VA Loan Eligibility (VA COE)

A veteran’s VA Certificate of Eligibilityopens IMAGE file (“VA COE”) is required for each VA mortgage. The VA COE proves a veteran is  opens in a new windoweligible for a VA home loan.  A VA COE shows how much and what type of VA loan eligibility each veteran has.

Eligibility for a VA Mortgage

VA Certificate of Eligibility shows a VA mortgage lender the home loan eligibility status of a Veteran. The VA COE contains several data points a lender needs to know. Below is a sample of a current VA COE.

This critical document includes information about the veteran applying for a VA home loan. For example, the COE shows:

• Veteran’s name
• Entitlement code
• Branch of service
• Service number
• Social security number
• Funding fee status (exempt or not exempt)
• Usage (first time or subsequent)
• Prior VA loan information (if applicable)
• VA disability pay amount (if applicable)

Requesting a VA COE

Typically, a veteran’s lender requests the VA Certificate of Eligibility.  In order to do so, VA lenders need the veteran’s form DD214opens IMAGE file . However, VA offers multiple methods to order a VA COE.

Requesting a copy of your VA Certificate of Eligibility is simple. In fact, you have 2 options to obtain a copy of your COE. A VA lender may request a VA COE for you.  Additionally, you/the veteran may request a VA COE for yourself.

1. Mortgage Lender VA COE Requests

Arizona VA lenders use a veterans VA form DD214 opens IMAGE file to request a VA Certificate of Eligibility.  The DD214 provides information lenders need to request a VA COE. Typically, Lenders instantly receive a copy of the Veteran’s COE after requesting it.  

However, VA COE requests may not be instant. Some VA COE requests turn into “manual COE order”. As the title suggests, manual VA COE request take longer to produce a copy of the COE. In fact, manual VA COE orders can take up to 2 weeks.

2. Veteran VA COE

As a veteran you may also request your current VA COE. By submitting a VA Form 26-1880 a COE is processed and supplied directly to you the veteran. Additionally, unmarried Surviving spouses request a current VA COE using VA Form 26-1817.  

Both veteran’s and surviving spouse’s VA COE requests are mailed to:

VA Loan Eligibility Center Attn: COE (262)
PO Box 100034
Decatur, GA 30031

Veterans can also call VA’s eligibility center at 1-888-768-2132 with questions.  This helpful chart outlines the documents needed for a veteran to request a COE.

Who is Eligible for a VA Mortgage?

• Veterans
• Active duty personnel
• Reservists/National Guard members
• Some surviving spouse

VA has rules including how long a veteran must have served in order to be eligible for a VA home loan.  Learn more from this helpful chart provided by the VA. Verifying VA home loan eligibility is a key step in the VA home loan process.