VA Loan Requirements: Who Qualifies and What You Need
The service rules, the paperwork and the lender checks, in plain English.
A VA home loan is a mortgage backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. To get one you need two separate things: eligibility for the benefit, which you prove with a Certificate of Eligibility, and approval from a lender, who reviews your credit, income and the property.
Who can qualify
According to the VA, service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, surviving spouses and certain other groups may qualify. Whether you do depends mainly on how long and when you served.
Minimum service requirements
The VA sets different minimums depending on the period of service:
| Period of service | What you generally need |
|---|---|
| August 2, 1990 to present | 24 continuous months, or the full period you were called to active duty (at least 90 days), or 90 days if discharged under a qualifying exception |
| 1980 to 1990 | 24 continuous months, or the full period you were called (at least 181 days), or 181 days if discharged under a qualifying exception |
| Vietnam War (August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975) | 90 total days |
| Korean War (June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955) | 90 total days |
| World War II (September 16, 1940 to July 25, 1947) | 90 total days |
| National Guard | 90 days of non-training active-duty Title 10 service, or 6 creditable years while continuing to serve, or 6 years with an honorable discharge |
| Reserves | 90 days of non-training active duty, or 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve |
These are summaries. The VA page linked below has the full rules and the exceptions.
Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
The COE is the document that shows a lender you qualify based on your service history. You can request it online through the VA or ask your lender to get it for you. Ask for it early, because it shows your entitlement and whether you are exempt from the funding fee.
Credit, income and occupancy
The VA states that you must meet credit, income and occupancy requirements from both the VA and your lender. The VA does not publish a minimum credit score on its eligibility page, so the score you need is set by each lender. Two lenders can give you different answers for the same credit history, which is a good reason to compare several.
VA loans are for homes you will live in, not for pure investment properties. See our VA vs. conventional comparison for when a conventional loan can make more sense.
What lenders usually check
- Credit history and any recent late payments or collections.
- Stable income and how long you have been in your job.
- Debt-to-income ratio, meaning your monthly debts compared with your income. Try our affordability calculator to see where you stand.
- The property, which has to be appraised by a VA-approved appraiser.
Requirements at a glance
It helps to separate the rules by who sets them. A VA rule cannot be negotiated, but a lender rule sometimes can, simply by trying another lender.
| Requirement | Who sets it | How you show it |
|---|---|---|
| Enough qualifying service | The VA (by law) | Certificate of Eligibility (COE) |
| Character of discharge | The VA | DD214 or other separation papers |
| You will live in the home | The VA | Occupancy certification on the loan application |
| Enough income left each month (residual income) | The VA, with a table in its Lenders Handbook | Pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns, plus your debts |
| Debt-to-income ratio | VA benchmark of 41%, lenders may add limits | Same documents, calculated by the lender |
| Minimum credit score | Each lender (the VA sets none) | Credit report pulled by the lender |
| The home meets minimum property requirements | The VA | VA appraisal |
Where applications usually get stuck
- Other-than-honorable discharge. The VA may need to review your character of discharge before it can issue a COE, which takes time. Start early.
- Missing service records. Guard and Reserve members often need extra documents, such as retirement points statements. Our COE guide lists them by situation.
- Residual income comes up short for the family size, even when the debt-to-income ratio looks fine. See how the test works in our residual income guide, or check your own numbers with the VA residual income calculator.
- The property fails the appraisal because of repairs the VA considers necessary. Read VA appraisal and minimum property requirements before you make an offer on a fixer-upper.
- Recent credit events such as a bankruptcy or foreclosure. Our guide to VA loans after bankruptcy or foreclosure explains the waiting periods lenders use.
Your next steps
- Request your COE.
- Compare at least three VA-approved lenders.
- Estimate your payment with the VA loan payment calculator, including the funding fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum credit score for a VA loan?
The VA does not publish a minimum credit score on its eligibility page. Lenders set their own minimums, so they vary.
Can National Guard and Reserve members get a VA loan?
Yes, if they meet the service requirements. For the Guard, that includes 90 days of non-training active-duty Title 10 service or 6 creditable years. For the Reserves, it includes 90 days of non-training active duty or 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve.
Can a surviving spouse use a VA loan?
According to the VA, certain surviving spouses may qualify. Check the VA eligibility page or ask a VA-approved lender to review your situation.
How do I get my Certificate of Eligibility?
You can request it online through the VA or ask your lender to request it for you.
Can I use a VA loan more than once?
Yes. The VA loan benefit can be used more than once. The funding fee is higher on subsequent use when you put less than 5% down.
What are the requirements for a VA loan?
In short: enough qualifying service, shown by your Certificate of Eligibility; a discharge that is not dishonorable; enough income to pass the VA residual income test and keep your debt-to-income ratio near the 41% benchmark; satisfactory credit (the VA sets no minimum score, but many lenders look for about 620); and a home you will live in that passes the VA appraisal. Each one is explained above, and the VA loan credit score requirements have their own guide.
What are the VA lending guidelines that lenders follow?
Lenders underwrite VA loans with the VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7). It covers credit history, residual income, the 41% debt-to-income benchmark, occupancy and the minimum property requirements. A lender may add stricter rules of its own, called overlays, which is why two lenders can answer differently.
Is it hard to qualify for a VA loan?
For an eligible veteran with steady income and reasonable credit it is usually easier than a conventional loan: no down payment, no mortgage insurance, and lenders can approve a debt-to-income ratio above 41% when residual income is strong. The steps that cause delays are the Certificate of Eligibility and the property requirements, not the credit score.
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.