A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is a form of documentation that confirms your VA Home Loan eligibility to mortgage lenders. You are not required to provide a COE when applying for a VA Home Loan, however, it may ease the process to have yours on hand before starting the application process.
You can apply for your COE directly through a VA approved lender, online through the VA’s eBenefits portal or by mail with VA Form 26-1880.