Am I exempt from the VA funding fee?

Some Veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, surviving spouses, and other eligible groups may be exempt. This calculator does not determine eligibility—your Certificate of Eligibility and lender will confirm whether your funding fee is reduced or waived.

Does the funding fee change for refinances?

Yes. IRRRL ( streamline refinance) and other VA refinance options use different funding-fee percentages and rules. This tool focuses on standard purchase scenarios.

Can the seller pay the VA funding fee?

In some transactions, seller credits or concessions may effectively cover part or all of your closing costs, but the funding fee itself is still calculated on your loan. This calculator shows the fee amount; how it is paid is a matter of your purchase contract and lender rules.

How does financing the funding fee affect my monthly payment?

Financing the fee increases your loan balance, which slightly increases your monthly principal-and-interest payment and the total interest paid over time. Pair this calculator with a mortgage payment tool to see the difference for your situation.

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VA Funding Fee Calculator

Estimate the VA funding fee for a home purchase and whether rolling it into the loan changes your total amount financed.

Results

Funding fee rate: 215.00%
Funding fee amount: $8,600
Total financed (if rolled in): $408,600

How to use this calculator

Enter the base loan amount before adding any VA funding fee. This is usually the purchase price minus your down payment and any seller credits that reduce the loan.
Enter your down payment as a percentage of the purchase price (for example, 0%, 5%, or 10%).
Select your service type as either regular military or Reserves/National Guard.
Indicate whether this is your first use of VA loan benefits or a subsequent use.
Choose whether you plan to roll the funding fee into the loan balance or pay it in cash at closing.
Review the estimated funding-fee rate, the dollar amount of the fee, and, if financed, the new total loan amount you would carry.

Inputs explained

Base loan amount: The mortgage amount before any VA funding fee is added. Often equal to purchase price minus down payment, but check your loan estimate for the exact number.
Down payment: Your down payment as a percentage of the home’s purchase price. Common VA options include 0% down, between 5% and 9.99%, or 10% or more.
Service type: Whether you serve in the regular military or the Reserves/National Guard. VA funding fee percentages differ slightly between these categories.
First use of VA benefits: Select first use if you have never used your VA home loan benefit before. Subsequent use usually carries a higher funding fee at low down payment levels.
Roll funding fee into the loan: If set to Yes, we add the estimated funding fee onto your base loan amount and show the new total financed. If No, the fee is assumed to be paid in cash at closing.

How it works

The VA funding fee is a one-time charge that helps keep the VA loan program self-funding. The percentage you pay depends on down payment, first vs subsequent use of VA benefits, and service type.

We apply a 2024-style schedule for purchase loans: less than 5% down has one set of percentages, 5–9.99% down has a lower rate, and 10%+ down is lower still.

Regular military and Reserves/National Guard have slightly different fee percentages, especially at low down payments and on subsequent use.

We multiply your base loan amount by the appropriate percentage to estimate the funding fee and then, if you choose to finance it, add that fee to the loan to show a new total amount financed.

This calculator assumes a typical purchase scenario and does not attempt to cover every special case or future regulatory change.

Formula

The VA funding fee is calculated as:\n\nFunding fee = Base loan amount × Applicable fee rate\n\nThe applicable fee rate depends on down payment, whether this is your first or a subsequent use of VA benefits, and service type (regular vs Reserve/Guard). Once the fee is calculated, the total financed amount (if you choose to roll it in) is:\n\nTotal financed = Base loan amount + Funding fee

When to use it

Estimating how much the VA funding fee will add to the cost of a home purchase at different down payment levels.
Comparing the trade-off between putting more money down to lower the funding-fee rate versus keeping cash in reserves.
Seeing how financing the funding fee into the loan changes the amount you’ll actually be borrowing.
Helping buyers visualize the impact of first-use vs subsequent-use VA loans when planning future moves or refinances.
Preparing for conversations with a lender or real-estate agent by having a ballpark funding-fee estimate before you receive formal disclosures.

Tips & cautions

If you have a disability rating that qualifies for a VA funding-fee exemption, your actual funding fee may be reduced or eliminated entirely—ask your lender to confirm.
Even small down payments (5% or 10%) can meaningfully reduce the funding-fee rate compared with 0% down, potentially saving thousands of dollars.
Financing the fee keeps more cash in your pocket at closing but slightly increases your monthly payment and the interest paid over the life of the loan.
Use this calculator alongside a mortgage payment tool to see how the higher financed amount changes your estimated monthly payment.
Funding-fee percentages and rules can change over time; always verify current rates with VA or your lender, especially if your closing date is far in the future.
Modeled on common 2024 VA purchase funding-fee percentages; future legislative or policy changes may not be reflected immediately.
Handles standard purchase scenarios only; IRRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loans), Native American Direct Loans, and other special programs have different fee structures.
Does not automatically account for disability-related exemptions or refund scenarios; if you are exempt, the fee may be zero.
Assumes a straightforward calculation based on base loan amount and down payment; actual loan estimates may use slightly different rounding or base values.
This is an approximation for educational purposes and is not a binding quote or official VA calculation.

Worked examples

0% down, regular military, first use

Assume a $400,000 base loan amount with 0% down for a first-time VA borrower in regular military service.
Using a 2024-style schedule, the funding-fee rate might be about 2.15%.
Funding fee ≈ $400,000 × 2.15% = $8,600.
If financed, total loan ≈ $408,600, which will slightly increase the monthly payment compared with not financing the fee.

5% down, subsequent use, Reserve/Guard

Assume a $350,000 base loan amount with 5% down and a subsequent use of VA benefits as a Reservist.
The mid-tier down payment reduces the funding-fee rate compared with 0% down.
Funding fee is calculated as base loan amount × the applicable mid-tier rate (for example, roughly 1.5% in many tables).
If you roll the fee in, the calculator shows the new total financed and lets you compare it with paying the fee at closing.

Deep dive

Use this VA funding fee calculator to estimate the one-time VA loan funding charge based on your down payment, first vs subsequent use, and service type.

See how much the VA funding fee could add to your home purchase and how your total loan balance changes if you roll the fee into the mortgage.

Enter a base loan amount, down payment percentage, service category, and first-use status to get an instant estimate of your funding-fee rate, fee amount, and total financed.

FAQs

Am I exempt from the VA funding fee?: Some Veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities, surviving spouses, and other eligible groups may be exempt. This calculator does not determine eligibility—your Certificate of Eligibility and lender will confirm whether your funding fee is reduced or waived.
Does the funding fee change for refinances?: Yes. IRRRL ( streamline refinance) and other VA refinance options use different funding-fee percentages and rules. This tool focuses on standard purchase scenarios.
Can the seller pay the VA funding fee?: In some transactions, seller credits or concessions may effectively cover part or all of your closing costs, but the funding fee itself is still calculated on your loan. This calculator shows the fee amount; how it is paid is a matter of your purchase contract and lender rules.
How does financing the funding fee affect my monthly payment?: Financing the fee increases your loan balance, which slightly increases your monthly principal-and-interest payment and the total interest paid over time. Pair this calculator with a mortgage payment tool to see the difference for your situation.

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This VA funding fee calculator is for general education and planning only. It is based on a simplified interpretation of common VA funding-fee schedules and may not reflect the latest law, policy changes, or your specific eligibility (including disability-related exemptions). Always verify your exact funding fee, exemptions, and closing costs with your lender, the VA, and official documentation before making decisions.