In short: Your remaining VA entitlement equals 25% of the 2026 conforming loan limit ($832,750 in most Texas counties), or $208,187.50, minus any entitlement already charged to active or unrestored VA loans. Multiply what’s left by four to find your maximum loan with $0 down.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Full entitlement means no county loan limit and no down payment at any loan amount your lender approves.
- ✓Partial (remaining) entitlement caps your guaranty at 25% of the conforming loan limit, minus what you’ve already used.
- ✓Your COE shows Total Entitlement Charged to Previous VA Loans — that single number drives the entire calculation.
- ✓Paying off a VA loan does not automatically restore entitlement — you have to request it.
- ✓You can hold more than one VA loan at the same time as long as you have remaining entitlement.
What VA Loan Entitlement Actually Means
Entitlement is the dollar amount the Department of Veterans Affairs promises to repay your lender if you default. It is the engine behind the $0-down VA home loan in Texas. Because the VA backs a portion of the loan, lenders are comfortable financing 100% of the purchase price with no monthly mortgage insurance.
There are two layers to it, and most veterans only ever see the second one referenced on their Certificate of Eligibility (COE):
Basic Entitlement — $36,000
A fixed $36,000 cap that applies to loans of $144,000 or less. You’ll see it on your COE as “This Veteran’s Basic Entitlement is $36,000.” Almost no Texas home costs that little anymore, so basic entitlement rarely tells the whole story.
Bonus (Tier 2) Entitlement
For loans above $144,000, the VA guarantees up to 25% of the loan amount. With full entitlement there is no ceiling. With partial entitlement, the ceiling is 25% of the county conforming loan limit.
Here’s the part that confuses people: if your COE says “Basic Entitlement is $0,” it does not mean you’re out of benefit. It simply means some entitlement is tied up in an existing or prior loan. You may still have substantial bonus entitlement available — which is exactly what we calculate below.
The 2026 Numbers You’ll Use
The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets the conforming loan limit every November. For 2026 the baseline rose to $832,750, which is the figure that applies in nearly every Texas county. (A handful of high-cost counties nationwide use higher limits, but Texas counties sit at the baseline.) The VA uses this same number to cap entitlement for veterans with partial entitlement.
| 2026 Reference Figure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Basic entitlement | $36,000 |
| Loan threshold for the $36k cap | $144,000 |
| 2026 conforming loan limit (most TX counties) | $832,750 |
| Max guaranty for partial entitlement (25% × limit) | $208,187.50 |
| Max $0-down loan with full entitlement | No limit |
Conforming loan limits adjust annually. We refresh this page each January when the new figures are published.
The Formula, Step by Step
Calculating remaining entitlement is the same five steps every time. Pull your COE, find the Total Entitlement Charged line, and follow along.
- 1 Find your entitlement charged. On your COE, read the line “Total Entitlement Charged to Previous VA Loans.” If it says $0, you have full entitlement and can skip to step 5.
- 2 Find your maximum guaranty. Multiply the 2026 conforming loan limit by 25%: $832,750 × 0.25 = $208,187.50. This is the most the VA will guarantee for a partial-entitlement veteran.
- 3 Subtract what you’ve used. $208,187.50 − (entitlement charged) = your remaining entitlement.
- 4 Multiply by four. Remaining entitlement × 4 = your maximum loan amount with $0 down. (Lenders want the VA guaranty plus your down payment to equal 25% of the price; four times your entitlement is the point where the guaranty alone covers that 25%.)
- 5 Want to buy higher? Find the down payment. If the price is above your $0-down ceiling, your down payment is: (purchase price × 25%) − remaining entitlement. You only cover the gap, not a full conventional down payment.
VA Remaining Entitlement Calculator
Enter the entitlement charged from your COE and the price you have in mind. Built on the 2026 limit of $832,750.
Enter your numbers above to see your results.
Estimates for education only. Your actual entitlement, county limit, and required down payment depend on your COE, the lender, and your qualification. Let’s confirm your real numbers together.
Four Real COE Examples, Worked Out
Each card below is an illustrative reproduction of a real Certificate of Eligibility. Names, reference numbers, and personal figures have been removed for privacy. The entitlement amounts are real.
First Use — Nothing Charged Yet
This is the author’s own COE. Entitlement Code 10, Army, basic entitlement of $36,000, and $0 charged to any prior loan. This is full entitlement.
With $0 charged, there is no county loan limit. The VA will still guarantee 25% of the loan, but nothing caps the loan size. This veteran can buy a $400,000 home or an $800,000 home with $0 down — the only limits are credit, income, and the appraisal. Full entitlement is the most flexible position you can be in.
Kept the First Home, Buying a Second
“SSgt M.R.” has one active VA loan — a $373,902 purchase in Arizona that charged $91,162 of entitlement. He’s keeping that home (renting it out after a PCS) and wants to buy again in Texas. This is classic second-tier, or “remaining,” entitlement.
- Max guaranty: $832,750 × 25% = $208,187.50
- Remaining: $208,187.50 − $91,162 = $117,025.50
- Max loan with $0 down: $117,025.50 × 4 = $468,102
- On a $525,000 Texas home: ($525,000 × 25%) − $117,025.50 = $14,225 down
Even while holding his first VA loan, SSgt M.R. can buy up to $468,102 with nothing down, or step up to $525,000 for about $14,225 — a fraction of a conventional down payment.
The Trap: Paid Off but Entitlement Still Locked
“Ms. S.G.” paid off a $361,369 Florida VA loan in full — but her COE still shows $90,342 charged with the note “Paid In Full / No Restoration.” Paying off a loan does not automatically free up your entitlement. Until she requests restoration, the VA treats her like a partial-entitlement borrower.
- Right now: $208,187.50 − $90,342 = $117,845.50 remaining
- That’s a $0-down ceiling of about $471,382 — usable today
But because the loan is paid in full, she qualifies to restore that $90,342 by filing VA Form 26-1880. Once restored, she’s back to full entitlement — no county limit at all. The lesson: a “$0 basic entitlement” COE after a payoff is often a paperwork problem, not a benefit problem.
Four Active VA Loans at Once
This veteran has built a portfolio — four active VA loans across Tennessee, Kansas, Arizona, and Colorado, charging $204,125 total. It’s possible (the VA allows multiple simultaneous loans), but the remaining entitlement is nearly gone.
- Remaining: $208,187.50 − $204,125 = $4,062.50
- Max loan with $0 down: $4,062.50 × 4 = $16,250 (effectively nothing)
- On a $400,000 home: ($400,000 × 25%) − $4,062.50 = about $95,938 down
At this level there’s almost no $0-down room left. The smart move is usually to sell or pay off one property and restore that entitlement, which can free up tens of thousands in benefit for the next purchase. This is exactly the kind of structuring we map out before you ever make an offer.
Full vs. Partial Entitlement at a Glance
| Full Entitlement | Partial / Remaining | |
|---|---|---|
| County loan limit applies? | No | Yes ($832,750 in most TX counties) |
| Down payment | $0 at any approved amount | $0 up to (remaining × 4); then 25% of the overage |
| Maximum guaranty | 25% of the loan, no cap | $208,187.50 minus what’s used |
| Typical situation | First use, or fully restored | Active VA loan, or unrestored prior use |
A Texas note on entitlement and refinancing
Your entitlement math is the same anywhere, but Texas has one important wrinkle: under the Texas Constitution, a VA cash-out refinance on a homestead is not permitted. The VA IRRRL (streamline refinance) is fully available, and you can explore those options on our Texas refinance page. Planning to build instead of buy? Your entitlement works the same way on a VA construction loan in Texas.
How to Get Your Entitlement Back
Restoration is how partial entitlement becomes full entitlement again. There are three common paths:
1. Sell the home and pay off the loan
When the property sells and the VA loan is paid in full, you can request full restoration of the entitlement that was tied to it.
2. One-time restoration (you keep the home)
If you’ve paid the VA loan in full but still own the property, you can use a one-time-only restoration to free that entitlement for another purchase.
3. File VA Form 26-1880
Restoration isn’t automatic. The Request for a Certificate of Eligibility (Form 26-1880) is what updates VA records. As your broker, we handle this step with you so your COE reflects the entitlement you’ve actually earned back.
Whether you’re using your benefit for the first time or untangling years of entitlement across multiple homes, the strategy matters as much as the math. If you’re a first-time buyer, start with our Texas first-time homebuyer guide; if you’re ready to talk numbers, we’ll pull your COE and map it out together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VA loan entitlement?+
My COE says basic entitlement is $0. Am I out of benefit?+
How do I find how much entitlement I’ve used?+
How is remaining VA entitlement calculated in 2026?+
Can I have two VA loans at the same time?+
Does paying off my VA loan restore my entitlement?+
Do I lose my benefit after a foreclosure or short sale?+
Is there a down payment with partial entitlement?+
Does VA entitlement work the same in Texas?+
About the Author
Adam Bartling
Adam is a retired U.S. Army Captain and an independent mortgage broker serving Texas. As a veteran who has used the VA benefit himself, he helps fellow service members and their families read their COE, calculate entitlement, and structure their next purchase the right way. As a broker, Adam shops multiple lenders so they compete for your business — he works for you, not a bank.
Adam Bartling | Texas Mortgage Broker · Loan Officer NMLS# 2213358 · More about Adam ›
Adam Bartling | Texas Mortgage Broker · Loan Officer NMLS# 2213358 · Serving Texas · Equal Housing Lender