Who Is Eligible for a VA Loan?

If you’ve served or are currently serving in the U.S. military, you are likely eligible for a VA home loan. Qualifying borrowers can finance up to 100% of their home’s value and most of their closing costs with a mortgage backed by the Department of Veteran Affairs. VA borrowers also enjoy no mortgage insurance, no prepayment penalties, and lower rates in exchange for a VA funding fee. The fee is typically rolled into the loan and waived for some veterans with service related disabilities.

Eligibility is based on different factors, such as when you served and if you were married to a veteran. In this article, we’ll discuss VA loan eligibility requirements for veterans, active duty members, national guards, and qualifying spouses. We’ll also guide you on how to determine if you are eligible for a VA home loan.

Am I eligible for a VA loan?

You might be eligible for a VA loan if you meet one or more of the following service requirements:

• You served 90 consecutive days of active service during a war.
• You served 181 days of active service during peacetime.
• You have 6 years of service in the National Guard or Reserves.
• You are the spouse of a service member who died as a result of their service.

Veterans who were honorably discharged might qualify if they were discharged for one of the following reasons:

• Hardship, convenience of the government, or reduction in the force.
• Medical condition or service-related disability.
• Early-out (as long as you served at least 21 months of a 2-year enlistment)

How to determine VA loan eligibility 

VA loan eligibility applies to veterans, active duty members, national guards, military reserves, and surviving spouses. The minimum service requirement to qualify for a VA loan depends on when you served (qualifying period) and for how long (active duty dates). Here are the specific eligibility requirements for each type of service:

Eligibility requirements for Veterans

Eligibility requirements for Active Duty Members

Active duty members must serve at least 90 total days, or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-related disability to qualify for a VA loan.

Eligibility requirements for National Guard Members

National Guard service requirements depend on when you served. National guards who served from August 2, 1990 (the Gulf War) until the present must have served at least 90 days of active duty to qualify for a VA loan. 

National Guard Members who served for any other time must meet one of the following service requirements:

• Minimum 90 days of non-training, active-duty service.
• Minimum 90 days of active-duty service, including at least 30 consecutive days (your DD214 must show 32 USC sections 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 activation).
• 6 creditable years in the National Guard and an honorable discharge or retirement placement

Eligibility requirements for Military Reserve Members

Military Reserve service requirements also depend on when you served. Reserves who served from August 2, 1990 (the Gulf War) until the present must have served for at least 90 days of active duty to qualify for a VA loan.

Reserves who served for any other time must meet one of the following service requirements:

• Minimum 90 days of non-training, active-duty service.
• 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve.

Additionally, at least one of the following must be true:

• You are currently in the Selected Reserve.
• You were placed on the retired list.
• You were honorably discharged.
• You were transferred to the Ready Reserve, Standby Reserve, or other military branch after completing honorable service.

Eligibility requirements for veteran spouses

Spouses of service members might be eligible for a VA home loan if one of the following is true:

• You were previously married to a veteran who died while in the service or from a service-related disability, and you have not remarried.
• You are currently married to a service member who is a prisoner of war or missing in action (MIA).
• You are a surviving spouse of a service member who remarries after turning 57, and on or after December 16, 2003. (Surviving spouses who have remarried after turning 57, but before December 16, 2003, must have applied no later than December 15, 2004 to establish home loan eligibility)
• You are a surviving spouse of a veteran with a certain total disability, who may have died for reasons unrelated to their disability.

VA loan requirements

Once you’ve verified your eligibility based on the service requirements, you’ll also need to meet the VA loan requirements. Here are some primary VA loan requirements:

Have a Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

Veterans and their spouses can verify their VA loan eligibility and remaining benefits on their VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Most lenders can pull your COE using your social security number and date of birth. You can also access your COE on the VA’s website by logging into your account and navigating to the Home Loan Certificate of Eligibility section.

Find a primary residence

Borrowers should also know that VA loans are meant for primary residences. Second homes, vacation rentals, and investment properties don’t qualify for a VA home loan. Condos are eligible for VA home loan financing as long as they’re listed on the VA’s approved condo list. If the condo you want isn’t listed, you can request a customized condo report.

Get approved by a VA lender

Although VA loan eligibility isn’t limited based on credit or income, VA lenders will still assess your credit reports, income statements, and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio before approving your mortgage application. It’s important for VA borrowers to be in good financial standing to increase their chances of approval. Most lenders prefer DTI ratios of 43% or less, credit scores of 620 or above, and stable income.

Find a lender near you to get pre-qualified for a VA loan with zero down payment, reduced closing costs and competitive interest rates.