Basic Military Service Requirements

To get a VA home loan, you must have served on active duty, in the reserves, or in the National Guard for a minimum length of time. The Department of Veterans Affairs sets these service windows, and they differ depending on when you served and which branch you were in.

If you served on active duty, you generally need at least 90 consecutive days of service during wartime or 181 days during peacetime. Reserve and National Guard members need six years of service, though some shorter periods count if you were discharged for a service-connected disability. The VA does not count time in the Delayed Entry Program before your official active duty start date.

You must have received a discharge that is not dishonorable. The VA accepts honorable discharges and general discharges under honorable conditions. A bad conduct discharge, dishonorable discharge, or discharge due to a court-martial conviction will disqualify you.

How to Prove Your Service Record

The VA needs official proof of your service before you can use your loan benefit. You will need a Certificate of may be able to access (COE), which is a document from the VA that confirms you meet the service requirements.

You can request a COE through the VA website at VA.gov, by mail using VA Form 1880, or through your lender — many lenders can request it on your behalf during the loan process. The VA will pull your service record from the Department of Defense to verify your dates and discharge status. This usually takes a few days to a few weeks depending on how you submit it.

If you cannot locate your discharge papers, you can request them from the National Archives using Form SF-180. The VA can sometimes work with a pending request while you wait for the official documents to arrive, but having them ready speeds up the process.

Key Takeaways

  • You must have served at least 90 days on active duty during wartime, 181 days during peacetime, or six years in the reserves or National Guard, with an honorable or general discharge.
  • A Certificate of may be able to access from the VA proves your service record and is required before any lender will process your loan.
  • You can request your COE through VA.gov, by mail, or ask your lender to request it as part of the loan process.
  • If you were discharged for a service-connected disability, you may meet the service time requirement with fewer than 90 days of active duty.

Credit Score and Financial Requirements

The VA itself does not set a minimum credit score for a VA home loan. However, individual lenders do, and most require a score of 620 or higher. Some lenders will work with scores as low as 580, but you may face higher interest rates or additional conditions.

Lenders will review your debt-to-income ratio, which compares your monthly debt payments to your gross monthly income. The VA allows lenders to go up to 60 percent debt-to-income in some cases, though most lenders aim for 41 to 50 percent. This means if you earn $5,000 a month, your total monthly debt payments (including the new mortgage) should not exceed $2,050 to $3,000.

You do not need a down payment for a VA loan, but you will need to cover closing costs unless your lender or the seller agrees to pay them. Closing costs typically range from 2 to 5 percent of the home price and include appraisal fees, title insurance, and loan origination fees.

Employment and Income Verification

Lenders will ask for recent pay stubs, usually the last two months, to confirm you have current income. If you are self-employed, you will need to provide tax returns from the past two years and possibly a profit-and-loss statement.

The lender will also verify your employment by contacting your employer directly. If you recently changed jobs, the lender may ask for a letter from your new employer confirming your hire date and salary. A gap of more than 30 days between jobs can trigger additional questions, though it will not automatically disqualify you.

If you receive income from Social Security, pensions, or disability payments, bring documentation showing that income is stable and will continue. The VA allows lenders to count this income toward your total, which can help if your employment income alone is not enough.

The Funding Fee and What It Covers

Most VA loans require a funding fee, which is a one-time payment to the VA that reduces the cost of the program to taxpayers. The fee ranges from 1.4 to 3.6 percent of the loan amount, depending on whether this is your first VA loan, whether you are putting down money, and your military status.

You do not pay this fee upfront in cash. Instead, it is rolled into your loan amount, which means you pay it back over time with your mortgage payments. If you are receiving VA disability compensation, you may be exempt from the funding fee entirely — the VA will confirm this when you request your Certificate of may be able to access.

The funding fee is separate from your interest rate and closing costs. It exists only for VA loans and is one reason VA loans often have lower interest rates than conventional loans.

Property and Appraisal Standards

The property you are buying must meet VA minimum property requirements. The VA does not require a specific home price or square footage, but the home must be safe, sanitary, and a reasonable value for the area. The VA will order an appraisal to confirm this.

The appraiser will check that the home has working utilities, a safe roof, functioning plumbing and electrical systems, and no major structural damage. Homes with significant code violations or health hazards will not pass VA appraisal. If the home does not meet standards, you can ask the seller to make repairs before closing, or you can walk away without penalty.

The appraisal also determines the maximum loan amount the VA will may provide. If the appraised value is lower than the purchase price, you will need to cover the difference in cash or renegotiate the price with the seller.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a VA loan if I was dishonorably discharged?

No. A dishonorable discharge disqualifies you from VA loan benefits. Only honorable discharges and general discharges under honorable conditions allow you to use the benefit. If you believe your discharge was wrongly classified, you can appeal through the Board for Correction of Military Records.

What if I do not have my discharge papers right now?

You can request them from the National Archives using Form SF-180, which takes several weeks. Many lenders will start processing your loan while you wait and will finalize it once the VA confirms your service record. Ask your lender if they can work with a pending request.

Do I need a down payment for a VA loan?

No. The VA loan benefit includes a may provide that covers the down payment, so you can buy a home with zero money down. You will still need to cover closing costs unless the lender or seller pays them.

What happens if my credit score is below 620?

Some lenders will work with scores below 620, though most require 620 or higher. If your score is lower, contact multiple lenders to find one willing to work with you. You may face a higher interest rate or be asked to explain past credit problems.

Can I use a VA loan more than once?

Yes. You can use your VA loan benefit multiple times throughout your life, though you can only have one VA loan at a time unless you have paid off a previous one or the VA has restored your entitlement.