Last reviewed: 30 September 2026
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How to check your Closing Disclosure against your Loan Estimate
The short answer: when your Closing Disclosure arrives, line it up against your most recent Loan Estimate, use the “Calculating Cash to Close” table, which has a “Did this change?” column, and ask your lender to explain anything that does not match before you sign.[3, 4] What this term means: the Closing Disclosure is the standard form showing your final loan terms and closing costs; the form describes itself as “a statement of final loan terms and closing costs” to compare with your Loan Estimate.[3]
The lender must make sure you receive the Closing Disclosure no later than three business days before closing, so the waiting period is your time to find problems.[1] The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) puts it this way: “Use these days wisely—now is the time to resolve problems.”[4]
The three-business-day wait, and what counts as “received”
The lender must ensure you receive the Closing Disclosure no later than three business days before closing (the regulation’s word is “consummation,” the point at which you become contractually obligated on the loan).[1] For this rule, “business day” means every calendar day except Sundays and federal legal public holidays, so Saturdays count.[2] The CFPB’s official interpretation gives an example: if closing is scheduled for Thursday, the lender meets the rule by hand-delivering the disclosure on Monday, assuming every weekday is a business day.[1]
If the disclosure is not given to you in person, you are treated as having received it three business days after it is delivered or mailed. The official interpretation applies the same approach to email, for example that an email sent on Monday is treated as received on Thursday, though a lender may instead rely on evidence that you received it earlier.[1] So the date printed on the form is not necessarily the date the wait started; ask the lender how and when it delivered the form.
What resets the wait, and what does not
A new three-business-day wait is required if, before closing, the annual percentage rate (APR) becomes inaccurate, the loan product changes, or a prepayment penalty is added.[1] Other changes that make the disclosure inaccurate generally call for a corrected disclosure at or before closing, without a new wait, and the lender must let you inspect the disclosure, completed with the items known at that time, during the business day before closing.[1] You may waive the three-business-day wait only to meet a bona fide personal financial emergency, by giving the lender a dated written statement describing the emergency and signed by every consumer primarily liable on the loan; printed forms for this purpose are prohibited.[1] A lender may provide a revised Loan Estimate because of a changed circumstance, but not on or after the date it provides the Closing Disclosure, and you must receive any revised Loan Estimate no later than four business days before closing.[1]
A line-by-line checklist
| Check | Where to look | What the CFPB says to do |
|---|---|---|
| Your name and contact details | Page 1 | Ask the lender to correct any inaccurate information; even minor misspellings can cause problems later.[4] |
| Loan term, purpose, product and loan type | Page 1 against your latest Loan Estimate | If they differ, call the lender immediately and ask why.[4] |
| Loan amount | Page 1 | If it increased, ask why; one possible reason is closing costs rolled into the loan.[4] |
| Interest rate | Page 1 | If it is not what you expected, ask why; if you locked the rate, the lender may change it only under limited circumstances.[4] |
| Prepayment penalty and balloon payment | Page 1 | The CFPB calls both features risky; ask about other options if your loan has one.[4] |
| Estimated Total Monthly Payment; taxes, insurance and assessments not in escrow | Page 1 | Ask why if the payment changed; budget for any items you pay separately.[4] |
| Closing Costs | Page 1 summary, details on page 2 (against the Loan Estimate) | If there are significant changes, ask the lender to explain why.[4] |
| Services Borrower Did Not Shop For | Page 2 against the Loan Estimate’s “Services You Cannot Shop For” and “Services You Can Shop For” | Check there are no new services that were not on the Loan Estimate; costs should be similar but may differ somewhat.[4] |
| Services Borrower Did Shop For | Page 2 | Check that prices match what you agreed to pay; ask about any service or company you do not recognize.[4] |
| Lender Credits | Page 2 | The CFPB describes lender credits as typically provided in exchange for a higher interest rate.[4] |
| Cash to Close | Page 1 summary, Calculating Cash to Close table on page 3 (against the Loan Estimate) | If it does not match your Loan Estimate, ask the lender to explain why.[4] |
| Seller credit | Page 3 | Check it reflects what you agreed with the seller.[4] |
The form does part of the comparing for you
The Closing Disclosure must use labels consistent with the Loan Estimate’s, and list costs in the same order,, so the two can be read side by side.[3] Its “Calculating Cash to Close” table, introduced with “Use this table to see what has changed from your Loan Estimate,” shows the Loan Estimate figure, the final figure, and a “Did this change?” statement for total closing costs and other items. If an increase exceeds the legal limits on closing cost increases, the form must say by how many dollars, and any refund the lender provides must be shown.[3] Origination Charges on the Closing Disclosure also show any compensation the lender paid to a third-party loan originator, with that originator’s name.[3]
If something does not match
First ask the lender to explain, ideally in writing, and keep its answer. The CFPB’s consistent advice is to ask why an item changed.[4] Whether a particular increase is allowed depends on which tolerance group the fee falls in and whether a changed circumstance applies; see tolerance categories and cure requirement under the TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule and services you can shop for. If an excess charge must be refunded, the regulation treats the lender as compliant if the refund is made, and a corrected Closing Disclosure delivered, within 60 days after closing.[1] For the channels available if you think a rule was not followed, see how to file a complaint against your loan officer. This page does not judge whether any specific difference is a violation.
Steps to take
- Note the date and method by which you received the Closing Disclosure, and the closing date.
- Work through the checklist above against your most recent Loan Estimate.[4]
- Write down every difference and ask the lender to explain each one before you sign.[4]
- Read the note and security instrument as well; the CFPB says it is important to read them carefully.[4]
- See our guide to right of rescission under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) for a separate right that applies to some loans.
Our TRID disclosure timeline, explained gives an overview of the two forms’ deadlines.
This page covers the United States federal rule for most closed-end mortgages. Canada uses different disclosure rules; for the Canadian framework start with Canada’s Cost of Borrowing (Banks) Regulations, explained.
When we update this page
We revise this page, and log the change, when any of the following happens:
- 12 CFR § 1026.19(f) or § 1026.38 is amended.
- The CFPB updates its Closing Disclosure explainer.
- A reader reports an error we confirm.
If something here looks wrong, report an error; we review reports within 5 business days.