A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is VA's proof that your service qualifies you for a VA home loan. Every VA loan needs one, and it's usually the first document pulled when a veteran, service member or surviving spouse starts a VA pre-approval.
What the certificate shows
- Your eligibility based on your service record.
- Your basic entitlement, usually $36,000, the starting point of VA's guarantee to the lender.
- Prior loans charged to entitlement, if you've used VA before and that entitlement hasn't been restored.
- Your funding fee status, exempt or not exempt. Veterans receiving VA disability compensation are exempt.
The lender reads the certificate to set your loan amount and your closing costs, so it's worth pulling before you write an offer.
How to get your COE
Through your lender. Most buyers get it this way. Your lender requests it through VA's online system, often in minutes, using your name, Social Security number and service details.
Online at VA.gov. You can request it yourself with your VA.gov sign-in.
By mail. Send VA Form 26-1880 to the regional loan center listed on the form. Mail is the slowest route.
The papers VA asks for
| Your status | Document |
|---|---|
| Veteran | DD214, your discharge or separation papers |
| Active duty | A statement of service signed by your commander, adjutant or personnel officer |
| Current Guard or Reserve, never activated | A signed statement of service listing your creditable years |
| Discharged Guard, never activated | NGB Form 22 for each period of service, NGB Form 23 and proof of character of service |
| Surviving spouse receiving DIC | VA Form 26-1817, plus the veteran's DD214 if available |
| Surviving spouse not receiving DIC | VA Form 21P-534EZ, marriage license and the veteran's death certificate |
A worked example: reading the numbers
A veteran's certificate shows $36,000 of basic entitlement, no prior loans and a funding fee exemption. He's buying a $340,000 home with $0 down.
- VA's guarantee at 25% of the loan: 0.25 × $340,000 = $85,000
- Basic entitlement covers $36,000, and bonus entitlement covers the other $49,000
- Funding fee he doesn't pay because of the exemption: 2.15% × $340,000 = $7,310
That exemption line alone lowers his loan by $7,310 compared with a first-time VA buyer who isn't exempt. If a certificate shows prior loans charged, the VA entitlement formula sets how much you can borrow with $0 down.
Run a VA payment with Price Check. To pull your certificate and start a VA pre-approval the same day, call AAA Capital Funding at 888-601-8344.