2026 VA Loan Limits Explained (And Why Most Veterans Do Not Have One)

Full entitlement means no limit

Since 2020, veterans with full entitlement have had no VA loan limit. The VA does not cap what you can borrow; your lender caps it based on income, credit and the appraised value. You keep $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance at any loan amount you qualify for.

You have full entitlement if you have never used a VA loan, or you used one and sold the home and had entitlement restored, or you repaid the loan in full and the property is no longer yours.

When the 2026 baseline number matters

The 2026 baseline conforming loan limit is $832,750 in most counties, including Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall and Wilson. That figure only becomes your ceiling for zero-down borrowing when part of your entitlement is tied up in an existing VA loan.

• Kept a home at your last duty station with a VA loan? Your remaining entitlement is reduced.
• Zero-down capacity on the new purchase is based on remaining entitlement, not the full amount.
• You can still buy above that number by bringing a down payment equal to 25% of the difference.
• High-cost counties in other states we serve carry higher limits than the baseline.

The funding fee side of the math

Loan size affects your VA funding fee, and the fee is waived entirely if you receive VA disability compensation. First use with $0 down carries the standard first-use rate; subsequent use carries a higher rate unless the fee is waived. A down payment of 5% or 10% reduces the fee tier.

Run your own numbers

Our 2026 limits page lists county-level figures for every market we lend in, and the VA loan calculator will show the payment and fee at your actual loan amount before you talk to anyone.