Buying with a VA loan in Palm Beach County means working with two sets of rules. Federal rules cover your eligibility, how much you can borrow, the funding fee and the appraisal. Florida rules set the tax on the mortgage and the property tax exemptions you may claim later.
If this is also your first home purchase, see our guide to first-time homebuyer mistakes in Palm Beach County.
Key takeaways
- Palm Beach County’s 2026 one-unit loan limit, $832,750 (FHFA), matters only without full VA entitlement.
- VA’s funding fee on a purchase runs from 1.25% to 3.3%, and some buyers are exempt.
- If the appraisal comes in below the price, the escape clause lets you walk away without losing earnest money.
- Each Florida veteran property tax exemption has its own conditions; confirm yours with the Property Appraiser.
How do you get a VA Certificate of Eligibility?
Ask your lender first, or apply by mail. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) calls the Certificate of Eligibility, or COE, “the first step in getting a VA-backed home loan,” and it confirms for your lender that you qualify for the benefit (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). VA says your lender may be able to get it through an online system called Web LGY.
To apply by mail, send VA Form 26-1880 to your regional loan center. If you’re a veteran, you’ll need a copy of your DD214, your discharge or separation papers. And talk to more than one lender: VA doesn’t require a minimum credit score, but some lenders do (VA).
Is there a VA loan limit in Palm Beach County?
Not if you have full entitlement. VA says you then don’t have a loan limit, as long as you can afford the loan and the appraisal supports the purchase price (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). On a loan over $144,000, VA’s guarantee to your lender covers up to 25% of the loan amount.
Without full entitlement, VA bases your remaining bonus entitlement on the county loan limit, minus the entitlement you’ve already used. VA’s limits match the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s conforming loan limits, and for 2026 the one-unit limit is $832,750 in both Palm Beach and Martin counties (Federal Housing Finance Agency). Closing in 2027? Ask your lender which limit applies.
That matters because most lenders, VA notes, require your entitlement, down payment or both to cover at least 25% of the total loan amount, so less remaining entitlement can mean a down payment. Your lender can confirm your entitlement. VA also caps the loan at the appraised value or the purchase price, whichever is lower.
How much is the VA funding fee, and who doesn’t pay it?
For a home purchase, VA’s funding fee runs from 1.25% to 3.3%, depending on your down payment and whether it’s your first use of the benefit (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). It’s a one-time payment you can finance into the loan or pay in full at closing.
VA funding fee on a purchase loan, effective April 7, 2023
| Down payment | First use | After first use |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5% | 2.15% | 3.3% |
| 5% or more | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 10% or more | 1.25% | 1.25% |
In VA’s words, you won’t have to pay a VA funding fee if any of these descriptions are true for you:
- You’re receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability
- You’re eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, but you’re receiving retirement or active-duty pay instead
- You’re receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (D.I.C.) as the surviving spouse of a Veteran
- You’re a service member who has received a proposed or memorandum rating before the loan closing date that says you’re eligible to get compensation because of a pre-discharge claim
- You’re an active-duty member of the Armed Forces, and on or before your loan closing date you provide evidence that you received a Purple Heart
How does the VA appraisal work, and what if it comes in low?
An appraiser from VA’s fee panel values the home, and you get the result as a Notice of Value (NOV). VA’s 2023 report to Congress says the appraisal request on a purchase is assigned on a rotating basis. Under VA’s Lender Appraisal Processing Program, the lender’s Staff Appraisal Reviewer then issues the NOV (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). VA said the average VA appraisal took about seven business days as of May 31, 2026 (VA News).
VA’s 2023 report to Congress also describes its Tidewater process. An appraiser who expects a value below the sales price must notify the requester and allow 48 hours for the real estate agent, lender or veteran to supply evidence-based data supporting the price. If the value still falls short, the veteran may request a Reconsideration of Value after the NOV is issued.
If the NOV stays below the contract price, VA requires that the veteran have the option to walk away without forfeiting earnest money. That option is part of the VA escape clause, which the report says must be in the sales contract for all VA-guaranteed loans. Ask your lender whether any of this has changed since 2023.
VA’s 2026 property standards update
The appraisal process also covers VA’s Minimum Property Requirements, the standards a property must meet to be eligible for a VA-guaranteed home loan. VA’s 2026 updates, in effect in Chapter 12 of the revised VA Lenders Handbook, include removing the full radon gas requirement and revising standards for properties built before 1978 (VA News). Buying a home built before 1978? Ask your lender how the revised standards apply.
Don’t count on the appraisal to replace a home inspection; see our home inspection guide for Palm Beach County buyers.
Can you buy a condo with a VA loan?
Yes, in a VA-approved project. VA’s Buyer’s Guide lists buying a condo in a VA-approved project as an eligible use of a VA purchase loan (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). VA maintains a list of approved condos, and a project that isn’t on the list must be submitted to VA for review. Check the status before you make an offer.
What does Florida tax when the mortgage is recorded?
Florida charges documentary stamp tax on the mortgage: 35 cents per $100, or portion of $100, of the amount it secures, payable when it’s filed and recorded (Florida Department of Revenue). For mortgages, the department adds, “There is no cap on the amount of tax due.”
The $2,450 cap you may have heard of applies to the tax on promissory notes and other written obligations to pay money, not to the mortgage. Ask your lender or closing agent for your figure, and see our breakdown of closing costs for Florida buyers.
Which Florida property tax exemptions can veterans claim?
Depending on your disability rating and its cause, your discharge and sometimes your age, veterans may claim anything from a $5,000 exemption to a full homestead exemption under Florida Statutes ss. 196.24 and 196.081. Three of the four provisions below apply to a homestead, so start there.
The homestead exemption
A person who holds legal or beneficial title on January 1 and in good faith makes the property a permanent residence is entitled to Florida’s homestead exemption, part of which doesn’t apply to school district levies (s. 196.031, Florida Statutes). The Palm Beach County Property Appraiser adds:
- File by March 1 of the year you want the exemption.
- January 1 status sets a property’s value and exemption status for the year, so a seller’s exemption may stay on through that calendar year.
- When ownership changes or a homestead exemption is filed, the assessed value resets to market value; then up to $50,000 of homestead exemption is deducted, and the Save Our Homes 3% cap applies the following year.
So the seller’s tax bill may not reflect what you’ll owe.
Veteran exemptions to ask about
- Full exemption under s. 196.081: the homestead of a veteran honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability, certified by a U.S. government or VA letter, if the veteran is a permanent Florida resident on January 1 of the tax year (s. 196.081, Florida Statutes).
- Full exemption under s. 196.091: the homestead of an ex-servicemember honorably discharged with a service-connected total disability, with a U.S. government or VA certificate that they receive or have received special pecuniary assistance for a disability requiring specially adapted housing and must use a wheelchair for transportation (s. 196.091, Florida Statutes).
- A discount at 65 or older under s. 196.082: for a veteran 65 or older who is partially or totally permanently disabled, a discount on the tax on the homestead they own and live in, if the disability was combat-related and they were honorably discharged. The discount equals their permanent, service-connected disability percentage as determined by VA (s. 196.082, Florida Statutes).
- A $5,000 exemption under s. 196.24: for a bona fide Florida resident ex-servicemember discharged under honorable conditions and disabled 10% or more “by misfortune or while serving during a period of wartime service,” so the disability doesn’t have to be service-connected (s. 196.24, Florida Statutes). An unremarried surviving spouse also qualifies.
Confirm which, if any, fits your case with the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser before you budget on it.
A proposed change on the November 2026 ballot
A proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot would, if voters approve it, set the homestead exemption for non-school levies at up to $150,000 of assessed value beginning January 1, 2027, and up to $250,000 beginning January 1, 2028. School district levies would stay at up to $25,000 (CS/HJR 1F, The Florida Senate). Owners who had not maintained a permanent residence in Florida as of December 31, 2026 would start at up to $50,000 for non-school levies, moving to the higher amount beginning with the fifth year of exemption. It isn’t law unless voters approve it; ask the Property Appraiser after the election.
Planning a VA purchase in Palm Beach County?
Talk to us before you make an offer. Cibie Cahur has closed VA-financed purchases against competing offers in Palm Beach County. From 2017 to 2024, Keller Williams recognized her as being in the top 1% of all agents, based on county sales statistics, and HomeLight named her a Top Negotiator from 2021 to 2024.
If you’d like help with a VA purchase in Palm Beach or Martin County, contact us. A consultation is free, with no obligation.
Call or text 561-401-5758 · The Cahur Group, Keller Williams Jupiter
Frequently asked questions
Is there a VA loan limit in Palm Beach County in 2026?
Not with full entitlement, as long as you can afford the loan and the appraisal supports the price. Without it, VA bases your remaining bonus entitlement on the county loan limit, which matches FHFA’s: $832,750 for a one-unit home in Palm Beach and Martin counties in 2026.
Do I have to pay the VA funding fee?
Not if a VA exemption applies, such as receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability. Otherwise, under rates effective April 7, 2023, a first-use purchase loan carries a 2.15% fee with less than 5% down, or 1.25% with 10% or more down.
Do disabled veterans pay property tax in Palm Beach County?
Some don’t. Florida exempts the homestead of a veteran honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability, certified by the U.S. government or VA, if the veteran is a permanent Florida resident on January 1 of the tax year (s. 196.081). Others may qualify for a $5,000 exemption or a discount. Confirm your case with the Property Appraiser.
The short version
A VA purchase here runs on federal rules with a Florida layer on top. Before you make an offer, sort out your COE, entitlement, funding-fee status and any condo approval. Then write the offer with the VA escape clause, book an inspection, and after closing, file for homestead by March 1 of the year you want it.
Rules and figures come from the sources cited inline and can change. This is general information, not legal, tax or lending advice; confirm your case with your lender, the property appraiser and a tax professional or real estate attorney.
