I Need Assistance with
VA Loan Eligibility
To be eligible for a VA loan, you or your spouse must meet the minimum service requirements set by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), have a valid Certificate of Eligibility (COE) showing your lender that you qualify based on your service history and duty status. Additionally, you must satisfy the lender's credit and income requirements. The criteria below will give you a better idea of general requirements, and documents that may need to be submitted during the loan approval process.
Even if you’re unsure about meeting these criteria, you may still be eligible for a VA loan. Call a VA loan specialist to have your personal eligibility explained in greater depth. Keep in mind that bankruptcy, foreclosure or delinquency do not necessarily disqualify you from getting approved.
VA Loan Service Requirements
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You may qualify for a VA loan by meeting one or more of the following requirements:
- You served 90 consecutive days of active service during wartime.
- You served 181 days of active service during peacetime.
- You have 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves, or served 90 days (at least 30 of them consecutively) under Title 32 orders.
- You are the spouse of a service member who died while serving or due to a service-related disability.
Don't meet the minimum service requirements? You may still be eligible if you were discharged for 1 of the reasons listed below.
- Hardship, or
- The convenience of the government (you must have served at least 20 months of a 2-year enlistment), or
- Early out (you must have served 21 months of a 2-year enlistment), or
- Reduction in force, or
- Certain medical conditions, or
- A service-connected disability (a disability related to your military service)
Other than honorable, bad conduct, or dishonorable discharge?
- If you’ve received an other than honorable, bad conduct, or dishonorable discharge, you may not be eligible for VA benefits; OR
- There are two ways you can try to qualify
- Discharge Upgrade
- VA Character of Discharge Review Process
Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a document issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that verifies a borrower’s eligibility for a VA loan. The COE serves as proof that the borrower meets the criteria for a VA loan based on their military service. It also contains important details about the borrower’s eligibility status and entitlement.
- To obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for a VA loan, you will need to fill out VA Form 26-1880, Request for a Certificate of Eligibility.
- You can submit the form online through the ebenefits portal, or you can print it out and mail it with any required documentation to the VA Eligibility Center.
- Get qualified with a USA Homeownership Loan officer and they will order the COE for you.
Note: If you have any questions about your eligibility for a VA home loan, please call the VA regional loan center at 877-827-3702 - Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST.
COE as the spouse of a Veteran
You may be able to get a COE if you’re the surviving spouse of a Veteran or the spouse of a Veteran who’s missing in action or being held as a prisoner of war (POW).
Special COE situations: At least 1 of these must be true
- You’re a U.S. citizen who served in the Armed Forces of a government allied with the United States in World War II, or
- You served as a member in certain organizations
- These roles in organizations can include:
- Public Health Service officer
- Cadet at the United States Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard Academy
- Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy
- Officer of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
- Merchant seaman during World War II
Can I use a COE I used before – Yes!
You may be able to “restore” an entitlement you used in the past to buy another home with a VA direct or VA-backed loan if you meet at least 1 of these requirements.
- You’ve sold the home you bought with the prior loan and have paid that loan in full, or
- A qualified Veteran-transferee agrees to assume your loan and substitute their entitlement for the same amount of
entitlement you used originally, or - You’ve repaid your prior loan in full, but haven’t sold the home you bought with that loan (you can only do this 1 time)