How to find a HUD-approved housing counselor

The short answer: the CFPB’s tool lists counseling agencies approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); you search by ZIP code, and the tool is powered by HUD’s official list.^[1] If you are worried about a missed payment, the CFPB says to call your mortgage servicer right away and also contact a HUD-approved agency for free, expert help in avoiding foreclosure; the HOPE Hotline is (888) 995-HOPE (4673), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.^[2]

A counselor gives independent advice, often at little or no cost.^[1]

Checked as of 2 October 2026. United States federal sources only. This is general information, not legal advice. It does not say which option fits your situation and names no agency.^{[1, 2]}

What a counselor can do

Housing counselors can give advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, forbearances, foreclosures and credit issues, though not every counselor offers every service, so check the services each agency lists.^[1]
For a borrower who cannot pay, the CFPB says a counselor can discuss your situation and whether you qualify for programs, help you understand the loss mitigation options your servicer offers, guide you through the process, and help at little or no cost with budgeting, credit card debt or other money problems.^[2]
The CFPB describes the approved agencies as able to offer independent advice about whether a particular set of mortgage loan terms fits your objectives and circumstances.^[1]

How to find one

Use the CFPB’s find-a-housing-counselor tool and enter your ZIP code; it shows several approved agencies in your area.^[1]
For more agencies, the CFPB points to consumerfinance.gov/mortgagehelp or 1-855-411-CFPB (2372), and to HUD’s nationwide list of approved agencies at hud.gov.^[1]
Check each agency’s listed services before you call.^[1]
If the list data look wrong, the CFPB says to contact housing.counseling@hud.gov.^[1]

Call your servicer first, and what to watch for

The CFPB says to find your servicer’s telephone number on your monthly statement, coupon book or the servicer’s website, and to be ready to explain why you cannot pay, whether the problem is temporary or permanent, and your income, expenses and assets. If you do not know who your servicer is, a HUD-approved agency can help.^[2] If you face imminent foreclosure or have been served with legal papers, the CFPB says you may also need an attorney.^[2]

The CFPB says you do not have to pay anyone to help you avoid foreclosure, and lists these scam warning signs: you are asked to pay upfront; the company guarantees a mortgage change or that you will not lose your home; you are asked to sign over title or sign documents you do not understand; you are told to send your payment to someone other than your servicer; the company offers a “forensic audit”; you are told to stop paying your mortgage; or the company claims government affiliation or uses a look-alike seal.^[2] See also the MARS Rule advance-fee ban.

Under Regulation Z’s commentary, bona fide third-party advisors such as housing counselors who do not receive compensation for engaging in loan origination activities are not “loan originators.”^[3]

How to verify this yourself

Use the CFPB tool or HUD’s own list rather than a number from an ad or a mailer, and confirm the agency appears there. Because the CFPB says counseling is “often” at little or no cost rather than always free, ask each agency what, if anything, it charges (our suggestion, not a rule).^[1] To understand the servicing timelines you may be counting on, read loss mitigation and foreclosure referral timelines and notice of error and request for information.

Limits and unknowns

This page does not say how long an appointment takes, what any agency charges, whether a given agency has openings, or what state programs exist; the sources do not cover those. It does not cover Canada. For the counseling step in a reverse mortgage see the HECM counseling requirement; to check a loan officer see the verification guide, and the Library for more.

When we update this page

We revise this page, and log the change, when the CFPB changes its housing counselor tool or its mortgage-options page, or a reader reports an error we confirm. If something here looks wrong, report an error; we review reports within 5 business days. This page explains rules and names no lender, servicer, originator or brokerage; it does not grade anyone. See how we check and the Register for how we assess individual originators.