source:
  type: guide
  id: va-m26-7-ch01-t02
  authority: VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 1, Topic 2 — Before a
    Lender Starts Making Loans
  description: VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 1, Topic 2 — Before
    a Lender Starts Making Loans.
  coverage_tier: operative
obligations:
- id: va-m26-7-ch01-t02-full
  canonical_id: va-m26-7-ch01-t02-full
  section: VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 1, Topic 2 — Before a Lender
    Starts Making Loans
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - va
  - va-handbook
  - corpus-expansion
  - tier-operative
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: VA Lenders Handbook (VA Pamphlet 26-7), Chapter 1, Topic 2 — Before
      a Lender Starts Making Loans
    source_class: va-handbook
    source_url: https://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/pam26_7.asp
    snapshot_id: b4bc25cdd49513a7
    fetched_at: '2026-05-23T01:53:52Z'
    content_hash: sha256:2516e061c3a90ce65e72b43ae4022a97e784d65ec7580998c523b5dc69ba6520
    paragraph_quote: '2. Before a Lender Starts Making Loans Change Date February
      1, 2019 • This chapter has been revised in its entirety. a. Sending the Initial
      Information Package to VA This section applies to all lenders (supervised, non-supervised
      automatic, and prior approval). First-time VA lenders must send the certain
      information to the VA Regional Loan Center (RLC) or the Honolulu Regional Office
      according to jurisdiction. A complete list may be found at: http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/contact_rlc_info.asp.
      The information that should be sent includes: • specimen signatures of all officers,
      underwriters, or other personnel authorized to sign documents related to VA-guaranteed
      loan activities, • VA Form 26-8812, VA Equal Opportunity Lender Certification,
      and • a letter identifying the lender’s corporate address, the lender’s owners,
      any lending personnel or officers that VA or HUD ever debarred or took other
      adverse action against, and a list of all the lender’s branch offices that are
      involved in VA mortgage lending. In addition, VA may, at its discretion, order
      a credit report on a lender and/or interview principal officers. Continued on
      next page VA Pamphlet 26-7, Revised Chapter 1: Lender Approval Guidelines 1-7
      2. Before a Lender Starts Making Loans, continued b. What Happens Next? The
      VA RLC of jurisdiction will provide information to the lender, including training
      on VA loan processing, and a VA ID number to use for all VA lending transactions
      and documents as an identifier of the lender. The lender may download a copy
      of this VA Pamphlet 26-7, Lender’s Handbook, at http://www.warms.vba.va.gov/pam26_7.html.
      To receive new lender information from the VA, including updates to this manual,
      the lender will need to sign up for GovDelivery at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USVAVBA/subscriber/new?preferen
      ces=true. The VA RLC of jurisdiction will serve as the lender’s primary contact
      point with VA. Please direct all technical questions, requests for training,
      or requests for VA publications and materials to that office. As soon as a lender
      becomes familiar with the laws, regulations, and procedures pertaining to VA-guaranteed
      loans, it may begin making VA loans. A non-supervised lender must submit all
      loans except certain IRRRLs to VA for prior approval, unless the lender applies
      for, and receives, specific authority from VA to close loans on the automatic
      basis. A lender supervised by one of the Federal entities described in Topic
      3 of this chapter can begin closing loans on the automatic basis immediately.
      A lender that must submit a request to VA for recognition as supervised must
      submit all loans except certain IRRRLs to VA for prior approval until it receives
      recognition as supervised. See Topic 3 of this chapter for more information.
      VA Pamphlet 26-7, Revised Chapter 1: Lender Approval Guidelines 1-8'
  judgment: false
