The end of the year has (almost) arrived, and military and veterans alike are waiting with bated breath for those crucial end-of-year announcements – paychecks, loan limits, BAH rates. And after a very uncertain last two months, it is a relief to finally begin to plan for the future again.
Our first announcement on this list: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has finally released VA loan limits for 2026. If you’re planning on buying a home next year, new loan limits might adjust your VA buying power.
So, the question of the hour: Will loan limits increase in 2026?
How Do VA Loan Limits Work?
First, let’s get familiar with loan limits and why they matter.
Loan limits are the maximum amount a lender will lend to you without needing a down payment. Although this was not the case prior to 2020, loan limits now only apply to buyers with partial entitlement. That means it’s specifically for those who have already used their VA loan once, and that the VA loan is still active or not yet paid off.
Loan limits come into play when you are seeking a subsequent use VA loan (i.e. a second VA loan). The FHFA then sets limits based on the amount of entitlement already used with that first loan. If you have questions on how much entitlement you have, your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will be a key piece in helping you and your lender determine how much home you can buy at 0% down.
We’ll walk you through the basic math for determining your entitlement, but if you want the easy button option, reach out to our VA loan team for help.
How to Calculate VA Loan Remaining Entitlement
Here’s the quick-and-dirty formula for calculating your remaining VA loan entitlement if you have an outstanding VA loan. (If you have more than one outstanding VA loan, we suggest going straight to a VA specialized lender calculate your remaining entitlement.)
Step One:
Identify the amount of entitlement already charged.
Entitlement Charged = 25 percent of the original loan amount that is still active
(If a prior VA loan is paid off and entitlement restored, that portion becomes zero.)
Step Two:
Determine maximum entitlement available in the target county.
Max Entitlement in County = County Conforming Loan Limit × 0.25
Step Three:
Remaining Entitlement Formula
Remaining Entitlement = Max Entitlement in County − Entitlement Charged
Step Four:
Maximum No-Down-Payment Purchase Power
This circles back because VA guarantees 25 percent of the loan.
Max Zero Down VA Loan Amount = Remaining Entitlement × 4
Remaining Entitlement Formula
Remaining Entitlement = 0.25 × (County Loan Limit − Existing VA Loan Balance)
Here’s the formula in practice:
Let’s say you want to buy a house in an area with a County Loan Limit (CLL) of $806,500, and you’ve used $50,000 of your entitlement on an existing loan.
- $806,500 (CLL) x 0.25 = $201,625
- Remaining entitlement: $201,625 – $50,000 = $151,642
- Maximum zero-down loan: $151,642 x 4 = $606,568
This means you could get a loan for $606,568 with zero down, based on the remaining entitlement.
Since loan limits are determined by county, you have to find out your county limit before calculating your max entitlement.
As a reminder, if you are using a VA loan for the first time or have no current loans, there’s no loan limit.
Find out more about understanding your entitlement and COE at VA.gov.
VA Loan Limits for 2026
As it turns out, life just keeps getting more expensive – which means loan limits have to adjust annually to reflect rising (or falling) home prices.
Let’s take a quick look back at last year for comparison. In 2025, for most areas in the United States, the conforming loan limit values for one-unit properties were $806,500, increasing 5.2 percent from 2024, according to the FHFA.
However, some high-cost areas (such as Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) may have a higher application loan limit compared to the baseline limit. In areas designated “high-cost counties,” limits can be as high as $1,209,750 (150% of the baseline limit).
Find information about previous loan limits in our 2025 loan limit changes video.
What are the VA loan limits in 2026 for my county?
Alright, now that you are sufficiently learned on all things loan limits, here is what you’ve been scrolling through this article for…
We have compiled a database of all the adjusted loan limits for 2026 by county. You can search using your zip or city (and if you peek at California and Hawaii’s loan limits, we promise we won’t tell). Check out the calculator below!
VA Loan Limits for 2026
Still unsure about how VA loan limits work or how they may apply to you? Check out our resources, or contact one of our va loan experts today.