With partial entitlement, the new loan limit is $766,550 in most counties, an increase of $40,000 from the previous loan limit. In some high-cost counties, the VA county loan limit is up to $1,149,825. These higher loan limits vary by region and are listed later in this article.
The VA loan limits are the same as the conforming mortgage loan limits determined by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the maximum limits for conforming mortgages acquired via Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
These new loan limits apply to all VA loans closed after January 1, 2024.
Read through this article to understand VA loan limits, the maximum amount you can borrow without a down payment, which high-cost counties have higher limits, and other information helpful to secure a VA loan.
Key Points:
- In 2020, the VA removed loan limits for veterans and servicemembers with full loan entitlements, increasing opportunities for higher loan amounts without down payments.
- As of 2024, the VA loan limit increased to $766,550 in most counties, with some high-cost counties having limits up to $1,149,825.
- VA loan limits align with the conforming mortgage loan limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and apply to all VA loans closed after January 1, 2024.
- VA loan limits don’t represent a cap on how much a veteran can borrow. They help determine how much veterans without full entitlement can borrow without needing a down payment.
Why Did the VA Get Rid of Loan Limits?
The VA eliminated loan limits to enhance homeownership opportunities for veterans and servicemembers. By removing these caps, the VA allows those with full loan entitlement to secure higher loan amounts without requiring a down payment. This change, introduced by the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019, reflects the VA’s commitment to providing more flexible and accessible financing options, making it easier for veterans to purchase homes in high-cost areas without financial barriers.
What Full Entitlement Means
In 2020, the VA removed the loan limits for servicemembers and veterans with a full loan entitlement remaining. You may have full entitlement if you meet one of the following three criteria:
- You have never taken out a VA loan.
- You have repaid your previous VA loan in full.
- You have used the one-time restoration of entitlement
For a more comprehensive overview of VA loan entitlement, check out our guide.
What Remaining Entitlement Means
If you don’t meet at least one of the criteria above and you meet any of the following, you may have remaining entitlement and may be eligible for a VA loan with the limitation of a down payment.
- You are still paying back an active VA loan.
- You refinanced your VA loan to a non-VA loan and you still own the home.
- You had a deed in lieu of foreclosure on a previous VA loan (this means you transferred your home’s title to the bank that holds your mortgage to avoid foreclosure), or
- You had a foreclosure on a previous VA loan and didn’t repay your lender in full.
- You had a short sale on your VA loan.
- Your VA loan-purchased home was foreclosed on.
Check your VA Home Loan eligibility and get personalized rates. Answer a few questions and we'll connect you with a trusted VA lender to answer any questions you have about the VA loan program.
Importance of the VA Loan Limits
The VA loan limits aren’t a hard limit on how much house you can buy with a VA loan. The limits only apply to veterans without full entitlement, and even then, they simply help determine how much money qualified buyers can borrow without making a down payment. You can buy a more expensive home, but most lenders will require you to make a down payment to bring the borrowed amount in line with the guarantee limit. If you have full entitlement, there is no required down payment even when exceeding the loan limits, but opting for one anyway helps reduce your payments and costs. For example, your VA funding fee may be reduced.
In most counties, that limit is $766,550 for a one-unit house. However, the limits in counties with high living costs can go as high as $1,149,825 in high-cost living areas, such as some of the higher populated areas on both coasts and in some regions of Alaska and Hawaii. Homes with more than one unit also have higher limits.
VA Loan Limits and What Lenders Will Actually Lend
How much a veteran or servicemember can borrow is ultimately a product of their debts and income. The VA loan limits don’t actually limit how much a veteran can borrow. Veterans with their full entitlement can obtain as much as a lender is willing to extend based on the homebuyer’s ability to repay the loan.
The loan limits become a factor when veterans have less than their complete VA loan entitlement. In those cases, veterans can still borrow as much as a lender will give them, but they might need to factor in a down payment depending on their entitlement situation.
2024 VA County Loan Limits
Below is the table for VA loan limits for a one-unit house for 2024 for high-cost counties where the VA loan limit is higher than $766,550. If the county you’re interested in is not listed below, its limit is $766,550.
| State | County or Area | 2024 VA Limit | Regional Loan Center |
| Alaska | Aleutians East Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Aleutians West Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Anchorage Municipality | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Bethel Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Bristol Bay Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Denali Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Dillingham Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Fairbanks North Star Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Haines Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Hoonah-Angoon Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Juneau City and Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kenai Peninsula Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Ketchikan Gateway Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kodiak Island Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Kusilvak Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Lake and Peninsula Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Nome Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | North Slope Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Northwest Arctic Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Petersburg Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Sitka City and Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Skagway Municipality | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Valdez-Cordova Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Wrangell City and Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Yakutat City and Borough | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Alaska | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| California | Alameda County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Contra Costa County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | El Dorado County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Los Angeles County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Marin County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Monterey County | $920,000 | Phoenix |
| California | Napa County | $1,017,750 | Phoenix |
| California | Orange County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | San Benito County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | San Diego County | $1,006,250 | Phoenix |
| California | San Francisco County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | San Luis Obispo County | $929,200 | Phoenix |
| California | San Mateo County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Barbara County | $838,350 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Clara County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Santa Cruz County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| California | Sonoma County | $877,450 | Phoenix |
| California | Ventura County | $954,500 | Phoenix |
| Colorado | Adams County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Arapahoe County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Boulder County | $856,750 | Denver |
| Colorado | Broomfield County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Clear Creek County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Denver County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Douglas County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Eagle County | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Colorado | Elbert County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Garfield County | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Colorado | Gilpin County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Jefferson County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Park County | $816,500 | Denver |
| Colorado | Pitkin County | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Colorado | Routt County | $1,012,000 | Denver |
| Colorado | Summit County | $1,006,250 | Denver |
| District of Columbia | District of Columbia | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Florida | Monroe County | $929,200 | St. Petersburg |
| Guam | Guam | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Hawaii | Hawaii County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Hawaii | Honolulu County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Hawaii | Kalawao County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Hawaii | Kauai County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Hawaii | Maui County | $1,149,825 | Phoenix |
| Idaho | Teton | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Maryland | Calvert County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Charles County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Frederick County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Montgomery County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Maryland | Prince George’s County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Massachusetts | Dukes County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Essex County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Middlesex County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Nantucket County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Norfolk County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Plymouth County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| Massachusetts | Suffolk County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| New Hampshire | Rockingham County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| New Hampshire | Strafford County | $862,500 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Bergen County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Essex County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Hudson County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Hunterdon County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Middlesex County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Monmouth County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Morris County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Ocean County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Passaic County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Somerset County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Sussex County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New Jersey | Union County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Bronx County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Kings County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Nassau County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | New York County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Putnam County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Queens County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Richmond County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Rockland County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Suffolk | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| New York | Westchester County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| Pennsylvania | Pike County | $1,149,825 | Cleveland |
| Tennessee | Cannon County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Cheatham County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Davidson County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Dickson County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Macon County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Maury County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Robertson County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Rutherford County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Smith County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Sumner County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Trousdale County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Williamson County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Tennessee | Wilson County | $943,000 | Atlanta |
| Utah | Summit County | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Utah | Wasatch County | $1,149,825 | Denver |
| Virgin Islands | St. Croix Island | $1,149,825 | St. Petersburg |
| Virgin Islands | St. John Island | $1,149,825 | St. Petersburg |
| Virgin Islands | St. Thomas Island | $1,149,825 | St. Petersburg |
| Virginia | Alexandria City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Arlington County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Clarke County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Culpeper County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fairfax City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fairfax County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Falls Church City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | FauquierCounty | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Fredericksburg City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Loudoun County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Madison County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Manassas City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Manassas Park City | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Prince William County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Rappahannock County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Spotsylvania County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Stafford County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Virginia | Warren County | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
| Washington | King County | $977,500 | Denver |
| Washington | Pierce | $977,500 | Denver |
| Washington | Snohomish | $977,500 | Denver |
| West Virginia | Jefferson | $1,149,825 | Roanoke |
Shop around to save thousands: As mentioned above, shaving a couple percentage points off your VA loan can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your loan. You can view our list of VA Loan providers to shop and compare interest rates.
Calculating Loan Amount for Your County’s Loan Limit
If you are subject to VA loan limits, this step-by-step guide can help you determine your maximum loan amount without utilizing a down payment:
- Refer to the chart above to find the VA loan limit for the county where you are purchasing. If your county isn’t listed, the limit is $766,550.
- Calculate the maximum VA guarantee for that county by multiplying the VA loan limit by 0.25.
- Determine how much of your entitlement you have used by multiplying your original VA loan amount by 0.25.
- Find your remaining entitlement by subtracting the entitlement used (calculated in Step 3) from the maximum guarantee (calculated in Step 2).
- Multiply your remaining entitlement by 4 to determine the maximum amount you can borrow without needing a down payment.
Here’s an example to illustrate the process of calculating your maximum VA loan amount without utilizing a down payment:
Suppose you previously took out a VA loan of $350,000 for a home. Now, you receive PCS orders and need to move. Before selling your existing home, you relocate and buy a new house in San Diego, CA. The VA loan limit for San Diego County is $1,006,250.
Here’s how the calculation would look:
- The county’s maximum VA loan guarantee is $1,006,250 x 0.25 = $251,563.
- The entitlement you previously used is $350,000 x 0.25 = $87,500.
- Your remaining entitlement is $251,563 – $87,500 = $164,063.
- Multiplying your remaining entitlement by four gives $164,063 x 4 = $656,252.
So, $656,252 is the maximum amount you can borrow without a down payment.
Note: If you wish to borrow more than this amount, however, a down payment must cover the difference. Ordinarily, this down payment would be 25% of the total difference in loan request and maximum loan guarantee.
How to Buy a House that Costs More than the Maximum VA Loan Guarantee
If you do not have your full entitlement and want to use the VA loan to buy a house that costs more than the maximum amount allotted, you may need to make a down payment on the loan. The amount of the down payment will depend on your lender’s policies, the cost of your home, the amount you are borrowing, your income, credit profile, debt-to-income ratio (DTI), and other factors.
If you want to buy a home that costs more than the loan guarantee and you have remaining entitlement, you must make a down payment, usually 25% of the amount above the VA loan limit.
Let’s keep our example from above and then say the veteran wants to buy a $756,252 home in San Diego. In this case, the difference between the purchase price and the point where the veteran’s zero-down buying caps out is $100,000 ($756,252 – 656,252). A quarter of that difference is $25,000, which is the down payment needed in this example.
A larger down payment may be a good idea: You can always make a larger down payment if you have the available funds which comes with some additional benefits. For example, a larger down payment reduces your outstanding balance on your home, your monthly payments, and the amount of interest you pay over the life of the loan.
Additional loan costs to consider: You may need to come up with the VA loan funding fee, which the VA charges to guarantee your loan. However, the funding fee may be waived for some disabled veterans and select others. Alternatively, you can also roll the funding fee into your loan.
Why You Would Use a VA Loan if Your Home Costs More than the VA Will Guarantee
There are several good reasons to apply for a VA loan. The first is that you may be able to buy a home with a lower down payment than you would with a conventional mortgage unless you are willing to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which may add a fairly substantial amount to your monthly payment.
Interest rates are another important factor in your decision. Because VA loans are guaranteed by the VA, they often have lower interest rates than conventional loans.
That said, it pays to shop around. A home is often the largest purchase you will ever make, and even a few decimal points on your interest rate can save you a substantial amount of money or cost you thousands over the life of your loan. You can view our list of VA Loan providers to shop and compare interest rates.
When VA Loan Limits Change Again
VA loan limits are aligned with the conforming loan limits established annually by the FHFA. These limits, which vary by county and reflect local home prices, are updated yearly and take effect on January 1st. The loan’s closing date determines the applicable loan limit for a VA loan. Therefore, loans that close after the start of the new year will be subject to the most recent limits, regardless of when the application was initially filed.
VA Regional Loan Centers and Contact Information
Regional loan centers are not open to the public. You can contact a VA home loan representative at 1-877-827-3702, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST. You can also contact the regional offices below by mail or email.
Atlanta Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
P.O. Box 100023, Decatur, GA 30031-7023
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan Production: [email protected]
Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
1240 East Ninth Street, Cleveland, OH 44199
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan Production: [email protected]
Denver Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
Box 25126, Denver, CO 80225
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
Houston Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
6900 Almeda Road, Houston, TX 77030-4200
Construction and Valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
Phoenix Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
3333 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012-2402
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
Roanoke Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
210 Franklin Road, S.W., Roanoke, VA 24011
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
St. Paul Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, St. Paul, MN 55111
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
St. Petersburg Department of Veterans Affairs
VA Regional Loan Center
9500 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33708
Construction and valuation: [email protected]
Loan production: [email protected]
USAA Disclosure: Use of the term “member” or “membership” refers to membership in USAA Membership Services and does not convey any legal or ownership rights in USAA. Restrictions apply and are subject to change. To join USAA, separated military personnel must have received a discharge type of “Honorable.” Eligible former dependents of USAA members may join USAA. Bank products provided by USAA Federal Savings Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender NMLS ID 401058.
Equal Housing Opportunity. The Department of Veterans Affairs affirmatively administers the VA Home Loan Program by assuring that all Veterans are given an equal opportunity to buy homes with VA assistance. Federal law requires all VA Home Loan Program participants – builders, brokers and lenders offering housing for sale with VA financing – must comply with Fair Housing Laws and may not discriminate based on the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin of the Veteran.
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John thomas says
I need to no how much I can borrow in sc and if I can have two homes one on the beach and one away from it
Ryan Guina says
Hello John, How much you can borrow will depend many factors, including your income, how much you need to borrow, the price of the home, your debt to income ratio, your credit score, and other factors. Additionally, a VA Loan can only be used for a primary residence. It cannot be used for a vacation property, rental property, or commercial use property. So you would only be able to get a VA loan for the home you intend to live in most of the time. I recommend speaking with a mortgage broker to help you better understand how much you can borrow to buy a home. Best wishes.
Thelma Williams says
I understood that the VA entitlement can be used more than once to purchase a home, but the homes could not in the same county? Please advise if this has changed and when. Thank you.
Keith Gumbinger says
Even though great rates, no down payment and more can make buying a home a great idea for a veteran, there can be drawbacks, such as a short-ownership period. One risk is that active military personnel often don’t stay in one station for long, and the costs of acquiring and disposing of real estate are considerable – usually a couple percentages of the purchase price getting in, and six percent or more getting out.
Unless home prices are rising quickly in your area or you’re certain you’ll stay put for perhaps five years, there is a risk that you will lose money by owning — and being able to rent a “”trailing”” property as an absentee landlord isn’t always a viable option.
Joseph says
I would like to know if I’m qualified for a VA refinancing. I just enlisted in the National Guard.
Ryan Guina says
Joseph, here is an article that explains VA Loan Eligibility for Members of the Guard and Reserves. In most cases, you will need some active duty time to qualify, or you will need to have completed 6 years of service in the Guard before you are eligible for a VA Loan.