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Commonly known as VA home loans, mortgage loans backed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offer Veterans and active-duty servicemembers a way to buy a home with zero down payment and lenient credit and income requirements.
In order for a Veteran or active-duty servicemembers to establish eligibility, a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) needs to be requested from the Department of Veterans Affairs. A lender can request this for you — often within minutes. Listed on the COE is an entitlement code, which specifies how or what era earned service.
Check your VA home loan eligibility. Start here (Oct 26th, 2026)
VA entitlement codes for 2026
COE entitlement codes are between 1 and 11 and identify either the time period during which you earned your entitlement or qualifying criteria that make you eligible for a VA loan. Each code represents a different way in which the veteran is eligible and will appear on the top left-hand portion of the COE.
Service codes exist for every era, both wartime and peacetime, beginning with World War II. For example, “entitlement code 10” is for the Persian Gulf era, while “entitlement code 11” is for Selected Reservists.
It’s worth noting that “entitlement code 5” applies if you used up your eligibility on a previous home purchase, but have since sold the home and repaid your loan in full. Your entitlement may also be restored if someone else with VA-loan eligibility agrees to assume the previous loan from you.
VA entitlement code worksheet
| Entitlement Code | Era |
| 01 | World War II |
| 02 | Korean War |
| 03 | Post-Korean War |
| 04 | Vietnam War |
| 05 | Entitlement Restored |
| 06 | Un-remarried Surviving Spouse |
| 07 | Spouse of POW/MIA |
| 08 | Post-World War II |
| 09 | Post-Vietnam |
| 10 | Persian Gulf War |
| 11 | Selected Reserves |
VA entitlement dates of minimum service
The VA is very specific — down to the day — on dates of minimum service for the period in which the service was completed (also known as eras).
| Era | Enlisted Date | Minimum Service* |
| WWII | 9/16/1940 – 7/25/1947 | 90 days |
| Peacetime | 7/26/1947 – 6/26/1950 | 181 days |
| Korean | 6/27/1950 – 1/31/1955 | 90 days |
| Post-Korean | 2/1/1955 – 8/4/1964 | 181 days |
| Vietnam | 8/5/1964 – 5/7/1975 | 90 days |
| Post-Vietnam | 5/8/1975 – 9/7/1980 | 181 days** |
| Post-Vietnam | 9/8/1980 – 8/1/1990 | 2 years or full period to which called, not less than 181 days** |
| Persian Gulf | 8/2/1990 – undetermined | 2 years or full period to which called, not less than 90 days |
*Veterans who were discharged prior to meeting the minimum service requirement may still be eligible if released due to a service-connected disability.
**Officers have different start dates for these rules. The 181-day rule covers officers from May 8, 1975 to Oct. 16, 1981. The 24-month rule covers officers from Oct. 17, 1981 to Aug. 1, 1990. See VA’s eligibility page.
Other ways you may be eligible for a VA home loan
There are a few other ways to qualify for a VA home loan, including Active Reservists and those in the National Guard and un-remarried surviving spouses.
Note: Minimum service requirements apply differently for spouses. For example, an “un-remarried spouse of a Veteran who died while in service or from a service-connected disability” is eligible no matter how long his or her late spouse served.
| Other Eligible Persons | Minimum Service Required |
| Active Duty | 90 continuous days |
| Active Reserve or National Guard | 6 years in the Selected Reserve or National Guard, or 90 days of non-training Title 10 active duty |
| Un-remarried Surviving Spouse | No time requirement |
| Spouse of POW/MIA | Service member has been listed as POW/MIA for more than 90 days |
Basic vs. bonus entitlement — how it works
If you’re an eligible veteran, your basic entitlement is $36,000.
It’s a common misconception this means you can only borrow $36,000. But in fact, this is the cash sum the VA will pay your mortgage lender should you default on your loan (either $36,000 or 25% of the total loan, whichever is less). Most VA-approved lenders will advance you $144,000 even on a basic entitlement — for a $36,000 entitlement that would be a $144,000 loan.
But if you want to buy a home in a state where home prices are much higher your bonus entitlement — sometimes referred to as second-tier entitlement — can help.
In fact, if you have full entitlement, VA sets no limit on how much you can borrow. Your lender will still decide how much you can afford, and the appraisal must support the price. The limit that matters is for Veterans who used their benefit before and have not restored it. For them, VA uses the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA’s) conforming loan limit for the county. In most counties that limit is $832,750 for one unit in 2026. It is higher in high-cost areas.
If you have used part of your entitlement before, VA works out your remaining bonus entitlement from the county loan limit. Since VA typically covers 25% of your loan amount, it takes 25% of the limit and subtracts the entitlement you already used. For example, with a $900,000 county limit and $50,000 of entitlement used, 25% is $225,000, which leaves $175,000 of bonus entitlement.
Most lenders will lend up to four times your remaining entitlement with no down payment. If your remaining entitlement is less than 25% of the loan amount, your lender may ask for a down payment to cover the difference. Your COE does not show bonus entitlement, so ask your lender to calculate it.
Check your VA home loan eligibility
Many current active-duty service members and Veterans are surprised to learn that they have the necessary minimum service requirements to apply for a VA home loan.
One of the biggest advantages of a VA home loan is zero down payment required and low interest rates. If you think there’s a chance you could be eligible, then you should contact a VA lender to see how much you qualify for.
Check your VA home loan eligibility. Start here (Oct 26th, 2026)
