VA Form 26-8261a at a glance
What it is: VA Form 26-8261a, Request for Certificate of Veteran Status, provides information that is used in determining whether VA can issue a Certificate of Veteran Status.
Where and when to file: Mail this completed form, along with proof of service, to the Regional Loan Center of Jurisdiction.
A Certificate of Veteran Status may be furnished to a lender when applying for a HUD-insured loan.
A filled-in VA Form 26-8261a example: a veteran requests a Certificate of Veteran Status
How to fill out VA Form 26-8261a, box by box
1. NAME, 2. ADDRESS and 3. DATE OF BIRTH of veteran
Enter 1. NAME (Last, First, Middle) OF VETERAN, 2. ADDRESS OF VETERAN (Number, Street, City, State, and ZIP Code) and 3. DATE OF BIRTH (MM/DD/YYYY).
Item 4: period of active service on lines 4A and 4B
Begin on line 4A and enter your latest period of service followed by preceding service, if any, on line 4B, continuing on reverse if necessary.
Show your name exactly as it appears on your discharge papers for each period of service.
Enter the SERVICE NUMBER OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, the BRANCH OF SERVICE and the DATE (MM/DD/YYYY) FROM and TO.
Item 5: VA claim number
Enter your VA CLAIM NUMBER in Item 5.
Items 6A and 6B
If upon your release from the latest period of active military duty, you received DD Form 214, NAVPERS Form 553, or similar form or form letter in lieu of a discharge, complete Items 6A and 6B.
6A. ARE YOU NOW ON ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY? Mark YES or NO.
6B. WERE YOU ON ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE DATE OF SEPARATION INDICATED IN THE PAPERS SUBMITTED? Mark YES or NO.
7. SIGNATURE OF VETERAN and 8. DATE
Sign 7. SIGNATURE OF VETERAN under: I CERTIFY THAT the statements herein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Enter 8. DATE (MM/DD/YYYY).
Items 9 and 10, and the complete mailing address in Item 11
If the Certificate is to be sent to the veteran, the complete mailing address should be shown in Item 11. If it is desired that the certificate be sent to other than the veteran, the name and address of such person or firm should be shown in Item 11. Items 9 and 10 need be completed only when the certificate is being sent to other than the veteran.
Items 9 and 10 need be completed only when the certificate is being sent to other than the veteran: enter the NAME OF VETERAN in Item 9A, the SERVICE NUMBER/SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OF VETERAN in Item 9B and the FILE REFERENCE in Item 10.
More rules for VA Form 26-8261a
Read carefully before completing form. Use typewriter or print legibly. Complete all applicable items.
Attach to this request all your discharge or separation papers from the periods of active service in the Armed Forces of the U.S. listed in Item 4.
If you lack proper discharge or separation papers, any Veterans Service Representative will assist you in procuring such papers. If you are in doubt regarding the proper documents to be submitted with this request, you should contact the nearest VA Office for that information.
The discharge or separation papers returned herewith will not be required again unless requested.
On Page 2 of VA Form 26-8261a, JUN 2026: if you live in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Atlanta Regional Loan Center P.O. Box 100023 Decatur, GA 30031-7023.
If you live in Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Cleveland Regional Loan Center 1240 East Ninth Street Cleveland, OH 44199.
If you live in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Denver Regional Loan Center Box 25126 Denver, CO 80225.
If you live in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs VA Regional Office Loan Guaranty Division (26) 459 Patterson Road Honolulu, HI 96819.
If you live in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Houston Regional Loan Center 6900 Almeda Road Houston, TX 77030-4200.
If you live in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Phoenix Regional Loan Center 3333 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85012-2402.
If you live in District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs Roanoke Regional Loan Center 210 Franklin Road, S.W. Roanoke, VA 24011.
If you live in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs St. Paul Regional Loan Center 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling St. Paul, MN 55111-4050.
If you live in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, please send your completed application to Department of Veterans Affairs St. Petersburg Regional Loan Center 9500 Bay Pines Blvd. St. Petersburg, FL 33744.
Common questions about VA Form 26-8261a
Where do I file it?
Mail this completed form, along with proof of service, to the Regional Loan Center of Jurisdiction.
Sources
[1] VA Form 26-8261a (JUN 2026), Request for Certificate of Veteran Status, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the Official source link on this page).
