks you to check that prices for services you shopped for match what you agreed to pay.
Cash to close. This is the amount you bring to closing. If your Loan Estimate showed a different figure, ask the lender what changed. The Loan Estimate version of this number is covered in our Loan Estimate guide.
Seller credit, if you agreed one with the seller. Check that it reflects what you agreed.
APR. The CFPB says comparing the annual percentage rate on the two forms is an easy way to see whether your costs have increased.

Paper-cut speech bubble with a question mark above two stacked documents, illustrating asking a lender to explain a difference. — Differences are a reason to ask, not a verdict.

Why figures can differ

The CFPB says it is not uncommon for some closing costs to change somewhat, and that legal rules cover which costs can change and by how much. It also says some fees cannot increase unless you asked for a change or your financial information changed, and that others have limits or none. Whether a particular difference is allowed depends on the fee and the facts of your loan. A lender can tell you which category a charge falls into.

If you locked your rate, the CFPB says your rate and points should not change, but there are exceptions. A lock typically holds only if nothing important changes about your application. The CFPB's examples are a home appraised for less than the sale price, or a lender that cannot verify your income.

The CFPB's advice when something is different is to ask your lender for a specific reason.

When the lender sends a corrected Closing Disclosure

Terms can change after the first Closing Disclosure is sent. The CFPB's guidance for lenders says the lender must ensure you receive a corrected Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing if any of these three things happens:

The change makes the annual percentage rate inaccurate.
The loan product information on the form becomes inaccurate.
A prepayment penalty is added to the loan.

According to the CFPB, any of these starts a new three-business-day waiting period after you receive the corrected form. This comes from compliance guidance written for lenders. Your lender can tell you whether a particular change on your loan falls into one of these groups.

Questions to ask the lender

Can you walk me through every item that is different from my most recent Loan Estimate?
What is the specific reason for each change?
Is my rate lock still in effect, and does anything about my loan affect it?
Does any change mean I will receive a corrected Closing Disclosure?
Which of these costs are paid to companies I chose, and which to companies the lender chose?
Who do I contact before closing if I have questions about a figure?

Where to get help

The CFPB says to start by discussing any problem with your closing process with your lender. It also notes that you can submit a complaint to the CFPB online if you have already tried working it out with the company.

The bottom line

The Closing Disclosure is your last full look at your mortgage costs before closing. Reading it next to your most recent Loan Estimate shows which figures moved, and the lender can explain why. Our guide to how to read a mortgage Loan Estimate covers the earlier form.

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Talk it through

Common questions

How soon before closing should I receive a Closing Disclosure? The CFPB says by law you must receive it at least three business days before closing. Some loan types, such as reverse mortgages and home equity lines of credit, use different disclosures.
What if I have not received it? The CFPB says to request one from your lender immediately.
Which form should I compare it with? The CFPB says to use your most recent Loan Estimate.
Do all closing costs stay the same between the Loan Estimate and the Closing Disclosure? No. The CFPB says some can change somewhat and that legal rules set which ones and by how much. Ask the lender for the reason for any difference.
Can my rate change after I lock it? The CFPB says a locked rate and points should not change, with exceptions, such as a low appraisal or income that cannot be verified.
Does a corrected Closing Disclosure mean another waiting period? The CFPB's lender guidance says a new three-business-day wait applies if the APR becomes inaccurate, the loan product information becomes inaccurate or a prepayment penalty is added.

Sources

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Closing Disclosure Explainer, Review your documents before closing, What is a Closing Disclosure?, When do I get a Closing Disclosure?, What should I do if I do not get a Closing Disclosure three days before my mortgage closing?, What do I do if the rate or fees are different on my Closing Disclosure than they were on my Loan Estimate? and the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure FAQs.