KIM-V expired: Austrian mortgage guidance for 2026
Austria's binding KIM-V regulation expired on 30 June 2025. This guide explains the FMA benchmarks banks still consider, what is no longer legally mandatory, and what this means for your mortgage.
WelcherKredit Redaktion
Experience-based editorial content · not financial advice
Quick answer: mortgage guidance after KIM-V
- The binding KIM-V regulation expired on 30 June 2025.
- The FMA still uses 90% LTV, 40% DSTI and 35 years as sound-lending benchmarks.
- These are no longer statutory limits for every individual loan; banks apply their own risk models.
- In practice, 15–20% equity plus closing costs remains a common expectation.
Last updated: 2026-09-21
TL;DR
- KIM-V was binding from August 2022 through 30 June 2025.
- Since July 2025, FMA supervisory benchmarks have replaced statutory per-loan limits.
- Banks continue to use their own, usually conservative LTV, DSTI and maturity criteria.
- For robust planning, allow 15–20% equity plus closing costs.
What is KIM-V?
KIM-V stands for "Kreditinstitute-Immobilienfinanzierungsmaßnahmen-Verordnung" — the Austrian FMA regulation on residential mortgage lending, introduced in July 2022 to limit systemic risk in the property credit market.
While it was in force, KIM-V set binding standards for residential mortgages. It expired as scheduled on 30 June 2025 and was not extended.
The FMA still expects sound lending and identifies 90% LTV, 40% DSTI and a 35-year term as central benchmarks. Since July 2025 these are not statutory limits for every individual loan. Banks may deviate under their internal risk models. (Sources: FMA circular on sound private residential real-estate lending, 26 June 2025; OeNB)
What changed on 1 July 2025
When KIM-V expired, Austria moved from a binding regulation to supervisory guidance:
- KIM-V ended on 30 June 2025; there is no longer a statutory KIM-V per-loan requirement.
- The FMA benchmarks of 90% LTV, 40% DSTI and a 35-year term remain supervisory guidance.
- Banks set individual lending criteria and must demonstrate sound origination practices.
- Financing outside the benchmarks is possible, depending on creditworthiness, property and lender.
FMA sound-lending benchmarks (2026)
These are planning benchmarks, not statutory approval or rejection thresholds:
| Parameter | Limit | Exception possible? | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTV (loan-to-value) | benchmark ≤ 90% | bank-dependent | ≤ 80–85% |
| DSTI (debt-service-to-income) | benchmark ≤ 40% | bank-dependent | ≤ 30–35% |
| Loan term | benchmark ≤ 35 years | bank-dependent | 25–30 years |
| Equity | no statutory minimum | yes | 15–20% + closing costs |
Impact on your financing
The expired KIM-V still shapes bank practice even though its limits are no longer legally binding:
- Equity: plan for roughly 15–20% plus closing costs; the lender may require more or less.
- Payment: use 30–35% of net income as a cautious planning range; 40% is the FMA benchmark.
- Term: 35 years is a supervisory benchmark, not a universal statutory maximum.
- Comparison: obtain several offers because banks now rely more heavily on their own criteria.
KIM-V FAQ
Yes. KIM-V expired on 30 June 2025. Since July 2025, an FMA circular has provided benchmarks for sound mortgage lending.
Loan-to-value: ratio of loan amount to property value. LTV 80% = 20% equity.
Debt-service-to-income is the ratio of debt payments to net income. The FMA still uses 40% as a benchmark; it is no longer a binding KIM-V limit.
Potentially. Approval depends on creditworthiness, property value, household budget and the lender's internal policy.
No. KIM-V has expired, but Austrian banks still have to follow sound lending practices and supervisory expectations.
Use our calculator as an orientation: LTV around 90% or less and DSTI around 40% or less match the current FMA benchmarks but do not guarantee approval.
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