--- title: "Fannie Mae vs. Freddie Mac PCA Repair Deadlines | Calibre" description: "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac set different repair clocks after a multifamily loan closes. See each deadline side by side, with the rules read from both guides." url: https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/fannie-mae-vs-freddie-mac-pca-repair-deadlines publisher: Calibre Commercial Inspections phone: "+1-208-305-6245" email: Schedule@CalibreCBI.com --- Inspector Insights # Fannie Mae vs. Freddie Mac PCA Repair Deadlines October 13, 2026 / By Calibre Commercial Inspections / 5 min read Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac set different repair clocks after closing. Fannie Mae requires life safety repairs within 60 days on an acquisition, critical repairs within 6 months, and deferred maintenance within 12 months. Freddie Mac requires Critical Repairs before it proceeds, PR-90 Repairs within 90 days, and other Priority Repairs within 365 days. We read both rulebooks on October 13, 2026. Both agencies revise their guides by bulletin, so confirm the current text with your lender before you rely on a date. ## How do the two sets of repair deadlines compare? The categories do not map one to one. Fannie Mae sorts repairs by type. Freddie Mac sorts them by urgency. Repair type Fannie Mae Freddie Mac Must be done before the agency proceeds Life safety repairs, if the loan is not an acquisition: before the loan is delivered to Fannie Mae Critical Repairs: before Freddie Mac proceeds with the transaction Life safety, acquisition loan Within 60 days after the Mortgage Loan Origination Date All Life Safety Hazards are Priority Repairs: 365 days, or 90 days if designated PR-90 Imminent hazards Covered by the life safety rule PR-90 Repairs: within 90 days after the Origination Date Critical repairs Within 6 months after origination, or sooner if the consultant recommends Before Freddie Mac proceeds Deferred maintenance Within 12 months after origination, or sooner if the consultant recommends Priority Repair if the cost is more than $3,000 per repair item: 365 days Short-term capital replacements On the date the consultant recommends, which can be later than 12 months No matching tier. Replacements are projected in the reserve assessment (Form 1105) ## How does Fannie Mae sort PCA repairs? Fannie Mae calls the findings that need action Immediate Repairs. Its Multifamily Guide (Section 405.01) lists four kinds: life safety repairs, critical repairs, deferred maintenance, and short-term replacement of capital items. **Life safety repairs.** Section 405.03 sets the clock. On an acquisition, all life safety repairs must be finished within 60 days after the Mortgage Loan Origination Date. In every other case, they must be finished before the loan is delivered to Fannie Mae. The guide defines the origination date as the date the lender funds the loan. **Critical repairs.** These must be finished within 6 months after origination, or sooner if the PCA consultant recommends. The guide also says repairs needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act or Fair Housing, or to resolve code violations, must be categorized as critical. They carry the same 6-month limit, or a shorter one if the consultant or applicable law requires it. **Deferred maintenance and items of note.** These must be finished within 12 months after origination, or sooner if the consultant recommends. **Short-term capital replacements.** The consultant picks a date. The guide states that the date may be longer than 12 months after origination. ## How does Freddie Mac sort PCA repairs? Freddie Mac’s Multifamily Guide, Chapter 62, uses three tiers. **Critical Repairs** fix conditions that significantly impair habitability, safety, value, income or marketability because a major building system or structure is failing. These must be corrected before Freddie Mac will proceed. **Priority Repairs** must be addressed within 365 days after the Origination Date. The list includes all Life Safety Hazards, physical deficiencies such as mold, water intrusion or potentially damaging leaks, and deferred maintenance that costs more than $3,000 per repair item. **PR-90 Repairs** are Priority Repairs that must be addressed within 90 days. Two kinds qualify. One is a Life Safety Hazard that is about to cause harm and presents an imminent risk to tenants. The other is a condition that may cause imminent damage to a major building system or structure and could become a Critical Repair if left alone. Freddie Mac also defines Routine Repairs and Maintenance. These are nominal in cost, part of normal operations, and include minor deficiencies or deferred maintenance costing $3,000 or less per repair item. ## What does this mean for the closing escrow? The two guides treat money differently. Fannie Mae’s guidance says the Completion/Repair Escrow funded at origination should be at least 125 percent of the estimated cost of the required repairs. A lender may choose not to fund it entirely if it finds the borrower has the financial capacity to complete the work. In that case the lender must get written assurances in the loan agreement that all necessary repairs will be finished within a stated period. Freddie Mac’s Chapter 62 handles long-term replacements through a separate reserve review. Form 1105 asks the consultant to project replacements and repairs for the term of the mortgage plus two years, to a maximum of 12 years. Freddie Mac reviews the consultant’s assessment and decides the actual Replacement Reserve amount. For a buyer, the practical point is timing. A 60-day life safety item on a Fannie Mae acquisition needs a contractor lined up before closing. A PR-90 item on a Freddie Mac loan needs the same. ## What should a good PCA do with these categories? The consultant’s labels drive the deadlines. Under Fannie Mae’s guide the consultant can pull a date earlier than the default. Under Freddie Mac’s guide the report must identify deviations from the Guide and from the most recent version of ASTM E2018. A finding placed in the wrong tier changes the borrower’s deadline and escrow. Ask the consultant to tag each finding with the lender’s own category, and to explain any item placed in a stricter tier. If you are not sure which report type fits your loan, read [our comparison of the PCA and the CBI](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/pca-or-cbi-which-inspection-report-works-best-for-you). Our [ASTM property condition assessment](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-services/astm-property-condition-assessments) follows the ASTM E2018 protocol. Our [multifamily inspection guide](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/multifamily-property-inspections-guide) explains what an inspector reviews on these properties. ## Questions owners ask **When does the clock start?** Fannie Mae counts from the Mortgage Loan Origination Date, the date the lender funds the loan. Freddie Mac counts from the Origination Date. **Does a $3,000 repair count?** At Freddie Mac, deferred maintenance becomes a Priority Repair when it costs more than $3,000 per repair item. At $3,000 or less it falls under Routine Repairs and Maintenance. **Do accessibility items get a longer clock?** Under Fannie Mae’s guide, ADA and Fair Housing repairs are critical repairs with a 6-month limit. On a Freddie Mac loan, ask your lender which tier an accessibility finding falls into. **Is there a new PCA later in the loan?** Fannie Mae requires a new full PCA every 5 years for Multifamily Affordable Housing properties, and in the 10th loan year and every 10 years after for other loans with terms over 10 years, with servicer waivers in some cases (Section 408.04E). Our [third-party loan servicing](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-services/third-party-loan-servicing) service supports Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicers. If a PCA for an agency loan is on your calendar, call (208) 305-6245 or [request a proposal](https://calibre.multisites.ai/request-proposal). ## Sources - [Fannie Mae Multifamily Guide, Section 405 Completion/Repairs](https://mfguide.fanniemae.com/node/4071) - [Fannie Mae Multifamily Guide, Section 408.04E New Property Condition Assessments](https://mfguide.fanniemae.com/node/6851) - [Freddie Mac Multifamily Guide, Chapter 62 Property Condition Reports](https://mf.freddiemac.com/docs/chapters/mf_guide_ch_62.pdf) **Calibre Commercial Inspections** ## More Inspector Insights EnvironmentalOct 13, 2026 ### [How Long Is a Phase I ESA Valid? 180 Days and 1 Year](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/how-long-is-a-phase-i-esa-valid) Condition and costOct 13, 2026 ### [How Long Is a Property Condition Assessment Valid?](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/how-long-is-a-property-condition-assessment-valid) EnvironmentalOct 13, 2026 ### [SBA 7(a) and 504 Loans: Is a Phase I ESA Required?](https://calibre.multisites.ai/cre-inspector-insights/sba-7a-504-phase-i-esa-required) ## Ready for your next inspection? Tell us about the property and your timeline. We will scope the right report and send a proposal. [Request a proposal](https://calibre.multisites.ai/request-proposal) [(208) 305-6245](tel:+12083056245)