U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
VA funding fee calculator.
Estimate the one-time VA funding fee from the VA's published chart, and see your loan amount if you finance it.
Loan details
Estimated fee
How the VA funding fee works
The fee is a percentage of the base loan amount. For purchases it depends on your down payment (under 5%, 5% to under 10%, 10% or more) and whether you have used your VA loan benefit before. Cash-out refinances are 2.15% first use and 3.3% subsequent use regardless of down payment. An IRRRL is 0.5%. Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability, Purple Heart recipients, surviving spouses receiving DIC and service members with a pre-discharge rating are exempt.
| Purchase | First use | Subsequent use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% down | 2.15% | 3.3% |
| 5% or more down | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 10% or more down | 1.25% | 1.25% |
Official source: VA.gov: VA funding fee and closing costs (chart in effect since April 7, 2023; checked September 30, 2026).
Estimate; your lender's Loan Estimate governs. Not covered: manufactured home, assumption, vendee and Native American Direct loans, and lender-specific rounding.
Worked example: a $400,000 VA purchase loan
The VA publishes its own example: a $200,000 home bought with 5% down has a $190,000 loan, and the funding fee is 1.5% of that loan amount, $2,850 (the fee applies to the loan amount, not the purchase price). Entering a $190,000 loan with 5% down in the calculator returns $2,850.00, matching the VA’s figure. For a first-time VA user borrowing $400,000 with nothing down, the fee is 2.15% and the table shows how it changes:
| Situation | Fee rate | Fee | Loan if the fee is financed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First use, under 5% down | 2.15% | $8,600.00 | $408,600.00 |
| First use, 5% down | 1.5% | $6,000.00 | $406,000.00 |
| First use, 10% down | 1.25% | $5,000.00 | $405,000.00 |
| After first use, under 5% down | 3.3% | $13,200.00 | $413,200.00 |
| Interest rate reduction refinance (IRRRL) | 0.5% | $2,000.00 | $402,000.00 |
- Down payment cuts the fee: moving from under 5% down to 10% down lowers the fee from $8,600.00 to $5,000.00, a difference of $3,600.
- Financing is not free: if the $8,600.00 fee is rolled into the loan, you borrow $408,600.00 and pay interest on it; paying at closing instead puts $8,600.00 due on closing day.
Next steps: check the refinance tests in the VA IRRRL recoupment calculator, compare other loan options with the mortgage points calculator, or see whether a refinance pays off with the refinance break-even calculator.
How this is calculated
- Fee = base loan amount × the rate from the VA chart for your loan type, whether it is your first use of the benefit, and (for purchases) your down payment tier.
- Purchase loans: under 5% down 2.15% (first use) or 3.3% (after first use); 5% to under 10% down 1.5%; 10% or more 1.25%. Cash-out refinances: 2.15% first use, 3.3% after. IRRRL: 0.5%.
- If financed, the fee is added to the loan; otherwise it is due at closing.
These rates are from the VA’s funding fee chart in effect since April 7, 2023, as published on VA.gov, Funding fee and closing costs (checked 1 October 2026; the VA notes the fee applies only to the loan amount, not the purchase price). Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability and certain other groups are exempt, and the calculator has an exemption box for that. Manufactured-home, assumption and other special loans are not covered. Your lender’s Loan Estimate governs.
General information, not financial or legal advice. Confirm eligibility and fees with a VA-approved lender.
Frequently asked questions
What is the VA funding fee?
A one-time fee, charged as a percentage of the VA loan amount, that helps fund the VA home loan program. It depends on the type of loan, whether it is your first use of the benefit and, for purchases, how much you put down.
How much is the VA funding fee in 2026?
Under the VA chart in effect since April 7, 2023: for a purchase, 2.15% on first use with less than 5% down, 1.5% with 5% or more down and 1.25% with 10% or more; after first use it is 3.3% with less than 5% down. A cash-out refinance is 2.15% on first use and 3.3% after, and an IRRRL is 0.5%.
Does the fee apply to the price of the home or the loan?
The loan amount. In the VA’s own example, a $200,000 home with 5% down has a $190,000 loan, so the 1.5% fee is $2,850. This calculator returns $2,850.00 for that loan.
Who is exempt from the funding fee?
The VA says you do not pay the fee if, for example, you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, you receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation as a surviving spouse, you are a service member with a pre-discharge rating, or you are an active-duty member who received a Purple Heart. Tick the exempt box if you qualify; your lender confirms eligibility.
Should I finance the fee or pay it at closing?
Financing keeps cash in your pocket but you pay interest on it: on $400,000 the 2.15% fee is $8,600.00, raising the loan to $408,600.00. Paying at closing avoids that interest but requires the cash.
Estimate only
This is an educational estimate, not a loan offer or financial advice. Your lender's figures control.