Texas paysits veterans back.
The Texas Veterans Land Board home loan is a separate state program that sits on top of VA, FHA or conventional financing. Here is how it works, who qualifies and the rules that trip buyers up.
Our comparative assessment: cash saved 40%, ease 25%, speed 15%, fewer strings 20%. Full rankings
The VLB home loan (Veterans Housing Assistance Program) is run by the State of Texas, not the federal VA. It is paired with a VA, FHA or conventional loan through a VLB participating lender, and it brings a fixed rate on 15, 20, 25 or 30-year terms. The maximum loan is $832,750, raised from $806,500 on January 5, 2026, and veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or more get a discounted rate. Combined with VA, it may mean no down payment and no PMI.
Who qualifies.
- Age 18 or older and a bona fide Texas resident on the date of application.
- Active duty service members.
- Texas National Guard members, and reservists with 20 qualifying years.
- Veterans with 90 or more days of active duty, or discharged sooner for a service-connected disability.
- Honorable, general or medical discharge. Other discharges need a USVA certificate of eligibility.
- Surviving spouses of a veteran who is MIA or whose death was service-connected.
How it works.
VLB Certification of Eligibility
The VLB issues its own Certification of Eligibility, separate from the federal VA COE.
Choose a VLB participating lender
The loan is made through a lender on the VLB participating list, paired with VA, FHA or conventional financing.
Match the property to the rules
Single-family attached or detached, townhome or condo. Duplexes qualify if they are at least 5 years old.
Lock the fixed rate
Terms of 15, 20, 25 or 30 years. The VLB base rate adjusts weekly, and a 30%+ disability rating earns a discount.
Close and move in within 60 days
The home is occupied within 60 days and kept as the primary residence for at least 3 years.
The VLB toolkit at a glance
Figures as of October 11, 2026, from the Texas General Land Office. The VLB base rate adjusts weekly, so no rate is quoted here. Taxes, insurance and the paired VA, FHA or conventional loan terms vary.
Direct GLO links for the VLB loan and Certification of Eligibility, the property and occupancy checklist, the participating lender list and a vetted lender match.
What works
- Fixed rate on 15, 20, 25 or 30-year terms.
- Discounted rate for a VA service-connected disability rating of 30% or more.
- Combined with VA, it may mean no down payment and no PMI.
- Reusable: a new VLB loan is allowed after the previous one is paid off.
- Works with VA, FHA or conventional, so it fits more than one buyer profile.
What it costs you
- Primary residence for at least 3 years, which limits buyers expecting a quick move or PCS.
- Must be occupied within 60 days of closing.
- No refinances, and it cannot be used as a down payment.
- Duplexes only if at least 5 years old. Triplexes and fourplexes are not on the eligible property list.
- Only through VLB participating lenders, and subject to credit approval.
The part nobody explains.
The VLB loan and the VA loan are two different programs from two different governments. Most buyers think they are the same thing. The VLB can ride on top of a VA loan, which is how a veteran keeps zero down and no PMI while getting a Texas rate program.
The 30% disability threshold matters. A veteran at 20% who is in the process of a rating increase is in a different rate position than one already rated 30%.
The new-construction duplex trap: VLB only accepts duplexes at least 5 years old. A brand new duplex in DFW does not qualify, even though a VA loan alone would allow it.
For veterans looking at land outside DFW, the VLB Land Loan lends up to $200,000, usually with 5% down on 1+ acre at a 30-year fixed rate. The VLB Home Improvement Loan lends up to $50,000 on 2 to 20-year terms for upgrades after closing.
Get the packet.
The official links are not on this page on purpose. They come in one email, organized, with what to do with each one and in what order.
- Direct GLO links for the VLB loan and Certification of Eligibility, the property and occupancy checklist, the participating lender list and a vetted lender match.
- Every official link for this program, plus the links for every guide you explored here
- A match with a Texava-vetted lender who closes this program
- A direct reply from Albert in English or Spanish
Where should I send it?
Your packet is on its way.
Every guide you explore before you leave gets added to the next packet. Keep reading below.
Programs stack.
The VA loan is the most common pairing: VA keeps the zero down and no PMI, the VLB adds the Texas rate program.
Federal / HUD6.9FHA home loanEligible buyers who use FHA can pair it with the VLB home loan.
Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac7.0Conventional loanThe VLB also pairs with conventional financing.
Side by side.
The Texava Score weighs what matters to a buyer: cash saved 40%, ease to qualify 25%, speed and paperwork 15%, fewer strings 20%.
Asked most.
Is the VLB loan the same as a VA loan?+
No. The VLB loan is a State of Texas program. The VA loan is federal. The VLB loan works together with VA, FHA or conventional financing.
What is the maximum VLB home loan?+
$832,750, effective January 5, 2026 (raised from $806,500).
Can the VLB loan be used more than once?+
Yes. A new VLB loan is allowed after the previous one is paid off.
Can it refinance an existing mortgage?+
No. The VLB home loan is for purchases only and cannot be used as a down payment.
What rate does the VLB charge?+
The base rate adjusts weekly, so it changes. Veterans with a 30% or higher VA service-connected disability rating receive a discount on that rate. The participating lender quotes the current figure.
How long does the home have to be my primary residence?+
At least 3 years, with move-in within 60 days of closing.
The value compounds.
$0 down, no monthly PMI
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