If you've used a VA loan before, your remaining entitlement — not a county limit on its own — sets how much you can borrow with nothing down. Enter your county limit and the entitlement already charged to see where you stand.
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Remaining VA entitlement equals 25% of your county's 2026 conforming loan limit minus the entitlement already charged to an outstanding VA loan. Four times that remaining figure is the largest loan you can usually finance with no down payment; above it you cover the shortfall so guaranty plus down payment reaches 25% of the price.
If your remaining entitlement covers 25% of the price, you can still buy with nothing down; if it doesn't, you only need to cover the gap, not a full conventional down payment.
Reviewed by the licensed mortgage team at Simply Approved Mortgages · Last verified August 31, 2026 against the VA Lenders Handbook (M26-7)
Request my Certificate of EligibilityEstimates only. Nothing here is an application, pre-qualification, pre-approval, rate quote, rate lock or commitment to lend. You can keep using this tool without giving us anything.
Educational illustration only, not a loan offer, approval, pre-approval, commitment or rate lock. Entitlement is confirmed on your Certificate of Eligibility; lender approval also depends on income, credit, debts and the appraisal.
VA guarantees a portion of each loan rather than lending the money itself. For most loans that guaranty is 25% of the loan amount, which is what lets a qualified veteran finance a home with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. "Entitlement" is simply the dollar amount of guaranty you have available.
Since 2020, a veteran with full entitlement has no VA-imposed loan limit. The loan size is set by what a lender will approve. County conforming limits are irrelevant in that case — a point that trips up many buyers reading older articles.
If you have an existing VA loan that has not been paid off and restored, part of your entitlement is already charged. Your remaining guaranty is 25% of your county's conforming loan limit minus the amount charged. Four times that remaining figure is roughly the largest loan you can take with nothing down; above it, you cover the shortfall so that guaranty plus down payment reaches 25% of the price.
Next steps: request your Certificate of Eligibility, look up your county loan limit, review entitlement restoration, or run a full payment estimate.
Take 25% of your county's 2026 conforming loan limit, then subtract the entitlement already charged to a prior VA loan that has not been restored. The result is your remaining entitlement, and four times that figure is the largest loan you can typically finance with no down payment.
No. A veteran with full entitlement has no VA loan limit; the loan amount is limited by what a lender will approve based on income, credit and the appraisal, not by a county figure. County limits only cap the guaranty when entitlement is reduced.
Yes. You can put down enough so that your down payment plus the VA guaranty equals 25% of the purchase price. This calculator shows that required down payment for the price you enter.
Entitlement is generally restored once the prior VA loan is paid in full, or through a one-time restoration when the loan is paid off but the property is retained. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows the current charged amount.
Maximum guaranty equals 25% of the county conforming loan limit. Remaining entitlement equals that maximum less entitlement already charged to an outstanding VA loan. The $0-down ceiling is four times remaining entitlement, and any required down payment is 25% of the purchase price less the remaining guaranty.
Data year 2026. Program figures last checked against their source on 2026-01-01. Sources: VA loan limits, VA Certificate of Eligibility, FHFA conforming loan limits. Results are estimates for planning only — not a quote, rate lock, approval, or commitment to lend. Your binding numbers appear on the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.
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SAM is the Simply Approved Mortgages AI assistant, grounded in the VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, 38 CFR Part 36 and the county loan-limit file behind this page. It answers general VA questions. A licensed mortgage loan originator reviews every scenario before any terms are confirmed.
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AI assistant — general VA loan education only, not financial, legal or tax advice, not a loan approval, pre-approval or commitment to lend. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) is an independent mortgage broker and is not the VA, HUD or any government agency, and is not endorsed by them. All loans are subject to lender underwriting, appraisal and final approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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Program rules and figures on this page are taken from the primary government sources below, not from third-party summaries.
Verified against VA Lenders Handbook M26-7, Change 6 — August 12, 2026. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with or endorsed by HUD, VA, or any government agency.
