VA Loan Limits and Entitlement: How Much Can You Borrow?
Why most eligible veterans have no VA county loan limit, and when a down payment can still apply.
People often ask what the VA loan limit is. The answer depends on one thing: how much of your VA loan entitlement you have available. Here is how it works, using the VA's own rules.
The basic rule
The VA states that the maximum VA loan on an individual property is either its appraised value or the purchase price, whichever is lower. Your lender then decides how much you qualify for based on your income, credit and debts, not just on the VA program.
What entitlement is
Entitlement is the amount the VA guarantees to your lender. The VA describes two parts:
- Basic entitlement. For loans of $144,000 or less, the guaranty is up to $36,000.
- Bonus entitlement. For loans above $144,000, the VA guarantees up to 25% of the loan amount.
Entitlement is not the amount you can borrow. It is the protection the lender receives, which is why lenders can offer no-down-payment loans.
No county limits with full entitlement
Under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, effective January 1, 2020, there are no VA county loan limits for veterans and service members with full entitlement. For those borrowers, the guaranty is 25% of the loan amount above $144,000, regardless of the county limit. In practice, the amount you can borrow is set by the lender's approval, not by a VA cap.
When limits and a down payment can apply
If you do not have full entitlement, for example because part of it is still tied to another VA loan, county loan limits can still matter. The VA says these limits match the conforming loan limits published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).
The VA also says that your lender may require a down payment if you do not have enough remaining bonus entitlement for a 25% guaranty on the loan amount you want. If you make a down payment, you may be able to borrow more than the county loan limit with a VA-backed loan.
2026 VA loan limits by state
The figures below only matter if you have reduced entitlement. With full entitlement there is no limit in any state. They are the 2026 conforming loan limits for a one-unit home; the FHFA publishes the county-by-county table.
| State | Most counties | Higher-cost counties |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $832,750 | New York City (five boroughs), Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam: $1,249,125 |
| California | $832,750 | Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin: $1,249,125; several other coastal counties in between |
| Texas | $832,750 | None: the baseline applies statewide |
| Florida | $832,750 | Monroe County (the Keys): higher, see the FHFA table |
| Virginia, Maryland, DC | $832,750 | Washington DC metro (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Alexandria, Montgomery, Prince George's, DC): $1,249,125 |
| Washington | $832,750 | King, Pierce, Snohomish: higher, see the FHFA table |
| Colorado | $832,750 | Denver metro and several mountain counties: higher, see the FHFA table |
| Alaska, Hawaii | $1,249,125 | The ceiling applies statewide |
Remaining entitlement is 25% of the county limit minus the entitlement already in use, and the no-down-payment maximum is four times that. The VA entitlement calculator does the math for your county limit.
Example: how remaining entitlement sets a no-down limit
Lenders usually want the VA guaranty plus any down payment to cover 25% of the loan. With reduced entitlement, that means the most you can borrow without a down payment is roughly four times your remaining entitlement. The table uses a county limit of $800,000 as a round example. Check your own county's figure.
| Your situation | Remaining entitlement | Approximate loan with $0 down |
|---|---|---|
| Full entitlement | No VA county limit applies | Set by your lender's approval |
| Some entitlement tied to a previous VA loan ($40,000 used) | $160,000 | $640,000 |
| Most entitlement in use ($90,000 used) | $110,000 | $440,000 |
Borrowing more than that is still possible. You would typically put down 25% of the amount above the no-down limit. Our guide to using a VA loan a second time walks through the full calculation, and the VA entitlement calculator does it for you with 2026 county limits.
How to check where you stand
- Request your Certificate of Eligibility, which shows your entitlement.
- Ask your lender whether you have full or remaining entitlement.
- Run your numbers in the affordability calculator to see what your income and debts support.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a maximum VA loan amount?
The VA says the maximum VA loan on a property is the appraised value or the purchase price, whichever is lower. For borrowers with full entitlement there are no VA county loan limits, so your lender's approval sets the practical limit.
What is basic entitlement?
It is the VA guaranty on loans of $144,000 or less, up to $36,000 according to the VA's example.
What is bonus entitlement?
For loans above $144,000, the VA guarantees up to 25% of the loan amount.
Do county loan limits still exist?
For veterans with full entitlement they do not apply since January 1, 2020. They can still matter if you have reduced entitlement.
Can I need a down payment on a VA loan?
Yes, if you do not have enough remaining bonus entitlement for a 25% guaranty on the loan amount you want, your lender may require one.
What is the VA loan limit in New York?
If you have full entitlement there is no VA loan limit in New York or in any other state. If part of your entitlement is tied up in another VA loan, the 2026 conforming limit applies: $832,750 in most New York counties, and up to $1,249,125 in the high-cost counties of the New York City area (the five boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam). The FHFA county table has the exact figure for your county.
What is the maximum VA loan amount in 2026?
For borrowers with full entitlement there is no VA maximum: the loan cannot exceed the home's appraised value or purchase price, and your income and credit set the practical ceiling. With remaining entitlement, the most you can usually borrow with no down payment is four times your remaining entitlement, based on the 2026 county limits of $832,750 (most counties) to $1,249,125 (high-cost areas). Our VA entitlement calculator works out your number.
Do VA loan limits change every year?
Yes. The Federal Housing Finance Agency publishes new conforming loan limits each November for the following year, and the VA uses the same figures for borrowers with reduced entitlement. The limits on this page are for 2026; we update the guide when the 2027 limits are announced.
Sources
This page is educational and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and rates can change, so confirm the details with the VA and your lender.