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.
Minimum service by period
The table is a compact reading aid for VA's current eligibility page. Exact service dates, duty status, full called period, and discharge circumstances control; no single 90-day rule applies to every applicant.
| Service period | Dates | Minimum shown by VA |
|---|---|---|
| Current active duty | Current service | 90 continuous days |
| Gulf War period to present | August 2, 1990–present | 24 continuous months, or the full called or ordered period of at least 90 days |
| Post-Vietnam transition | September 8, 1980–August 1, 1990; officers: October 17, 1981–August 1, 1990 | 24 continuous months, or the full called or ordered period of at least 181 days |
| Post-Vietnam | May 8, 1975–September 7, 1980; officers through October 16, 1981 | 181 continuous days |
| Vietnam era | August 5, 1964–May 7, 1975; service in the Republic of Vietnam: November 1, 1955–May 7, 1975 | 90 total days |
| Post-Korean | February 1, 1955–August 4, 1964 | 181 total days |
| Korean War | June 27, 1950–January 31, 1955 | 90 total days |
| Post-WWII | July 26, 1947–June 26, 1950 | 181 continuous days |
| World War II | September 16, 1940–July 25, 1947 | 90 total days |
When a shorter period may qualify
VA lists qualifying early-separation exceptions that can include hardship, convenience of the government, reduction in force, certain medical conditions, and service-connected disability. The applicable minimum and evidence depend on the service period and separation reason.
For the convenience-of-government path, VA identifies at least 20 months of a two-year enlistment. Its early-out path identifies 21 months of a two-year enlistment. A service-connected-disability discharge can support eligibility with less than the otherwise required period. VA must match the record to the applicable exception.
What to check on your record
Compare the official table with the record for every service period, then request a COE. The COE is VA's eligibility determination, not mortgage approval.
- Entry and separation dates for each service period
- Length, authority, and type of any orders or call to active duty
- Whether the requirement uses total days or continuous days
- Character and stated reason for discharge or early separation
- A current COE request with the supporting service records
Not sure this applies to you?
We can help request your COE and review the result with you. VA may require supporting records, and timing varies by case.
Official VA guidance
Eligibility and benefit determinations belong to VA. Review the current primary guidance before acting on this summary.
Sources checked September 25, 2026. Professional review pending for this revision.