Last reviewed: 6 October 2026
Home › Mortgage help › VA home loan eligibility and the Certificate of Eligibility
VA home loan eligibility and the Certificate of Eligibility, explained
Two things must be true before a VA-backed loan closes: you must be eligible for the benefit, and you must meet the VA’s and the lender’s credit, income and occupancy requirements. This page repeats what the VA says about the first.
What this term means: A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is the document that, in the VA’s words, shows your lender that you qualify based on your service history and duty status.[1] A VA-backed loan is a loan from a private lender that the VA guarantees; the CFPB says the VA sets the rules for loan qualification, arranges the terms under which mortgages may be offered, and guarantees any loan made under the program.[2] The VA page also covers a VA direct loan, the Native American Direct Loan.[1]
The minimum active-duty service requirement
The VA sets different minimums by period of service. “Continuous” means all at once, without a break in service.[1] For Veterans, the page lists these.[1]
| When you served | Minimum active-duty service the VA lists |
|---|---|
| Service members now on active duty | At least 90 continuous days.[1] |
| August 2, 1990, to the present (Gulf War period to present) | At least 24 continuous months; or the full period (at least 90 days) for which you were called or ordered to active duty; or at least 90 days if discharged under a qualifying exception; or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| September 8, 1980, to August 1, 1990 | At least 24 continuous months; or the full period (at least 181 days) for which you were called to active duty; or at least 181 days if discharged under a qualifying exception; or less than 181 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| October 17, 1981, to August 1, 1990, as an officer | The same four options as the row above.[1] |
| May 8, 1975, to September 7, 1980 (post-Vietnam War period) | 181 continuous days, or less than 181 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| May 8, 1975, to October 16, 1981, as an officer | 181 continuous days, or less than 181 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War) | At least 90 total days, or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975, in the Republic of Vietnam | At least 90 total days, or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| February 1, 1955, to August 4, 1964 (post-Korean War period) | At least 181 total days, or less than 181 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955 (Korean War) | At least 90 total days, or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| July 26, 1947, to June 26, 1950 (post-WWII period) | At least 181 continuous days, or less than 181 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
| September 16, 1940, to July 25, 1947 (WWII) | At least 90 total days, or less than 90 days if discharged for a service-connected disability.[1] |
National Guard and Reserve members
For National Guard members, the VA lists any one of these.[1]
- At least 90 days of non-training active-duty Title 10 service.[1]
- At least 90 days of active-duty service including at least 30 consecutive days (your DD214 must show 32 USC sections 316, 502, 503, 504 or 505 activation).[1]
- Six creditable years in the National Guard, and you continue to serve.[1]
- Six creditable years in the National Guard, and you were discharged honorably or placed on the retired list.[1]
For Reserve members, the VA lists any one of these.[1]
- At least 90 days of non-training active-duty service.[1]
- Six creditable years in the Selected Reserve, and you continue to serve.[1]
- Six creditable years in the Selected Reserve, and you were discharged honorably or placed on the retired list.[1]
If you do not meet the minimum
The VA says you may still get a COE if you were discharged under one of these exceptions: hardship; the convenience of the government (you must have served at least 20 months of a 2-year enlistment); early out (you must have served 21 months of a 2-year enlistment); involuntary reduction in force; certain medical conditions; or a service-connected disability.[1] You can apply, and the VA says it will review your service records.[1]
If you received an other than honorable, bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, the VA says you may not be eligible for VA benefits. You can apply, and the VA will review your records. The VA names two ways to try to qualify: apply for a discharge upgrade, or ask for a VA Character of Discharge review.[1]
Surviving spouses and other situations
The VA says you may be able to get a COE as a surviving spouse if you are eligible for or receiving certain types of VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, or you are the spouse of an active-duty service member who is missing in action or held as a prisoner of war.[1] It lists other situations too: a U.S. citizen who served in the Armed Forces of a government allied with the U.S. in World War II, or service as a member of certain organizations, such as a Public Health Service officer, a cadet at a U.S. service academy, a midshipman at the Naval Academy, an officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or a merchant seaman during World War II.[1]
Using the benefit again
The VA says you may be able to restore an entitlement you used before if you continue to meet the eligibility requirements and at least one of these is true: you sold the home you bought with the earlier loan and paid that loan in full; a qualified Veteran-transferee agrees to assume your loan and substitute their entitlement for the same amount; or you repaid the earlier loan in full but did not sell the home (you can do this only once).[1] If none applies, the VA says you may still have remaining entitlement to buy or refinance another home.[1]
How to request a COE
You can request a COE online, or ask your lender to submit an online application for you.[1] For a restoration, you can also use VA Form 26-1880 and send it to the address on the form.[1] For questions, the VA lists its Loan Guaranty Service phone line and an online support portal.[1]
Our guides to the VA funding fee and VA loan churning and the IRRRL cover other parts of the program.
How to verify this yourself
Read the VA page in the reference list; it is the source for every statement above, and it carries its own update date. The CFPB page gives the plain-language description of the program. To check the person you are working with, use our guide to verifying a loan officer’s NMLS license. Our published standard covers how we check loan originators, and the Register shows that method; neither reviews a lender’s or servicer’s handling of your loan.
What this page does not cover
This page is general information, not legal advice. It repeats the VA’s eligibility rules and does not decide whether you qualify, which only the VA can determine. It does not cover the credit, income or occupancy requirements, the amount of entitlement, loan limits, or the VA’s other loan types. The VA page was last updated 22 September 2026 and the CFPB page was last reviewed 28 August 2023. This page was last reviewed 6 October 2026.
Your next step
If you think you may qualify, gather your service records and request a COE from the VA or through a lender, and use the VA’s own contact routes for questions about your record. Then return to the Mortgage help library for related guides.