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What is a rate lock fee on a Loan Estimate?
Updated November 2026 · Every dollar figure is an illustrative example, not a quoteA rate lock fee is a charge for holding your quoted rate for a set period, and most lenders charge none for a standard lock of 30 to 45 days, building the cost into the rate instead. Longer locks and lock extensions commonly cost a fraction of a percent of the loan, and because the fee is the lender's, it appears in Section A.
Where it is on the form
Page 2, Section A, Origination Charges, as a line named Rate Lock Fee, Lock Fee or Extended Lock Fee. Whether your rate is locked at all, and until when, is a separate box at the top right of page 1 labeled Rate Lock.
A standard lock is normally priced into the rate rather than charged as a fee. Locks of 60, 90 or more days, and extensions when closing slips past the lock date, are where fees or rate adjustments appear; roughly an eighth to a half of a percent of the loan is a common band, but it varies by lender and by how far rates have moved. New-construction locks can run longer and cost more.
The lock changes what the estimate means. Until the rate is locked, the Loan Estimate's rate, points and lender credits can all move with the market; the form says so in the Rate Lock box. Once locked, the lender must issue a revised Loan Estimate within three business days reflecting the locked terms, and those are the terms at closing unless the lock expires.
An expired lock is the common way a rate lock fee appears late. If closing slips past the lock date, the lender either extends the lock, often for a fee or a slightly worse rate, or reprices the loan at today's market. Ask what an extension costs before you need one. More on the box itself: Rate Lock.
Can you shop for it?
The fee is the lender's, so there is nothing to take elsewhere. But lock terms differ a lot between lenders: how long the free lock runs, what an extension costs, whether there is a float-down if rates fall. Those terms are worth comparing alongside the rate.
Can it change between the Loan Estimate and closing?
Zero tolerance for the fee itself. A lock extension you ask for later is a change you requested, so a lender may issue a revised Loan Estimate and add the extension cost; it has to give you the revised estimate within three business days of your request. An extension forced by the lender's own delay is a conversation to have in writing.
Questions to ask the lender
- How long is the lock, and what does it cost to extend it by 7, 15 and 30 days?
- If rates fall before closing, is there a float-down, and what does it cost?
- If closing is delayed by something on your side, who pays for the extension?
Red flags
- A lock shorter than the realistic time to close, which makes an extension fee almost certain.
- An extension fee charged because of the lender's own delay in underwriting or the appraisal.
- A quoted rate that is not locked on an estimate used to persuade you to stop shopping.
Questions people ask
Does it cost money to lock a mortgage rate?
Usually not for a standard 30- to 45-day lock; the lender builds it into the rate. Longer locks and extensions are where a fee or a slightly higher rate appears, commonly a fraction of a percent of the loan.
How long can you lock a rate?
30 and 45 days are the usual free locks. 60 and 90 days are widely available for a cost, and some lenders offer longer locks for new construction. The longer the lock, the more the lender charges for the risk that rates rise.
What happens if my rate lock expires?
The lender either extends it, often for a fee or a small rate adjustment, or reprices the loan at the current market. Which it is, and who pays, depends on the lender's policy and on whose delay it was. Get the extension terms in writing before you lock.
Only have one quote? That's the problem.
Tell us the rate and the fees you were quoted. It is free, there is no credit pull, and nobody calls you. We check whether another lender beats it, fees included. Or start with the free Loan Estimate checker, which reads your rate, points and Section A and flags anything out of the ordinary.
Check my quoteEvery dollar figure on this page is illustrative. Fee ranges are general observations, not a survey or a quote, and are not a loan offer, approval, commitment to lend, or Loan Estimate. Your actual rates and fees depend on qualification with lenders, your state and county, and your closing date. The tolerance rules described are the federal TRID rules in general terms; the rule itself and your own Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure decide how it applies to your loan. comparemyloan does not negotiate with lenders, lock rates, or take loan applications.