Items 1 to 3: the Veteran
Name of the Veteran, the Veteran's address and date of birth.
26-8261a
Request for Certificate of Veteran Status
- Agency
- VA
- Revision
- June 2026
- Fillable fields
- 29
- Pages
- 2
- Official source
- VA form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
VA Form 26-8261a: Request for Certificate of Veteran Status
VA Form 26-8261a is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Request for Certificate of Veteran Status. VA's form page lists it under housing assistance. In the request, the Veteran asks for a Certificate of Veteran Status to furnish to a lender when applying for a HUD-insured loan under section 203(b)(2) or 220(d)(a) of the National Housing Act, as amended. The Privacy Act notice says the certificate may be beneficial when obtaining a FHA insured loan.
The form is two pages. Page 1 holds the Veteran's details, military service data, active duty questions, the certification and signature, and a transmittal section that says where VA sends the certificate. Page 2 lists the Regional Loan Center for each state and territory.
You can fill out the PDF free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
What's on VA Form 26-8261a
Item 4: periods of active service
Dates from and to, the name exactly as it appears on the discharge papers for each period, the service number or Social Security number and the branch of service, latest period first.
Items 5 to 6B: claim number and active duty
The VA claim number, whether the Veteran is now on active military duty, and whether the Veteran was on active duty on the day after the separation date in the papers submitted.
Items 7 and 8: certification
A certification that the statements are true to the best of the Veteran's knowledge and belief, the signature of the Veteran and the date.
Items 9 to 11: transmittal
A Transmittal of Certificate of Veteran Status marked Do Not Detach, with the Veteran's name, service number or Social Security number, a file reference and the Return To address.
Page 2: Regional Loan Centers
A table of where to send the completed application, by state and territory.
How to file VA Form 26-8261a
- 1
Read the instructions
The form says to read carefully before completing it, use a typewriter or print legibly, and complete all applicable items.
- 2
Fill in your details and service
Complete Items 1 to 5. In Item 4, begin on line 4A with the latest period of service, then any earlier service on line 4B, continuing on the reverse if needed.
- 3
Answer Items 6A and 6B if they apply
The note ties these questions to release from the latest period of active duty with a DD Form 214, NAVPERS Form 553 or similar form.
- 4
Sign and date it
Sign Item 7 and enter the date in Item 8.
- 5
Complete the transmittal
Show the complete mailing address in Item 11. Items 9 and 10 are completed only when the certificate is being sent to someone other than the Veteran.
- 6
Attach papers and mail it
Attach all discharge or separation papers from the periods of service in Item 4 and mail the form with proof of service to the Regional Loan Center of jurisdiction.
Why fill Form 26-8261a on indox
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
- Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
- Free to fill and free to download, with no account
- The official blank straight from the VA, not a copy someone retyped
- Works on a phone, tablet or computer
Where to send it
Regional Loan Center of jurisdiction
The form says to mail it, along with proof of service, to the Regional Loan Center of jurisdiction. Page 2 lists the center by where you live, and each address there begins with Department of Veterans Affairs.
Atlanta, Cleveland and Roanoke
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee: Atlanta Regional Loan Center, P.O. Box 100023, Decatur, GA 30031-7023. Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont: Cleveland Regional Loan Center, 1240 East Ninth Street, Cleveland, OH 44199. District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia: Roanoke Regional Loan Center, 210 Franklin Road, S.W., Roanoke, VA 24011.
St. Petersburg, Houston and St. Paul
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Petersburg Regional Loan Center, 9500 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33744. Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas: Houston Regional Loan Center, 6900 Almeda Road, Houston, TX 77030-4200. Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin: St. Paul Regional Loan Center, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling, St. Paul, MN 55111-4050.
Denver, Phoenix and Honolulu
Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming: Denver Regional Loan Center, Box 25126, Denver, CO 80225. Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada: Phoenix Regional Loan Center, 3333 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85012-2402. Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas: VA Regional Office, Loan Guaranty Division (26), 459 Patterson Road, Honolulu, HI 96819.
Not by email
The form gives [email protected] only for comments on the burden estimate and says not to send the completed VA Form 26-8261a to that address.
Edition
The form is dated JUN 2026 and supersedes VA Form 26-8261a, FEB 2023, which will not be used. It carries OMB Control No. 2900-0745, which expires 06/30/2029.
Related forms
26-1880
Request for a Certificate of Eligibility
61 fields, 4 pages
26-1817
Request for Determination of Loan Guaranty Eligibility—Unmarried Surviving Spouses
32 fields, 2 pages
26-8937
Verification of VA Benefits
27 fields, 1 page
26-8497
Request for Verification of Employment
62 fields, 1 page
26-8497a
Request for Verification of Deposit
69 fields, 1 page
Who uses VA Form 26-8261a?
The form's instructions describe who completes it, who helps and where the certificate goes.
Official sources and the blank
Do it all with indox
No tool matches that search.
Questions about Form 26-8261a
What is a Certificate of Veteran Status used for?
The request says the Veteran may furnish it to a lender when applying for a HUD-insured loan under section 203(b)(2) or 220(d)(a) of the National Housing Act, as amended.
What do I attach to VA Form 26-8261a?
The instructions say to attach all discharge or separation papers from the periods of active service in the Armed Forces of the U.S. listed in Item 4, and to mail the form with proof of service.
What if I don't have my discharge papers?
The instructions say any Veterans Service Representative will assist in procuring them, and to contact the nearest VA Office if in doubt about which documents to submit.
Where do I mail VA Form 26-8261a?
To the Regional Loan Center of jurisdiction. Page 2 of the form lists the center and its address for each state and territory.
Can the certificate be sent to my lender?
Yes. The instructions say to show the name and address of the person or firm in Item 11 and complete Items 9 and 10 when the certificate is being sent to someone other than the Veteran.
Will my discharge papers come back?
The transmittal lists discharge or separation papers as an enclosure and says the papers returned with it will not be required again unless requested.
Is the February 2023 edition still valid?
No. The June 2026 form says it supersedes VA Form 26-8261a, FEB 2023, which will not be used.