Check your VA home-loan eligibility.
Eligibility depends on service dates, duty status, length of service, discharge circumstances, and certain survivor rules. A Certificate of Eligibility is VA's determination; loan approval also depends on lender and property requirements.
Veterans
Service length depends on when and how you served. For service from August 2, 1990, VA generally lists 24 continuous months or the full called period of at least 90 days, with qualifying exceptions.
Active Duty
Currently serving members generally meet the minimum active-duty requirement after 90 continuous days. A signed statement of service may support the COE request.
National Guard & Reserve
Eligibility may come from six creditable years, qualifying Title 10 service, or certain Title 32 activation with 90 total days including 30 consecutive days.
Surviving Spouses
VA makes an individualized determination for spouses of certain service members or Veterans who are missing, prisoners of war, or died under qualifying circumstances.
Eligibility, explained one topic at a time.
Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Your COE is the VA's official confirmation that you've earned home-loan benefits. It shows your entitlement, funding-fee status, and prior VA loan usage.
VA Loan Entitlement
Entitlement is the amount of guaranty available for a VA-backed loan. Your COE shows entitlement already used and whether you may have full or partial entitlement; it is not a borrower loan amount.
Service Requirements
VA home-loan minimum service requirements depend on when and how you served. The current VA era table and any qualifying discharge exception—not a single blanket day count—control the COE determination.
National Guard & Reserve Eligibility
Guard and Reserve eligibility depends on the service component, order authority, purpose and duration of activation, or creditable years of service. VA reviews the records used for the COE.
Surviving Spouse Eligibility
A surviving spouse may be able to receive a VA home-loan COE under specific statutory circumstances. VA reviews the Veteran's status, cause and timing of death, disability history, DIC status, and remarriage facts individually.
Disability Rating and the Funding Fee Waiver
VA—not the lender—determines funding-fee exemption status. Current categories include certain compensated or entitled Veterans, qualifying surviving spouses, predischarge ratings, and active-duty Purple Heart recipients.
Discharge Status and VA Loan Eligibility
Discharge character, reason for separation, service dates, and statutory bars can affect eligibility. VA may need a character-of-discharge determination; no discharge label by itself guarantees a COE.
Reusing Your VA Loan Benefit
The VA home-loan benefit can be used more than once. The next transaction depends on entitlement shown on a current COE, any restoration approved by VA, occupancy, and lender qualification.
Not sure? Let us pull your COE.
We can help request your COE, but VA may need service or discharge documents and processing time varies by case.