VA loan limits
Are there limits on how much I can borrow with a VA loan?
For a borrower with full VA entitlement, there is no VA-set loan limit. A lender still sets its approval amount based on finances, appraisal, and loan terms. Partial entitlement works differently.
Reviewed October 25, 2026 · Based on current VA guidance
Short answer: VA loan limits are often misunderstood. If you have full entitlement, VA does not impose a county loan limit on the amount you may borrow. This does not mean you can borrow any amount: the lender must approve the mortgage, the appraisal affects the maximum eligible loan amount, and you must be able to repay it.
What is VA entitlement?
Entitlement is the amount VA may guarantee to a lender if the borrower defaults; it is not cash paid to the borrower and not the borrower’s maximum loan amount. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows information about entitlement and prior VA loans charged against it. With full entitlement, VA’s current guidance says there is no VA loan limit, though lender approval and property value still matter.
When do county loan limits matter?
If you have used some entitlement and it has not been restored, a county conforming loan limit can be used to calculate remaining bonus entitlement. That calculation helps determine how much guaranty is available for a no-down-payment loan. A lender may require a down payment when remaining entitlement is not enough for the guaranty it needs. The exact result depends on your COE, prior entitlement use, county, purchase price, and lender.
County limits change over time. Check the current one-unit limit for the property’s county with the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and ask the lender to calculate your remaining entitlement. Do not rely on an old online VA loan-limit chart or treat a county figure as a universal cap.
What affects the loan amount a lender approves?
- Income, credit history, recurring debts, and assets
- Remaining VA entitlement and any down payment
- Purchase price compared with the VA appraisal
- Property condition, occupancy, and lender underwriting requirements
Ask the lender to explain how it calculated your entitlement and any required down payment. For a primer on the guaranty, read about VA loans and no-down-payment purchases.
Questions to ask about entitlement
- Does my COE show full entitlement or prior entitlement still charged to a loan?
- If entitlement is remaining, which current county limit and calculation are you using?
- How much down payment, if any, would this specific purchase scenario require?
- Can you show the calculation and assumptions in writing? A county limit is not a universal borrowing cap for borrowers with full entitlement.