Mortgage Tools
VA Funding Fee Calculator
The VA funding fee is a one-time fee paid to the Department of Veterans Affairs on most VA purchase loans. Enter your numbers below to estimate the fee, how it affects your loan amount, and what your payment could look like.
Your Numbers
Purchase and construction loans use the down payment tiers shown below.
= 0.0% down
Use the county estimate or tax bill for the home you are considering.
For honorably discharged veterans with a permanent and total (100% P&T) service-connected disability, buying a primary Florida residence.
Use your actual insurance quote when you have one.
Enter $0 if the property has no HOA, condo, or CDD fee.
Subsequent-use fees are higher when you put less than 5% down.
Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher, those who would be entitled to that compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, and certain surviving spouses are often exempt. Your exemption status is confirmed on your Certificate of Eligibility.
Estimated VA funding fee
2.15% of the base loan amount
- Base loan amount$400,000.00
- VA funding fee$8,600.00
- Total loan amount$408,600.00
- Estimated principal & interest$2,515.82
- Estimated cash due at closing$0.00
Estimated monthly payment
- Principal & interest$2,515.82
- Property taxes$366.67
- Homeowners insurance$300.00
- HOA / condo dues$0.00
- Estimated total monthly payment$3,182.49
VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance. Estimate only — not a payment quote.
Where your monthly payment goes
$3,182
- Principal & interest$2,51679%
- Property taxes$36712%
- Insurance$3009%
- HOA / condo$00%
What makes up your loan
$408,600
- Base loan$400,00098%
- Funding fee (financed)$8,6002%
Heads up: First use with less than 5% down is the standard 2.15%. The fee is most often rolled into the loan rather than paid out of pocket. If you have a service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher, your fee is generally $0 (see below).
Estimates only. Your actual funding fee, exemption status, rate, APR, and approval depend on your Certificate of Eligibility and full application.
See the difference
VA Funding Fee by Scenario
The funding fee depends on three things: whether you've used your VA entitlement before, your down payment, and whether the loan is a purchase or a refinance. Reserve and National Guard members pay the same rates as active-duty.
0–4.99% down
2.15%
≈ $8,600 on $400,000
5–9.99% down
1.50%
≈ $6,000 on $400,000
10%+ down
1.25%
≈ $5,000 on $400,000
Exempt (10%+ rating)
0.00%
≈ $0 on $400,000
Funding fee in dollars — first use on $400,000
Updates as you change the price and use above.
- Purchase, under 5% down2.15%$8,600
- Cash-out refinance2.15%$8,600
- Purchase, 5–9.99% down1.50%$6,000
- Purchase, 10%+ down1.25%$5,000
- IRRRL streamline refi0.50%$2,000
- Exempt veteran0.00%$0
Purchase / Construction
| Down payment | First use | Subsequent use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.30% |
| 5% to 9.99% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
IRRRL (Streamline Refinance)
| Use | Fee |
|---|---|
| First or subsequent | 0.50% |
Same flat rate no matter how many times you've used your entitlement.
Cash-Out Refinance
- First use2.15%
- Subsequent use3.30%
No down payment tiers — same fee regardless of loan-to-value.
Reflects the current VA funding fee schedule. Verify on VA.gov and confirm your exemption status with Tanesha.
What the funding fee is
It is a one-time fee charged on most VA loans that helps keep the VA home loan program running without requiring mortgage insurance. Because VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance, this fee often costs less over time than a low-down-payment conventional or FHA loan.
Who is usually exempt
Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher, those who would be entitled to that compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, and certain surviving spouses are commonly exempt. Your Certificate of Eligibility confirms your status.
Financing the fee
Most buyers roll the funding fee into the loan rather than paying it at closing. That keeps cash requirements lower but increases the loan balance and monthly payment slightly.
How a down payment helps
Putting 5% or 10% down lowers the funding fee percentage, which can matter on higher-priced Florida purchases. We can compare the trade-off between using cash for a down payment versus keeping reserves.
Who pays $0 — funding fee exemptions
- •Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 10% or higher (the most common exemption).
- •Veterans who would be entitled to disability compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead.
- •Active-duty service members who received a Purple Heart, with proof at or before closing.
- •Surviving spouses of a veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability and who receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
Not sure of your status? Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) shows it. Tanesha can pull your COE and confirm before you budget for the fee.
How the funding fee is paid
The fee is a percentage of the loan amount — not the home price. On a $350,000 purchase loan with no down payment and first-time use, the 2.15% fee is $7,525. Almost every VA buyer rolls it into the loan, so a $0-down VA loan stays $0 down.
You can also pay it at closing with cash, gift funds, or seller concessions. On a VA loan, sellers can contribute up to 4% of the sales price in concessions, and the funding fee can count toward that 4%.
VA funding fee vs. FHA upfront MIP — which costs less?
| VA | FHA | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront fee | 2.15% first use, $0 down (often $0 if exempt) | 1.75% upfront MIP |
| Monthly mortgage insurance | None | 0.55% yearly at 3.5% down, for the life of most loans |
| Minimum down payment | $0 with full entitlement | 3.5% |
| Example on a $300K loan | No monthly MI | About $137/month in MI — roughly $49,000 over 30 years |
VA's upfront fee is a little higher, but FHA's ongoing monthly MI usually makes FHA more expensive over time.
What this calculator can't tell you
- •Your exemption status — confirmed on your COE.
- •Loans above the county VA limit with partial entitlement — a down payment may be needed on part of the loan. See the Florida County Loan Limits tool.
- •Refinances with entitlement tied up in another VA loan — those are run case by case.
- •Other closing costs — Florida title insurance, doc stamps, recording, and lender fees are separate. See the Closing Cost Estimator.
VA Funding Fee FAQ
Want your actual VA numbers, including funding fee and cash to close?
Let me put together property taxes, insurance, the funding fee, and cash to close built around your scenario — no application required.
About the Author
Tanesha Tomlinson
Florida Mortgage Loan Advisor, Hometown Financial Group, LLC DBA Modus Mortgage
NMLS #1540854 · Company NMLS #1028232
Tanesha Tomlinson is a 24-year Florida mortgage industry expert who has originated over $100,000,000 in mortgages. She works with homebuyers, homeowners, and Realtor partners across South Florida, Broward County, Central Florida, and the Orlando area. Her focus is qualification, income calculation, loan programs, down payment assistance, and cash to close — explained plainly, with the numbers in front of you. As a licensed Florida Realtor® with United Realty Group, she also understands the property and contract side of the same purchase.
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Hometown Financial Group, LLC DBA Modus Mortgage · Company NMLS #1028232 · Tanesha Tomlinson NMLS #1540854 · Florida Real Estate License #SL3524613 (United Realty Group) · Equal Housing Lender. Licenses can be verified on NMLS Consumer Access and the Florida DBPR license portal. Content is educational only and is not a commitment to lend.
Last updated September 30, 2026
Information and tools on this website are educational only and should not be considered individualized financial, legal, or tax advice. Estimates are not a pre-approval, loan approval, or commitment to lend. Mortgage approval, rates, APRs, payments, taxes, insurance, closing costs, and loan terms are subject to borrower qualifications, property information, applicable loan-program requirements, and underwriting. This website disclaimer does not replace Modus Mortgage's official disclosures.
