Florida VA Loan Requirements 2026
This guide to Florida VA loan requirements covers eligibility, entitlement, funding fees, and county loan limits for Florida veterans and active duty military — including NAS Jacksonville, MacDill AFB, Eglin AFB, and Florida National Guard members.
Florida VA Loan Eligibility Requirements
VA loans are available to eligible veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and surviving spouses. Eligibility is verified through a Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which your lender can usually obtain electronically through the VA’s system.
| Service Category | Minimum Service Requirement |
|---|---|
| Active duty (wartime) | 90 continuous days |
| Active duty (peacetime) | 181 continuous days |
| National Guard / Reserves | 6 years of service, OR 90 days active duty under Title 10 orders |
| Surviving spouse | Spouse died in service or from service-connected disability; not remarried |
Florida has a large military population. Florida is home to over 20 major military installations including NAS Jacksonville, MacDill AFB (Tampa), Eglin AFB, Patrick SFB, and Naval Air Station Key West. Florida consistently ranks among the top states for VA loan volume nationally.
Full vs. Partial Entitlement
Full Entitlement — No Loan Limit
If you have never used a VA loan, or have fully paid off and restored a prior VA loan, you have full entitlement. With full entitlement in 2026, there is no VA-imposed loan limit. You can borrow as much as a lender will approve with zero down payment — including in high-cost markets like Miami, Naples, and the Florida Keys.
Partial Entitlement — County Limits Apply
If you currently have an active VA loan or previously defaulted on one, county loan limits determine your zero-down borrowing ceiling. You can still purchase above the limit but must put 25% down on the amount exceeding the county limit.
Full entitlement is the norm for first-time VA users. The majority of Florida veterans using a VA loan for the first time have full entitlement and face no county-based limits. County limits only affect borrowers with partial entitlement from an existing active VA loan.
Florida VA Loan Limits by County (2026)
VA limits mirror FHFA conforming limits and only apply to partial entitlement borrowers. Unlike FHA limits — which vary significantly by Florida county — VA partial entitlement limits use one standard conforming limit statewide.
| County | 2026 VA Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All Florida counties | $832,750 | Standard conforming limit applies statewide for partial entitlement |
No Florida county has an elevated VA partial entitlement limit. Unlike FHA, which has county-specific higher limits in Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Collier, VA partial entitlement limits use the standard conforming limit ($832,750) for all Florida counties. Full entitlement borrowers have no limit at all.
2026 VA Funding Fee Chart
The VA funding fee is a one-time fee paid in place of monthly mortgage insurance. It can be financed into the loan. Rates are locked in through November 2031 per federal statute and confirmed current as of June 2026.
Purchase Loans
| Down Payment | First Use | Subsequent Use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| 5% – 9.99% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Refinance Loans
| Loan Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| IRRRL (Streamline Refinance) | 0.50% |
| Cash-Out Refinance (first use) | 2.15% |
| Cash-Out Refinance (subsequent use) | 3.30% |
Funding Fee Exemptions
- Veterans receiving VA disability compensation (any rating)
- Veterans with a proposed or memorandum disability rating before closing
- Surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
- Purple Heart recipients on active duty
Veterans with VA disability ratings, surviving spouses receiving DIC, and active-duty Purple Heart recipients are exempt from the funding fee. Cash-out refinance funding fees are 2.15% for first use and 3.30% for subsequent use; IRRRLs carry a 0.5% fee. Confirm current rates at the VA’s official funding fee page.
VA Loans in the Florida Market
- Florida Hometown Heroes works with VA loans. Veterans can combine a VA first mortgage with FL Housing’s Hometown Heroes down payment assistance — up to $35,000 in DPA on top of VA’s zero-down benefit. This is one of the strongest combinations available to Florida veterans.
- Flood insurance still applies. VA loans don’t exempt properties from flood zone requirements. If the property is in a FEMA flood zone, flood insurance is required regardless of loan type. Check flood zone status before making an offer.
- Condo approvals matter. VA has its own condo approval list separate from FHA. Many Florida condos approved for conventional financing may not be on the VA approved list. Your lender can check VA condo eligibility before you go under contract.
- Documentary stamp tax on the mortgage is a buyer cost. Florida charges $0.35 per $100 on the mortgage note — this applies to VA loans too. On a $350,000 VA loan, that’s $1,225 at closing.
- Insurance costs are critical. Florida’s high homeowner’s insurance premiums are included in your PITI and DTI. Get insurance quotes before making an offer, not after — high premiums can reduce your qualifying loan amount significantly.
