VA Home Loans in North Carolina
Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson, Cherry Point and New River: North Carolina is home to more than 600,000 veterans and one of the largest active-duty populations in the country. A VA loan is still one of the most valuable benefits most of them can use: nothing down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and a North Carolina-licensed lender who closes VA loans every week.
North Carolina Mortgage Lender License L-205335. NMLS #1925352.
VA in North Carolina, 2026
Down payment
$0 with full entitlement
Loan limit
None with full entitlement
Funding fee, first use
2.15% with less than 5% down; exempt if you receive VA disability compensation
Property tax
$45,000 of appraised value excluded at 100% P&T
Closing
North Carolina attorney, as the State Bar requires
$0
Down payment with full entitlement
0.5%
Funding fee on an IRRRL streamline
100
North Carolina counties, licensed statewide
4.9
Average of 5,300+ Google reviews
Why a VA loan is the right first question for a North Carolina veteran.
Fayetteville, Jacksonville, Goldsboro and Havelock are military towns where homes change hands between service members every few years, and Charlotte and the Triangle have large veteran populations of their own. A VA loan lets them buy with nothing down and no monthly mortgage insurance, at a rate that is usually competitive with conventional pricing, on a home anywhere from a Fayetteville starter to a $700,000 house in Cary, because there is no loan limit with full entitlement.
North Carolina adds its own layers. The closing is conducted by a North Carolina attorney. The state’s contract has a due diligence period, so the VA appraisal has to be ordered on day one. The VA requires a wood-destroying insect inspection on North Carolina homes. And after closing, a veteran rated 100 percent permanent and total can exclude $45,000 of the home’s appraised value from property tax, an amount the General Assembly has voted to raise in stages, so the figure is worth checking with the county the year you buy.
This page covers the VA program as it works in North Carolina. For the state as a whole, see our North Carolina page; for the benefit itself, the funding fee and eligibility in depth, see the VA hub. If you are comparing, FHA in North Carolina is the usual alternative, and for a veteran it is often the more expensive one.
Three ways to use the benefit in North Carolina.
Buying, dropping the rate on a VA loan you already have, or pulling equity out. The funding fee differs for each, and every one closes through a North Carolina attorney.
Buying
VA purchase
Nothing down with full entitlement and no loan limit. The funding fee is 2.15 percent on first use or 3.3 percent after, financed into the loan and waived for veterans receiving disability compensation. Sellers can pay your closing costs, including the attorney fee, and may pay the funding fee and prepaids as concessions, which the VA caps at 4 percent of the loan.
Lower payment
VA IRRRL streamline
Replace a VA loan with a lower rate, usually with no appraisal and no income verification, for a 0.5 percent funding fee. North Carolina charges no tax on the new mortgage, so the attorney’s fee and the lender’s costs are the whole bill, which can shorten the break-even.
Use equity
VA cash-out refinance
Replace any loan, VA or not, with a VA loan for up to 100 percent of the value under VA rules, though most lenders cap it at 90. North Carolina veterans use it to clear debt, renovate, or move from an FHA loan and drop the mortgage insurance for good.
The funding fee, and what applies in North Carolina.
The fee is set by federal law and fixed through November 2031. The last column is what a North Carolina veteran should know about each row.
| Your situation | First use | Subsequent use | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|
| No down payment | 2.15% of the loan | 3.3% of the loan | The seller can pay the attorney fee as a closing cost; the funding fee and prepaids count as concessions, capped at 4% of the loan |
| 5% to 9.99% down | 1.5% | 1.5% | No state mortgage tax to reduce; a down payment only lowers the funding fee and the payment |
| 10% or more down | 1.25% | 1.25% | Rarely worth it; VA charges no mortgage insurance and the state charges no mortgage tax |
| IRRRL streamline refinance | 0.5% | 0.5% | No tax on the new loan; the closing attorney’s fee is the main cost |
| Exempt | Receiving VA disability compensation, or eligible and taking retirement pay instead; Purple Heart recipients on active duty; surviving spouses receiving DIC | Same | The same rating that waives the fee qualifies a 100% P&T veteran for the North Carolina homestead exclusion after closing |
Lenders set credit and income rules; the VA sets none. Most want a 580 to 620 score and residual income after the payment. North Carolina property taxes, due September 1, and any HOA dues go into that payment.
North Carolina’s property tax exclusion for disabled veterans.
A veteran discharged under honorable conditions with a 100 percent permanent and total service-connected rating, or who receives VA specially adapted housing benefits, can exclude the first $45,000 of the home’s appraised value from property tax under the Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion. There is no income or age test, and an unmarried surviving spouse keeps it. Confirm the current figure with your county tax office the year you buy.
You apply once with the county tax office on form NCDVA-9, certified by a North Carolina veterans service officer. We estimate your escrow with the exclusion you qualify for, so the payment you are approved on is the one you will actually pay, and the same rating usually waives the VA funding fee.
Fayetteville to the Outer Banks
VA loans closed at a North Carolina attorney’s office near you, wherever in the state the home is.
Six North Carolina details on a VA file.
The VA rules are national. These are the parts that are particular to North Carolina.
01
Attorney closing
The State Bar requires a North Carolina attorney to search the title, prepare the deed and disburse the funds. You choose the attorney and pay the fee, unless the seller pays it, which the VA allows for ordinary closing costs.
02
Due diligence period
Your right to walk away for any reason ends on the due diligence date, so the VA appraisal and the termite inspection are ordered the day the contract is signed.
03
Termite inspection
The VA requires a wood-destroying insect inspection on homes in North Carolina, with any active infestation or damage treated before closing. The seller often pays for the inspection, and either party can pay for treatment by agreement.
04
Homestead exclusion
For veterans rated 100 percent permanent and total: $45,000 of appraised value excluded from property tax. Apply with the county tax office after closing.
05
Condos need VA approval
A condo must be on the VA’s approved list before you can use the benefit on it. Most established buildings in Charlotte and Raleigh are; we confirm before you offer.
06
Buying near base
Homes around Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson, Cherry Point and New River change hands often between service members, and lenders and appraisers there see VA loans every day. The funding fee is charged once per loan, not per move.
What would a VA payment be in North Carolina?
Choose VA as the loan type and set the down payment to zero. The mortgage insurance line stays at zero, which no other loan can match; add your county tax rate and insurance to see the whole payment.
The U.S. VA market right now.
National average rates from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database: the Freddie Mac survey for conventional and the Optimal Blue indices for FHA and VA, shown as third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros pricing. VA loans often price competitively against conventional loans, depending on the borrower, lender and market, and there is no monthly mortgage insurance in the payment, so compare the whole payment rather than the rate alone.
VA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.09%
Conventional 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.40%
FHA 30-year fixed, U.S. average
7.18%
Sources: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (conventional, 30-year national average, week of Oct 8, 2026) and Optimal Blue Mortgage Market Indices (FHA and VA, 30-year national averages as of Oct 8, 2026), distributed through FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; the figures and dates refresh automatically from the source. These are third-party market benchmarks, not MortgagePros rates and not an offer of credit. Your rate and APR depend on your credit, loan type, property and lock date. MortgagePros is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.
How a VA loan works with us in North Carolina.
Four steps, one licensed pro who closes VA loans every week, and a closing at a North Carolina attorney’s office near you.
1
Eligibility and the COE
We pull your Certificate of Eligibility, confirm your entitlement, and check whether you are exempt from the funding fee and qualify for the homestead exclusion.
2
Pre-approval with real numbers
Income, credit and residual income verified, with North Carolina taxes, insurance and HOA dues already in the estimate.
3
Beat the due diligence clock
VA appraisal and termite inspection ordered on day one, condo approval confirmed, conditions cleared inside the period.
4
Close with your attorney
Signing happens at a North Carolina closing attorney’s office near you. We coordinate the closing package and the wire; the funding fee, if any, is on the statement exactly as quoted.
Ready to use your VA benefit in North Carolina?
A licensed pro confirms your eligibility, your funding fee and any exclusion, and quotes your rate with the attorney fee, taxes and insurance in the numbers. Free, and it starts without a hard credit pull.
VA in North Carolina, answered.
The questions North Carolina veterans ask us most. If yours is not here, a licensed pro will answer it directly, with no obligation.
Is there a VA loan limit in North Carolina?
Not if you have full entitlement: the VA guarantees a quarter of any loan amount a lender will approve, so a $750,000 home in Cary or south Charlotte can be financed with nothing down. If part of your entitlement is tied up in another home you still own, the county conforming limit of $832,750 applies to the remainder and a down payment may be needed; we work it out from your Certificate of Eligibility.
How much is the funding fee, and can I avoid it?
2.15 percent of the loan on first use with nothing down, 3.3 percent on later uses, 1.5 percent with 5 percent down and 1.25 percent with 10 percent down; 0.5 percent on an IRRRL. It is waived if you receive VA disability compensation, are eligible for it but take retirement pay instead, received a Purple Heart on active duty, or are a surviving spouse receiving DIC. It is usually financed into the loan.
What property tax break do disabled veterans get in North Carolina?
The Disabled Veteran Homestead Exclusion removes the first $45,000 of your home’s appraised value from property tax if you are rated 100 percent permanent and total, or receive VA specially adapted housing benefits, and were discharged under honorable conditions. There is no income or age test, and an unmarried surviving spouse keeps it. The General Assembly has scheduled increases beginning in 2026; your county tax office has the current figure. Apply on form NCDVA-9, certified by a veterans service officer.
Does the VA require a termite inspection in North Carolina?
Yes. North Carolina is one of the states where the VA requires a wood-destroying insect inspection on the home, with any active infestation or damage treated before closing. The seller often pays for the inspection, and the VA now allows the buyer to pay for it as well.
How does the due diligence period affect a VA loan?
Your right to walk away for any reason, losing only the due diligence fee, ends on the date in the contract. The VA appraisal takes about the same time as any other, so we order it and the termite inspection the day the contract is signed, and we aim to clear underwriting conditions before the period ends so you decide with the facts.
Do I have to come to Michigan?
No. Your licensed pro handles everything by phone, email and e-signature, pulls your Certificate of Eligibility for you, and the closing happens in North Carolina at your attorney’s office, as the State Bar requires.
Talk to a North Carolina-licensed pro about VA loans.
Tell us what you are looking to do and where in North Carolina. A licensed pro will call back, usually the same business day. Asking does not start a loan or require a hard credit pull.
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248-416-1361
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North Carolina Mortgage Lender License L-205335. NMLS #1925352. Rated 4.9 across 5,300+ Google reviews.