If you have been searching for the “VA loan limit” in your county, there is a good chance you are asking the wrong question. For most veterans buying a home in Florida or Texas in 2026, the honest answer is that there is no limit at all.
I am Scott Carlin, a 20-year Air Force veteran and the broker behind TrueVet. Here is how the rule works, followed by the exact 2026 numbers by county for the veterans who do have a cap.
Full entitlement means no loan limit
If you have your full VA loan entitlement, the VA does not cap how much you can borrow with no money down. There is no county loan limit for you.
This has been true for loans closed on or after January 1, 2020, when the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 removed loan limits for veterans with full entitlement. You can borrow above the conforming loan limit and still put $0 down, as long as you can afford the loan and the appraisal supports the price.
So when you see a chart listing a “2026 VA loan limit” for your county, understand what it is: the Federal Housing Finance Agency conforming loan limit. It only becomes a ceiling for you in the specific situations covered below. For a veteran with full entitlement, it is a reference number, not a cap.
You have full entitlement if you have never used your VA loan benefit, or if you used it before, sold the home, paid the loan off, and had your entitlement restored. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows exactly where you stand.
When VA loan limits apply
County loan limits apply only when you have reduced (partial) entitlement. That usually means one of two things:
- You have an active VA loan. For example, you bought a home with your VA benefit, you are keeping it as a rental after a PCS move, and now you want to buy again.
- You had a prior VA loan that ended in a short sale or a foreclosure, and your entitlement was not fully restored.
In those cases, the county limit sets how much home you can finance with no down payment using your remaining entitlement. You can still buy above that amount. Most lenders require that your entitlement, your down payment, or a combination of both covers at least 25 percent of the loan. In practice that means a down payment of roughly a quarter of the amount above your no-down figure, not a quarter of the whole price. The exact amount depends on the lender. This is the part that confuses buyers most often, and it is worth working through with a broker before you write an offer.
2026 VA loan limits in Florida by county
For 2026, the baseline limit is $832,750 for a one-unit home, up about 3.3 percent from $806,500 in 2025.
In Florida, 66 of the 67 counties use that $832,750 baseline in 2026. The one exception is Monroe County (the Florida Keys), a high-cost area, where the limit is $990,150.
That means for veterans with partial entitlement buying in our core Florida markets, the 2026 figure is $832,750. That covers Brevard County around Patrick Space Force Base (Palm Bay, Melbourne, Titusville), Okaloosa County around Eglin AFB (Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Destin, Crestview), plus Jacksonville, Pensacola, and the Tampa Bay area. See all of our Florida VA loan markets.
2026 VA loan limits in Texas by county
Texas is simpler. None of its 254 counties is a high-cost area, so every Texas county uses the $832,750 baseline for 2026.
Whether you are buying near Fort Hood in Killeen, near Joint Base San Antonio in San Antonio, or near Fort Bliss in El Paso, the 2026 partial-entitlement figure is the same statewide: $832,750. If you have full entitlement, that number is not a cap on you at all. See all of our Texas VA loan markets.
How the math works with partial entitlement
If you have an active VA loan, here is the short version:
- The VA guarantees up to 25 percent of the county loan limit. On the 2026 baseline, 25 percent of $832,750 is $208,187.50.
- Subtract the entitlement already used by your first loan. Your Certificate of Eligibility shows that amount.
- Multiply what is left by four. That is the most that most lenders will lend you with no down payment on the next purchase.
The numbers depend on your own file, and getting them wrong can mean a down payment you did not need to make. Talk it through with a broker before you write an offer. See our VA loan requirements and VA loan process pages for how the rest of the file comes together.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a maximum VA loan amount in 2026?
Not for veterans with full entitlement. For loans closed since January 1, 2020, there is no cap on how much you can borrow with $0 down if you have full entitlement and qualify for the loan. Limits apply only when you have reduced (partial) entitlement, usually from an active VA loan or a prior VA loan where your entitlement was not fully restored.
What is the 2026 VA loan limit in Florida?
For partial-entitlement borrowers, it is $832,750 in every Florida county except Monroe County (the Keys), where it is $990,150. Veterans with full entitlement have no limit.
What is the 2026 VA loan limit in Texas?
It is $832,750 in all 254 Texas counties for partial-entitlement borrowers. No Texas county is a high-cost area. Veterans with full entitlement have no limit.
Can I get a VA loan above the county limit?
Yes. With full entitlement there is no limit at all. With partial entitlement, you can still buy above your no-down figure. You would usually bring a down payment of roughly a quarter of the amount above it, not a quarter of the whole price.
Does using my VA loan a second time change my limit?
It can. Keeping a first home financed with a VA loan uses part of your entitlement, so a limit may apply to your next purchase. How much room you have left depends on the first loan, so work it out before you shop.
How do I know if I have full or partial entitlement?
Your Certificate of Eligibility shows it. We can pull it and tell you in plain English whether any limit applies to you before you start looking.
Know your number before you shop
Do not let a county chart talk you out of a home you can afford, or into a down payment you do not owe. If you are a veteran buying in Florida or Texas, we will confirm your entitlement, tell you whether any limit applies to you, and give you a straight answer.
Call or text 321-364-4461, or send us a message.