VA Loan Limits for 2025

As of January 2020, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not limit the amount you can borrow with a VA loan. The VA does limit the amount they’ll guarantee lenders if you default on your loan, which depends on your entitlement status. For this reason, VA lenders may limit the amount you can borrow with a VA loan or require a down payment. Most lenders require your down payment, entitlement, or combination of both to cover at least 25% of the loan amount — which is equivalent to how much the VA would guarantee a VA borrower with full entitlement.

What are VA loan limits?

VA loan limits refer to the highest amount the VA will insure for a VA home loan, which is based on a borrower's entitlement status. Borrowers can have full, remaining, or no entitlement. VA borrowers with full entitlement can take advantage of no loan limits and no down payment, while borrowers with remaining entitlement will face location-based limits and down payments.

VA loan limits by entitlement status

Full entitlement: Means this is the first time using your VA loan benefit, or you have restored entitlement by paying your previous VA loan in full. When you have full entitlement, the VA guarantees up to 25% of the total loan amount. Unless the purchase price is higher than the property's appraised value, you'll likely not need a down payment with full entitlement.

Remaining entitlement: Means you have an active VA loan that you're still making payments on. With remaining entitlement, the VA will insure up to 25% of the new loan amount, minus the amount of entitlement already in use. Because the VA guarantees a smaller portion of the loan, your lender may limit your loan amount and/or require a down payment to cover 25% of the loan amount.

No entitlement: Means you've used all your entitlement and have yet to restore it. You can restore entitlement by selling the property, repaying the VA loan in full, or refinancing your existing VA loan with a non-VA loan. Once confirmed, the VA will update your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to reinstate your entitlement.

What is the VA county limit for 2025?

The average VA loan limit for 2025 is $806,500 for most U.S. counties. While the VA does not set limits on the amount you can borrower, most lenders continue to limit the amount you can borrow with a VA loan, using the FHFA conforming loan limits as a guide to lower their lending risk.

What is the maximum loan amount for a VA loan?

Eligible borrowers with full entitlement status no longer have a limit on loans over $144,000. Most lenders will use the conforming loan limits for your county as a guide to determine the maximum loan amount they’ll lend you. The current conforming loan limits as of 2025 range from $806,500 in low-cost areas to $1,209,750 in high-cost areas, but lenders may choose to exceed these limits.

When lenders evaluate how much you’re qualified to borrow with a VA loan, they typically look at:

• Your entitlement status
• Your credit history
• Income
• Assets (savings, retirement, and investment accounts)

Why did the VA get rid of loan limits?

On January 1, 2020, the VA eliminated loan limits through the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 to make home buying more accessible for eligible veterans and service members, regardless of their location and housing costs.

The law temporarily increased the VA funding fee for some veterans and service members by 0.15% to 0.30%, while permanently decreasing the fee for National Guard and Reserve members. Veterans with service-related disabilities and Purple Hearts are exempt from paying the funding fee.

While the VA does not impose loan limits for eligible borrowers, your mortgage lender determines how much you can borrow based on your financial situation. Check if you pre-qualify for a VA loan with us at Zillow Home Loans.*

*An equal housing lender. NMLS ID#10287