Short answer: yes, National Guard and Reserve members can qualify for a VA home loan, but not every activation counts. VA lists specific routes: a qualifying period of non-training active duty, or 6 creditable years of Guard or Selected Reserve service while you keep serving, or after an honorable discharge or retirement. VA decides your eligibility through your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Your lender still decides on the loan.

This article is only about the Guard and Reserve routes. For how the COE works in general and how to request one, see VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE): What It Is and How to Get One. Everything below comes from VA’s eligibility page and COE request page, both last updated September 22, 2026 when I checked them on November 7, 2026.

National Guard: the four ways VA lists

VA says National Guard members meet the minimum service requirement if they served:

• At least 90 days of non-training active-duty Title 10 service, or

• At least 90 days of active-duty service including at least 30 consecutive days, where your DD214 shows activation under 32 USC sections 316, 502, 503, 504 or 505, or

• 6 creditable years in the National Guard, and you continue to serve, or

• 6 creditable years in the National Guard, and you were discharged honorably or placed on the retired list

Notice what that list does not say. It does not say any 90 days of any orders counts. The Title 10 route is non-training active duty. The Title 32 route needs at least 90 days with at least 30 consecutive, under the specific sections VA names. Annual training and drill weekends alone don’t fit either active-duty route as VA describes them. That’s where the 6-year route comes in.

Reserve: the three ways VA lists

For Reserve members, VA lists:

• At least 90 days of non-training active-duty service, or

• 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve, and you continue to serve, or

• 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve, and you were discharged honorably or placed on the retired list

Two details matter here. The 6-year route is specifically the Selected Reserve, and VA’s Reserve list has no Title 32 route, because Title 32 status applies to the National Guard.

What “6 creditable years” means for your application

VA doesn’t treat 6 years on the calendar as automatic. The years have to be creditable, and VA reviews your records to decide. That’s why the documents VA asks for on the 6-year route are about creditable years and retirement points, not just your start date. If you’re not sure how many creditable years you have, your unit or personnel office is the place to ask before you apply.

The 6-year route also has a condition attached: you either still serve, or you were discharged honorably or placed on the retired list.

What documents VA asks for, by situation

VA’s COE request page lists different documents depending on your status:

• Current or former activated Guard member: a copy of your DD214 or other discharge documents. If you qualify through at least 90 days of active duty including 30 consecutive days, VA asks for one document showing the activation date: a DD214 showing 32 USC 316, 502, 503, 504 or 505 activation, an annual point statement, or a DD220 with accompanying orders.

• Current or former activated Reserve member: a copy of your DD214 or other discharge documents.

• Current Guard or Reserve member never activated: a statement of service signed by your commander, adjutant or personnel officer, including your total number of creditable years of service and other details VA lists.

• Discharged Guard member never activated: your NGB Form 22 for each period of Guard service, plus your NGB Form 23 (Retirement Points Statement) and proof of the character of service.

• Discharged Reserve member never activated: a copy of your latest annual retirement points and proof of your honorable service.

Privacy note: these documents contain sensitive information, including your Social Security number. Don’t send them through my website’s contact form or by regular email. If we work together, I’ll tell you how to share documents securely, and in many cases your lender can request your COE electronically through VA’s system.

Examples (hypothetical)

• A Guard member deployed on Title 10 orders: if the orders were non-training active duty for at least 90 days, that fits VA’s first Guard route. The DD214 from that activation is the key document.

• A Guard member activated by the state under Title 32: it fits only if the activation was under one of the sections VA names and the service totals at least 90 days with at least 30 consecutive. The DD214, an annual point statement or a DD220 with orders shows the activation.

• A Reservist who has drilled for years but was never activated: the route is 6 creditable years in the Selected Reserve, either still serving or after an honorable discharge or retirement, documented with a statement of service or retirement points.

These are illustrations, not determinations. VA reviews your actual records and decides.

If you don’t meet a route

VA says you may still be able to get a COE if you were discharged under a qualifying exception, such as a service-connected disability, hardship or certain medical conditions. VA also says you can apply and it will review your records. If you have an other than honorable, bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, VA points to a discharge upgrade or a Character of Discharge review. VA’s eligibility page has the full list.

COE first, then the loan

A COE shows your lender you qualify for the VA home loan benefit based on service. It is not loan approval. VA says that to get a VA-backed loan you must also meet credit, income and occupancy requirements from both VA and your lender. After the COE, the lender orders a VA appraisal and reviews your credit and income.

The loan works the same for Guard and Reserve borrowers as for other eligible borrowers. There’s no monthly mortgage insurance on a VA loan. There is a one-time VA funding fee unless you’re exempt, and VA’s current chart lists the same rates for National Guard and Reserve members as for Veterans and active-duty service members. See Who Is Exempt From the VA Funding Fee? and VA Loan Closing Costs.

FAQ

Do drill weekends and annual training count toward the 90 days?

VA’s active-duty routes for the Guard and Reserve specify non-training active duty, or for the Guard, Title 32 activation under named sections. Drill and annual training are the kind of service the 6-creditable-year route is built around. VA makes the final call on your records.

Can I get a VA loan while I’m still serving in the Guard or Reserve?

Yes, if you meet a route. VA’s 6-year routes include “and you continue to serve,” and an activation that meets the 90-day criteria can qualify you too.

Is a Guard or Reserve COE different from a Veteran’s COE?

The documents to get it are different, as listed above. The COE’s job is the same: it shows the lender you qualify for the benefit and how much entitlement you have.

Can I use my benefit more than once?

Often, yes. See VA Loan Entitlement Explained and Can You Have Two VA Loans at the Same Time?.

Next steps

Buying near Hill AFB? See the Hill Air Force Base VA home loans guide. New to VA loans? Start with the VA loan guide. If you want help figuring out which route fits your service, contact me, and keep your service documents out of the contact form.

Sources

• VA: Eligibility for VA home loan programs (updated September 22, 2026)

• VA: How to request a VA home loan COE (updated September 22, 2026)

• VA: Funding fee and loan closing costs

Jimmy Hobson, NMLS #1514540, UMortgage, powered by NEXA Lending (NMLS #1660690). This article is general education, not a loan approval or commitment to lend. VA determines eligibility; your lender determines loan approval.