How to Get a VA Certificate of Eligibility

Preparing to Apply

Understand who may apply. The following people may qualify for a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The application process for each group will differ slightly: Veterans Current or Former National Guard or Reserve members who have been activated for Federal active service Active Duty Service members Current National Guard or Reserve members who have never been Federal active service Discharged members of the National Guard who have never been activated for Federal active service Discharged members of the Selected Reserve who have never been activated for Federal active service Surviving spouses in receipt of DIC (Dependency & Indemnity Compensation) benefits Surviving spouses who are not receiving DIC benefits

Establish that you are eligible. In order to qualify for a VA loan, you need to have served for a sufficient amount of time either in the armed forces, the National Guard, or the National Reserve. The length of time will depend on the war in which the service member fought. Furthermore, surviving spouses are limited as to when (or if) they can remarry. Generally, a qualifying tour of service requires two years of active duty and an honorable discharge. Six years of Reserve/National Guard time is typically required for those members. A full list of requirements is available on the VA website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/purchaseco_eligibility.asp. Check to see that you meet the requirements.

Gather necessary information. In order to get a certificate, Veterans Affairs must be able to verify the dates of service. Often, dates of service can be verified by data in the VA systems. However, you should also have proof of service available. Proof of service is required if you entered service after September 7, 1980 and were discharged before serving at least two years. You will need the following: If you are a Veteran or a Current or former National Guard or Reserve member who has been activated for Federal active service, then you will need DD Form 214. Your copy must show the character of service in item 24 and the reason for separation in item 28. If you are an Active Duty Service member, then you will need a current statement of service. This statement must: be signed by (or at the direction of) the adjutant, personnel office, or commander of the unit or higher headquarters show you full name, Social Security Number, Date of Birth, entry date on active duty, duration of time lost, and name of the command providing the information. If you are a current National Guard or Reserve member who has never been called for Federal active service, then you will need a statement of service which: is signed by (or at the direction of) the adjutant, personnel officer, or commander of your unit or higher headquarters shows your full name, Social Security Number, date of birth, entry date of duty, total number of creditable years of service, the duration of any time lost, and the name of the command providing the information. If you are a Discharged member of the National Guard who has never been activated for Federal active service, then you will need one of the following two items: NGB Form 22, Report of Separation and Record of Service, for each period of National Guard Service, or NGB Form 23, Retirement Points Accounting, and proof of the character of service. If you are a Discharged member of the Selected Reserve who has never been activated for Federal active service, then you will need a copy of your last annual retirement points statement and evidence of honorable service.

Call with questions. If you have questions about what information you need or how to get that information, then you should call 1-800-827-1000.

Applying for Your Certificate Online

Check if you can use the online application. If you are a Service member, Veteran, National Guard member, or Reserve Member, then you can use the online application. Surviving spouses cannot.

Obtain a user name and password. If you do not already have login credentials for the VA, then you can get a user name and password by visiting the Veterans Information Portal at https://vip.vba.va.gov. Once there, select “User Registration” by double-clicking on the hyperlink. It should be on the left-hand side of the screen.

Answer questions. You must answer questions on the User Registration screen. Click the “Next” button after answering the questions.

Enter personal information. You will need to enter your legal first and last names, your Social Security Number, your date of birth, and your gender. Other information is optional.

Enter your contact information. You have to provide a physical residential address, as well as a primary phone number.

Enter Login Security/Information. On this screen, you will create your user name and password. Make sure that the password has a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and some special characters (like # or &). However, you cannot use an exclamation point (!) as your special character. You will also have to select and answer five security questions, such as “What is the last name of your favorite teacher?” Be sure to write down your answers and keep them some place easily accessible yet secure.

Read the terms and conditions. After reading them, check “I Accept” and click “Submit.” Now you have completed the registration of your user name and password.

Receive your email notification. If all went well, you should receive a notice stating “You are registered Successfully. Please click on the link here to log in to the VIP Portal.” If for some reason a user name and password was not created, then you should fill out the Help Desk form that appears and submit it.

Visit the Veterans Information Portal. Now that you have created login credentials, you can move to the portal and get your Certificate of Eligibility. The Veterans Information Portal is at https://vip.vba.va.gov. Enter your user name and password where requested on the left-hand side of the screen. Click the arrow next to the password field to continue.

Apply for a COE. On the screen, you will see the following: “If you need to update/correct your Certificate or apply for restoration of entitlement (apply for benefits online click here).” Click on the hyperlink.

Fill in any missing personal information. The personal information screen should already be populated with information from the veteran’s profile. Add anything that is missing.

Enter tour date information. On the “Active/Reserve Tour Data” screen, you should enter your tours of service. If you have more than one tour, add all of the information for the first tour and then click “Save Tour” to save that tour’s information and add another.

Answer information about prior VA loans. You will be asked two questions. First, whether you have ever had a VA home loan. Second, whether you now own any homes that you purchased or refinanced with a VA guaranteed loan. If you answer “Yes,” to the second question, then you will need to answer additional questions. Once you have answered all the questions, you should click the “Next” button.

Upload required documents. Depending on your application, you may need to upload documents, e.g., the Statement of Service for Active Duty Servicemen or a DD214 for a Veteran. You can select the appropriate “Document Type” from the drop-down menu. Then, enter a short description of the document. You must then upload a computer file of the document. If you have not already scanned the document, then you should do that now.

Certify your document. You can certify your application by clicking the button “Certify/Submit Application.” You should check your homepage weekly to see when a determination has been made on your application.

Get the certificate. Log in to the Veteran’s Information Portal. After you log in, you will see the following: “Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for Home Loan Benefits has been issued. Use the following link to access and print the COE. To view your COE click Here.” Click on the hyperlink.

View and print your COE. Your COE should pull up on the screen. You can print it off and take it to your lender to show as proof of your eligibility for a VA loan.

Obtaining a Certificate with a Paper Application

Get a paper application. You can get a paper application mailed to you by calling 1-888-768-2132 and following the prompts. Alternately, you can download the application. If you are a Veteran, Service member, or member of the National Guard or Reserves, then you can download a Request for Certificate of Eligibility at http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/vba-26-1880-are.pdf. This is the application form for the COE.

Complete the application. Either type or print neatly using black ink. You will have to provide personal contact information as well as information about your dates of service. Provide all of the information requested, including information about any prior VA loans.

Mail the application. Once you have completed the form, you should mail it to: VA Loan Eligibility Center, Attn: COE (262), P.O. Box 100034, Decatur, GA 30031. Be sure to keep a photocopy for your records.

Obtaining a Certificate as a Surviving Spouse

Fill out VA form 26-1817, if you receive DIC benefits. If you are in receipt of Dependent and Indemnity Compensation benefits, then you will need to complete and submit the following: VA form 26-1817 (call 1-888-768-2132 to request, or download at https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21P-534-ARE.pdf) Include the veteran’s and surviving spouse’s Social Security Number on the 26-1817 form. Veteran’s DD214 (if available)

Take the information to the lender or mail. If you are a surviving spouse who receives benefits, you can apply for the COE in two ways. First, you can take your application to the lender, who can look up and see if you qualify for the COE. Second, you can mail your information to the following address: VA Loan Eligibility Center, Attn: COE (262), P.O. Box 100034, Decatur, GA 30031.

Complete VA form 21-534, if you do not receive DIC benefits. If you are not receiving DIC benefits, then you will complete a different form. To qualify for a COE, you will need to complete and gather the following: VA form 21-534 (download at https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21P-534-ARE.pdf) DD214 (if available) a marriage license a death certificate or DD Form 1300—Report of Casualty

Mail your materials to a regional office. Surviving spouses who do not receive benefits should mail their materials to a VA Regional Office. The office you send the materials to depends on the state you live in. You can use the list at http://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/documents/docs/pmcaddress.pdf to determine the appropriate office.

Call with questions. If you have any questions about how to complete a form or about any other issue, you should contact your nearest regional VA office. You can find the number by calling 1-800-827-1000.