How long do I have to wait before taking cash out (seasoning periods)?
How long you have to wait depends on your situation: if you're refinancing an existing VA loan into a new VA cash-out loan, you generally have to wait until the later of two dates, 210 days after your first payment was due or after you've made 6 consecutive monthly payments, while other cash-out situations, like paying off a non-VA loan, don't follow this same clock, and individual lenders can add their own waiting-period rules on top, including for a recent late payment.
Last updated July 22, 2026What is a seasoning period, and why does cash-out refinancing have one?
A seasoning period is simply a minimum amount of time that has to pass, or a minimum number of payments that have to be made, before you're allowed to take a certain loan action. For cash-out refinances, seasoning rules exist mainly to slow down repeated, rapid refinancing of the same property. The specific length and structure of the rule depends on the type of loan you currently have and the type of loan you're refinancing into.
How long is the seasoning period for a VA-to-VA cash-out refinance?
If you already have a VA-guaranteed loan and you're refinancing it into a new VA cash-out loan, the new loan's first payment date has to fall no earlier than the later of these two points:
- 210 days after the due date of the first monthly payment on the loan being refinanced, or
- After 6 consecutive monthly payments have been made on that loan
Whichever of these two happens later is the one that controls. This is a loan-age test set by federal law and VA guidance, and it applies the same way regardless of whether all your past payments were on time.
Does refinancing a non-VA loan into a VA cash-out loan follow the same rule?
Not exactly. The 210-day and 6-payment test described above is specific to refinancing an existing VA loan into a new VA cash-out loan. When a cash-out refinance instead pays off a different kind of loan, such as a conventional or FHA loan, a separate set of VA rules applies, and there generally isn't a VA-mandated seasoning period tied to how long you held that prior non-VA loan.
Does a recent late payment affect when I can do a cash-out refinance?
There's no VA rule that sets a specific number of allowed late payments or a fixed lookback period tied to payment history before a cash-out refinance is allowed. Some lenders commonly apply their own payment-history overlay, such as wanting to see no more than one late payment in roughly the past year, as part of their own risk underwriting rather than as a VA requirement. Because this comes from individual lender policy rather than a published rule, it can vary from one lender to the next and can change over time.
It depends on your situation
- You currently have a VA loan and want a new VA cash-out loan. The 210-day/6-payment test applies, and it applies regardless of your payment history.
- You currently have a conventional or FHA loan and want a VA cash-out loan. This VA-to-VA seasoning clock doesn't apply the same way; a different set of VA rules governs this type of refinance instead.
- You've had a late payment recently. There's no VA-published waiting period for this. Whether and how long you might need to wait depends on the individual lender's own underwriting overlay, so this can vary depending on your situation.
| VA loan refinanced into a new VA cash-out loan | Wait until the later of 210 days after the first payment due date, or 6 consecutive monthly payments made |
|---|---|
| Non-VA loan (conventional, FHA) refinanced into a VA cash-out loan | Different VA rules apply; no VA-mandated seasoning tied to the prior non-VA loan |
| Recent late mortgage payment | No published VA rule; any waiting period is set by the individual lender's own policy |
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Sources
- https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/documents/circulars/26_20_16_exhibita.pdf
- https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-types/cash-out-loan/
- https://www.thefederalsavingsbank.com/Blog/veterans-affairs-va-cash-out-refinance-after-forbearance-or-late-payments-whats-possible/
Educational information only, not individualized financial or legal advice. Program details and rates change; verify current terms with a licensed loan officer before making a decision.