Why VA has its own rules on fees
A VA-guaranteed loan limits what the veteran can be charged. The regulation at 38 CFR 36.4313 says no charge may be made against or paid by the borrower in making the loan except those it lists, such as a lender flat charge of up to 1% of the loan amount and certain itemized fees. VA Circular 26-24-14 describes the general rule this way: VA has generally prohibited veterans from paying real estate brokerage charges, while allowing the Under Secretary for Benefits to authorize local variances (Circular 26-24-14).
For decades that worked because buyer-agent compensation was usually offered by the listing side through the MLS. After the 2024 class-action settlement involving the National Association of REALTORS®, VA’s circular addresses transactions where buyer-broker compensation cannot be set through MLS postings, and VA said the temporary measures were meant to keep veterans from being negatively affected by the settlement (VA News).
What the 2024 buyer-broker variance allows
VA announced the change on June 11, 2024 (VA News) and published it as Circular 26-24-14, effective August 10, 2024. Under the circular:
- A veteran may pay reasonable and customary amounts for buyer-broker charges.
- Buyer-broker charges are not included in the loan amount.
- The lender must consider the charges when evaluating the veteran’s liquid assets to close.
- The lender should keep the buyer-broker representation agreement in the loan file.
- A seller may still pay buyer-broker charges, and VA does not treat the seller’s payment of them as a seller concession.
Change 1 to the circular, dated August 5, 2024, added that any amount the veteran pays is recorded in section H (“Other”) of the Closing Disclosure (Circular 26-24-14, Change 1). VA’s own closing-cost page now lists “commission and fees for your real estate professional” among the costs the buyer and seller can negotiate (va.gov).
Where it stands as of September 2026
VA’s June 2024 release called these “temporary measures” and said VA looked forward to pursuing a rulemaking. The circular itself has no end date: it states it is valid until rescinded. The VA Home Loans circulars index, checked in September 2026, lists Circular 26-24-14 and its Change 1 and no circular rescinding them (benefits.va.gov circulars).
Some websites describe the rule as having been made permanent. We did not find a Federal Register final rule or VA circular saying so. Until VA publishes one, Circular 26-24-14 is the policy to cite, and your lender applies it along with any investor requirements.
The 4% seller concession cap
Separately from commissions, VA limits seller concessionsto 4% of the home’s reasonable value. VA defines concessions as anything of value added to the transaction at no additional cost to the buyer. VA’s examples (va.gov):
- A credit for the VA funding fee
- Paying off the buyer’s debt
- Prepaying the buyer’s hazard insurance
What does not count: VA says it does not limit seller credits for a loan’s closing costs, and Circular 26-24-14 says a seller’s payment of buyer-broker charges is not a concession.
Whether a specific credit is a closing cost or a concession is decided by your lender under VA’s rules. This page explains the categories; it is not a review of your contract or loan.
Who can pay what: a summary
| Cost | Seller may pay? | Veteran may pay? |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer-broker charges | Yes, not a concession | Yes, reasonable and customary, not financed |
| Normal closing costs | Yes, no VA cap | Yes, within 38 CFR 36.4313 |
| VA funding fee | Yes, counts as a concession | Yes, may be financed |
| Buyer's debt payoff, prepaid insurance | Yes, counts as a concession | n/a |
Sources: Circular 26-24-14; va.gov funding fee and closing costs; 38 CFR 36.4313.
Where VroomBrick fits
We’re a technology platform, not a brokerage, so VroomBrick is not a buyer’s agent and does not collect a buyer-broker commission. VroomBrick charges a 1% technology fee for the platform, paid by the seller at closing. You don’t pay a buyer’s agent commission. On a $400,000 home, a 1% technology fee is $4,000. If a buyer’s agent charged 3%, that would be $12,000, a difference of $8,000. Commissions are negotiable, so your number depends on what you’d have paid.
On a VA purchase, your lender and closing attorney confirm how every fee, including ours, is handled on the Closing Disclosure under VA’s rules. For state-specific VA facts, see our guides for Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina.