VA Loan Eligibility
VA eligibility has two layers: the service requirement that earns the benefit, and the lender's underwriting standards that approve the loan. Both matter.
Quick Answer
VA loan eligibility is established by a Certificate of Eligibility based on qualifying service, and by meeting the lender's credit, income, and occupancy requirements. Service length thresholds differ between active duty, National Guard, Reserve, and surviving spouse categories, and the benefit generally applies to a home the borrower will occupy. Entitlement is not one-time: it can be restored or used simultaneously depending on how prior VA loans were handled.
Service-based eligibility
- Active duty service members meeting minimum continuous service requirements
- Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
- National Guard and Reserve members meeting qualifying service requirements
- Eligible surviving spouses under VA basic eligibility rules
Lender underwriting
The VA does not set a minimum credit score. Wholesale lenders do, and those overlays vary meaningfully between investors.
- Credit score minimums typically range from 580 to 620 depending on the lender
- Residual income is a VA-specific standard and is evaluated alongside debt-to-income
- The property must be your primary residence; you generally must occupy within 60 days
- A VA appraisal from a VA roster appraiser is required
Certificate of Eligibility
The COE confirms your entitlement amount. HomeFlow requests it for you during pre-approval, or you can pull it yourself on VA.gov or through eBenefits. If you have an active VA loan, remaining entitlement is calculated before your maximum zero-down loan amount can be quoted.