{"id":49606,"date":"2021-03-24T05:53:56","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T13:53:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/?p=49606"},"modified":"2023-02-18T08:45:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-18T16:45:09","slug":"va-loan-requirements-complete-guide-to-eligibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/va-loan-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"VA Loan Requirements: Complete Guide to Eligibility"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>VA loans are for qualifying military service members and eligible surviving spouses, and their biggest draw is that they allow you to buy a home with no money down.<\/p>\n<p>With a VA loan, you also won\u2019t have to pay for private mortgage insurance. Instead, VA borrowers pay a funding fee at closing or roll it into their loan.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s what you should know about VA loans before you apply: <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what-va-loan\">What is a VA loan?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#requirements-va-loan\">Requirements for a VA home loan<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#apply-va-loan\">How to apply for a VA home loan<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#pros-cons-va-loan\">Pros and cons of a VA loan<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"what-va-loan\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>What is a VA loan?<\/h2>\n<p>A VA loan is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/mortgage\">mortgage<\/a> that benefits individuals who have served in the U.S. military. By guaranteeing a percentage of every VA home loan, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs lessens the risk to lenders.<\/p>\n<p>This means that qualified borrowers can get a home without making a down payment or paying for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/mortgage-insurance\/\">private mortgage insurance<\/a> (PMI).<\/p>\n<p>Your loan limit is determined by your VA entitlement, which is the amount the VA will pay back to your lender should you default on the loan. Here\u2019s a quick breakdown:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Full entitlement:<\/b> No loan limit. You can borrow as much as you\u2019re financially qualified to.<\/li>\n<li><b>Reduced entitlement:<\/b> Subject to loan limits. The VA loan limit is $548,250 in most U.S. counties, and $822,375 in high-cost areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With reduced entitlement, you may have to make a down payment. Most lenders require that your entitlement plus your down payment be at least 25% if the loan amount is more than $144,000.<\/p>\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><b>Good to know: <\/b>If you\u2019ve defaulted on a VA loan, or currently have a VA loan, you\u2019ll also be subject to loan limits.<\/div><\/div>\n<a name=\"requirements-va-loan\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Learn More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/va-loan-vs-conventional-loan\/\">VA Loan vs. Conventional Loan: How to Choose<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Requirements for a VA home loan<\/h2>\n<p>Essentially, anyone who has served in the U.S. armed forces and was not dishonorably discharged may be eligible for a VA loan, although the specific requirements depend on when you served and what branch of the military you served in.<\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s a quick look at how VA loan requirements compare to typical conventional loan requirements:<\/b><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-626\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-626 table table-border-top table-rounded table-no-img-margin table-capitalized-column-titles tbody-has-connected-cells\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\"><strong>VA loans<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-3\"><strong>Conventional loans<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Credit score<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">None, but lenders may impose a minimum, such as 640<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">620<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Debt-to-income ratio<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">None, but ideally not more than 41%<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">50% max<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Down payment<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">0%<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Mortgage insurance<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">None, but you may have to pay a VA funding fee<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Usually required with less than 20% down<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Property requirements<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Primary residence only<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Can be used for primary residence, second home, or investment property<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/mortgage\">Find Rates Now<\/a><\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>Even though the VA will guarantee up to 25% of your loan, the lender is still taking on most of the risk. As a result, lenders often have tighter borrowing requirements than the minimums allowed by the VA.<\/p>\n<p>For example, even though the VA doesn\u2019t have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/credit-score-for-home-loan\/\">credit score minimum<\/a>, you shouldn\u2019t expect to qualify with a rock-bottom credit score.<\/p>\n<h3>Military service requirements<\/h3>\n<p>Not everyone who has served in the armed forces qualifies for a VA loan entitlement. For example, you may not be eligible if you served less than the minimum time for your service period.<\/p>\n<p>In general, these are the military service requirements for VA loan eligibility:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Serving for 90 continuous days of active duty during wartime (less if you were discharged for a service-related disability)<\/li>\n<li>Serving for 181 continuous days of active duty during peacetime (less if you were discharged for a service-related disability)<\/li>\n<li>Serving for 24 continuous months of non-active duty during much of the 1980s and 1990s<\/li>\n<li>Being a surviving spouse of a veteran who was killed, went missing in action, or is being held as a prisoner of war<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>National Guard and Reserve members can also qualify for VA loans. Here are the basic requirements for these members:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>90 days of active duty<\/li>\n<li>6 creditable years of service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>While Credible doesn\u2019t offer VA loans, we can help you get your next conventional loan. Credible makes it easy to compare all of our partner lenders.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: x-large;\"><strong>Credible makes finding a mortgage easy<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<h6 class=\"accent--isGrayLight\">Compare prequalified mortgage rates from top lenders in just 3 minutes.<\/h6>\n<ul class=\"list--iconArrow accent--isGreen list--iconCheckmarkSolidCircle\">\n<li>Personalized rates, not generic<\/li>\n<li>One simple, safe TLS-encrypted form<\/li>\n<li>No spam calls from lenders<\/li>\n<li>Checking rates is free, with no commitment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"btn btn-warning\" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/mortgage\/form\/property-stage?utm_source=wp-credible&amp;utm_medium=mp-box-cta&amp;utm_campaign=seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find My Rate<\/a><br \/>\n<!-- TrustBox widget - Micro Combo --><\/p>\n<div class=\"trustpilot-widget\" data-locale=\"en-US\" data-template-id=\"5419b6ffb0d04a076446a9af\" data-businessunit-id=\"5536ec090000ff00057eebe7\" data-style-height=\"20px\" data-style-width=\"100%\" data-theme=\"light\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/www.credible.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trustpilot<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- End TrustBox widget --><\/p>\n<p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\n<h3>Property requirements<\/h3>\n<p>When you buy a home with a VA loan, you must use it as your primary residence. You can buy a new or existing home that has one to four units, a condo, or a manufactured home.<\/p>\n<p>The VA requires any property purchased with a VA loan to be in decent, habitable condition. Along with several other requirements, the property must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be structurally sound<\/li>\n<li>Not be subject to regular flooding<\/li>\n<li>Comply with zoning laws<\/li>\n<li>Have electricity<\/li>\n<li>Have safe drinking water<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your VA mortgage approval is also contingent on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/home-appraisal\/\">home appraisal<\/a>, which must be performed by a VA-certified appraiser.<\/p>\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><b>Tip: <\/b>A VA home appraisal differs from a traditional home appraisal in that the appraiser is required to evaluate whether the home meets the VA\u2019s minimum property standards.<\/p>\n<p>If it doesn\u2019t, the seller may be required to repair the property before you can purchase it.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Depending on where you live, the appraisal may take up to two weeks. Fees for appraisals vary by state, but expect to pay several hundred dollars.<\/p>\n<h3>Credit score requirements<\/h3>\n<p>Technically, there is no minimum credit score you have to meet to get a VA loan. However, VA lenders often prefer to see scores similar to those required for a conventional loan \u2014 620 and above.<\/p>\n<p>The typical borrower of a VA loan has a credit score of 711 to 725, according to recent data from mortgage software firm <a href=\"https:\/\/static.elliemae.com\/pdf\/origination-insight-reports\/ICE_OIR_JAN2021.pdf\">Ellie Mae<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Learn More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/buy-house-with-no-credit\/\">Can You Buy a House with No Credit?<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Debt-to-income ratio requirements<\/h3>\n<p>The VA also does not specify a maximum <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/dti-for-mortgage\/\">debt-to-income ratio<\/a>. Again, lenders typically prefer to see a DTI no higher than 41%.<\/p>\n<div class=\"basic-box\" style=\"border: 1px solid #E2E4E6;\"><div class=\"basic-box__inside\"><b>Tip: <\/b>With that said, it\u2019s not impossible to qualify with a higher ratio. The VA considers your residual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/income-required-for-mortgage\/\">income<\/a> \u2014 that is, the funds you have left after paying your major expenses each month, including your mortgage and other debts \u2014 more important.<\/p>\n<p>So, if you can meet residual income requirements, you might have an easier time qualifying for a loan.<\/div><\/div>\n<h3>Down payment requirements<\/h3>\n<p>Unlike most other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/types-of-mortgage-loans\/\">types of mortgages<\/a>, VA loans don\u2019t require a minimum <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/how-much-down-payment\/\">down payment<\/a> assuming you have full entitlement. If you put enough down, however, you can reduce your funding fee.<\/p>\n<h3>VA funding fee<\/h3>\n<p>Most VA borrowers pay a funding fee of 1.4% to 3.6% of the loan amount. This fee helps keep the VA loan program afloat so all qualifying veterans, service members, and their eligible surviving spouses can benefit from it.<\/p>\n<p>The funding fee is based on whether you\u2019re using your VA entitlement for the first time or a subsequent time and how much you\u2019re putting down:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-632\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-632 table table-border-top table-rounded table-no-img-margin table-capitalized-column-titles tbody-has-connected-cells\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><th class=\"column-2\"><strong>If your down payment is....<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-3\"><strong>Your VA funding fee will be...<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>First use<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Less than 5%<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">2.3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5% or more<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.65%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">10% or more<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>After first use<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Less than 5%<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">3.6%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5% or more<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.65%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">10% or more<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1.4%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td colspan=\"3\" class=\"column-1\"><small><i>Source: VA.gov<\/i><\/small><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<p>You can either pay the funding fee at closing or roll it into your loan. It\u2019s not required if you\u2019re receiving VA compensation for a service-related disability or if you\u2019ve received the Purple Heart.<br \/>\n<a name=\"apply-va-loan\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>How to apply for a VA home loan<\/h2>\n<p>Applying for a VA loan is different from applying for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/conventional-mortgage\/\">conventional mortgage<\/a> in that you\u2019ll need to find a lender who knows how to process VA loans \u2014 and you might find the process is smoothest if you choose a lender who specializes in them.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also need to get a certificate of eligibility (COE) telling your lender you\u2019re eligible for the VA mortgage program and have an entitlement to use. You can have your lender pull your COE for you, or you can apply online or by mail.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the documentation you\u2019ll need to get your COE:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-633\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-633 table table-border-top table-rounded table-no-img-margin table-capitalized-column-titles\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\"><strong>Status<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"column-2\"><strong>Documentation<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Veteran<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Copy of your discharge or separation papers (DD214)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Service member<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Statement of service \u2014 signed by your commander, adjutant, or personnel officer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Current or former activated National Guard or Reserve member<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Copy of your discharge or separation papers (DD214).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Current member of the National Guard or Reserves, and have never been activated<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Statement of service \u2014 signed by your commander, adjutant, or personnel officer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Discharged member of the National Guard and were never activated<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><div style=\"text-align: left; padding:0px 15px;\"><ul><li>Report of Separation and Record of Service (NGB Form 22) for each period of National Guard service<\/li><li>Your Retirement Points Statement (NGB Form 23) and proof of the character of service<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Discharged member of the Reserves and were never activated<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><div style=\"text-align: left; padding:0px 15px;\"><ul><li>A copy of your latest annual retirement points<\/li><li>Proof of your honorable service<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><strong>Surviving spouse<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"column-2\">The Veteran\u2019s discharge documents (DD214) \u2014 if available \u2014 and other documents depending on if you're receiving Dependency &amp; Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits. <br \/>\n<br \/>\nTo see the full list of required documentation, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/housing-assistance\/home-loans\/how-to-apply\/\">click here<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<a name=\"pros-cons-va-loan\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Pros and cons of a VA loan<\/h2>\n<p>While VA loans do allow you to buy a home with no money down and don\u2019t require you to pay for monthly mortgage insurance, they have the added expense of the VA\u2019s funding fee.<\/p>\n<h3>Pros of a VA loan<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>No down payment required<\/li>\n<li>No monthly mortgage insurance premiums<\/li>\n<li>Funding fee and closing costs can be rolled into your loan<\/li>\n<li>Interest rates are generally lower than conventional loan rates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Cons of a VA loan<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>With nothing down, it can be easy to end up owing more than your home is worth<\/li>\n<li>VA funding fee can add thousands to the cost<\/li>\n<li>Can\u2019t be used to purchase a second home or investment property<\/li>\n<li>Rigorous appraisal process<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Credible doesn\u2019t currently offer VA loans, but we can help you find a great deal on a conventional mortgage.<\/p>\n<div id=\"purchase-rate-table\">\n  Loading widget - purchase-rate-table\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VA loans are for qualifying military service members and eligible surviving spouses, and their biggest draw is that they allow you to buy a home with no money down. With a VA loan, you also&hellip; <a class=\"more \" href=\"https:\/\/www.credible.com\/blog\/mortgages\/va-loan-requirements\/\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":49607,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1463],"tags":[1524,1521,1533],"class_list":["post-49606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mortgages","tag-mortgage-purchase","tag-mortgage-rates-sidebar","tag-mortgage-types","va-loan-requirements-complete-guide-to-eligibility","post_tag-mortgage-purchase","post_tag-mortgage-rates-sidebar","post_tag-mortgage-types"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>VA Loan Requirements: Complete Guide to Eligibility - Credible<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A VA loan offers unique benefits to individuals who have served in the U.S. military. 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