Quick answer
VA entitlement is the amount the Department of Veterans Affairs will guarantee to a lender on your behalf if you default on a VA loan. Most lenders want your entitlement, a down payment, or both to cover 25% of the loan, so the entitlement you have available decides how much you can borrow with no money down.
Key facts
Full vs remaining entitlement
You have full entitlement if you’ve never used the benefit or had it restored, typically by selling the home and paying off the earlier VA loan. With full entitlement the VA sets no loan limit; the lender decides what you can afford. You have remaining entitlement if part of it is still tied up, for example in a VA loan you haven’t paid off. The guaranty is then based on your county’s one-unit conforming loan limit. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows what you have.
Remaining entitlement in a county at $832,750
25% of the county limit is $208,188. Subtract $50,000 already used and $158,188 remains. Most lenders would lend up to 4 times that — $632,750 — with no down payment. On a $700,000 loan, they would want $16,813 down to fill the gap.
See the VA loans guide and using a VA loan twice.
Related terms
Sources
- FHFA — 2026 baseline conforming loan limit (one-unit) (2026 limit)
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — VA guaranty on loans above $144,000 (share of the loan amount) (Aug 12, 2025)
Last reviewed Figures are checked against the sources above. Read our editorial policy. This page is general information, not financial advice — see the disclaimer.