I’m Michael DiVita (DRE #01372066 | NMLS #241655), owner of DiVita Home Finance (DRE #01818285 | NMLS #323700) in Tiburon, CA. I’ve been in California mortgage lending since 2000 and founded DiVita Home Finance in 2007. I’m known as a creative mortgage broker: when a bank says no, I find the lender and the loan structure that can say yes. VA entitlement is one of the most misunderstood parts of the VA benefit, and in California, where homes routinely sell above $1 million, it can decide whether you put zero down or write a large check. Call (800) 239-1103.
California veterans ask me the same question every week: Is there a VA loan limit in California? If you have full VA entitlement, there is no VA loan limit in 2026 — in California or anywhere else. The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 removed county loan limits for full-entitlement borrowers starting January 1, 2020. The county conforming limit still matters if you have reduced entitlement — usually because you still have a VA loan on another home — and that’s where the math gets specific.
What Is VA Entitlement?
Entitlement is the amount the VA guarantees to your lender if the loan goes bad. Lenders generally want that guaranty, your down payment, or a combination of the two to cover at least 25% of the loan. When the VA’s guaranty covers the full 25%, the lender can lend 100% of the price — that’s how zero down works.
- Basic entitlement is $36,000, which covers loans up to $144,000.
- Bonus entitlement covers 25% of loan amounts above $144,000, tied to your county’s conforming loan limit when limits apply.
Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) shows your entitlement and any amount already charged to prior loans. I can pull your COE electronically through the VA’s system — you usually don’t need to gather anything.
Full Entitlement: No Loan Limit
You generally have full entitlement if any of these is true:
- You’ve never used your VA home loan benefit.
- You used it, then sold the home and paid off the VA loan in full, and your entitlement was restored.
- You had a prior VA loan with a foreclosure or compromise claim and have repaid the VA’s loss in full.
With full entitlement, the VA guarantees 25% of whatever loan the lender approves. A veteran buying a $1.8 million home in Marin or a $2.5 million home in Orange County can do it with zero down if the income, credit and residual income qualify. The VA sets no ceiling; your lender’s approval is the limit. Some lenders do set their own maximum loan sizes or tighter credit requirements for very large VA loans, which is one reason working with a broker who can shop lenders matters.
Reduced Entitlement: When the County Limit Applies
If you still have entitlement tied up in an active VA loan (for example, you kept your first home as a rental), or you had a VA loan foreclosure that hasn’t been repaid, the county conforming limit is used to calculate how much entitlement you have left. The VA’s formula:
- Take your county’s 2026 one-unit conforming limit.
- Multiply it by 25%.
- Subtract the entitlement already charged (shown on your COE).
The result is your remaining entitlement. Multiply it by four to find the largest loan most lenders will make with zero down. Above that, the down payment needed is roughly 25% of the price minus your remaining entitlement.
Example: Los Angeles County, Existing VA Loan
A veteran kept a home with an original $400,000 VA loan, so $100,000 of entitlement is charged. Los Angeles County’s 2026 limit is $1,249,125.
- 25% of $1,249,125 = $312,281
- Remaining entitlement: $312,281 − $100,000 = $212,281
- Zero-down maximum: $212,281 × 4 = about $849,125
- On a $1,000,000 purchase: 25% × $1,000,000 = $250,000 needed; $250,000 − $212,281 = about $37,719 down (plus funding fee on the loan amount)
That’s under 4% down on a $1 million home while keeping the first property. It is a common path for military families who PCS and want to keep their prior home as a rental.
2026 Conforming Loan Limits Used for VA Entitlement in California
| County | 2026 One-Unit Limit | Maximum Guaranty (25%) |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz | $1,249,125 | $312,281 |
| San Diego | $1,104,000 | $276,000 |
| Ventura | $1,035,000 | $258,750 |
| Napa | $1,017,750 | $254,438 |
| San Luis Obispo | $1,000,500 | $250,125 |
| Monterey | $994,750 | $248,688 |
| Santa Barbara | $941,850 | $235,463 |
| Sonoma | $897,000 | $224,250 |
| All other California counties (including Sacramento, Riverside, San Bernardino, Solano, Kern, Fresno) | $832,750 | $208,188 |
Source: FHFA 2026 conforming loan limits, used by the VA for entitlement calculations. The maximum guaranty applies before subtracting any entitlement already in use.
Restoring Your Entitlement
- Sell and pay off: when you sell and the VA loan is paid in full, you can have the entitlement restored for your next purchase.
- One-time restoration: if you paid off the VA loan (for example, by refinancing into a conventional loan) but still own the home, you can request a one-time restoration.
- Substitution of entitlement: if another eligible veteran assumes your VA loan and substitutes their entitlement, yours is freed up.
- Prior foreclosure or compromise: entitlement lost to a VA claim is restored once the loss is repaid.
VA Loans Above the Conforming Limit (“VA Jumbo”)
A “VA jumbo” is simply a VA loan larger than the county conforming limit. For full-entitlement veterans it’s a standard VA loan: zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and the same funding fee schedule. Expect lenders to look harder at reserves, residual income and credit on large loan amounts, and pricing can differ slightly from smaller loans. In Marin, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, coastal Orange County and much of San Diego, a VA loan above $1.25 million is often the single most powerful financing tool a veteran has.
VA Funding Fee in 2026
| Purchase down payment | First use | Subsequent use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.3% |
| 5% to less than 10% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
The fee can be financed into the loan. Cash-out refinances are 2.15% (first use) or 3.3% (subsequent), and an IRRRL is 0.5%. On a $2 million zero-down purchase by a first-time user, the fee is $43,000 — large, but a fraction of the $400,000 a 20%-down jumbo would require.
You’re exempt from the funding fee if you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability (or are eligible for it but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead), you’re a surviving spouse receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, you have a pre-discharge rating showing eligibility for compensation, or you’re an active-duty service member who has received a Purple Heart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a maximum VA loan amount in California in 2026?
Not for veterans with full entitlement. The VA removed county loan limits for full-entitlement borrowers in 2020, so the maximum is whatever a lender approves based on your income, credit, residual income and assets. Individual lenders may set their own maximum loan sizes.
What is the VA loan limit if I have reduced entitlement?
The county’s 2026 conforming limit is used to calculate your remaining entitlement: 25% of the county limit minus the entitlement already charged. Multiply the remainder by four for the zero-down maximum. In California’s ceiling counties the limit is $1,249,125; most inland counties use the $832,750 baseline.
Can I get a $2 million VA loan in California with zero down?
Yes, with full entitlement and a lender approval. There is no monthly mortgage insurance. The funding fee (2.15% for first use with less than 5% down, or $0 if you’re exempt) can be financed. Expect stricter documentation for large loan amounts.
Can I keep my current VA-financed home and buy another with a VA loan?
Often, yes. You’ll be using your remaining entitlement, so the county limit matters. Depending on how much entitlement is tied up and the purchase price, you may need a modest down payment. The new home must be your primary residence.
How do I check my VA entitlement?
Your Certificate of Eligibility shows your entitlement and any amount charged to previous loans. I can pull your COE electronically and calculate your zero-down maximum for the county you’re buying in. Call (800) 239-1103.
Related Resources
Talk to Michael Directly
DiVita Home Finance | Tiburon, CA | In lending since 2000, founded DiVita Home Finance in 2007. Michael DiVita DRE #01372066 | NMLS #241655. Company DRE #01818285 | NMLS #323700.
💬 Text: (310) 849-9124
