No. Florida abolished common law marriage in 1968 (Florida Statute §741.211). No matter how long you’ve been together, Florida does not treat an unmarried couple as legally married — and the VA recognizes marriage under the law of the state where you reside or where you were married. If you’re in Florida and want a full spousal VA loan, you need a legal marriage license. One exception: if you validly established a common law marriage in a state that recognizes it before moving to Florida, Florida and the VA will honor that marriage.

Yes — but it’s classified as a “joint VA loan,” not a standard VA purchase. The key tradeoffs are: (1) VA only guarantees the veteran’s portion of the loan, so the lender typically requires a down payment on the non-veteran’s portion, (2) not all VA lenders offer joint loans — you need to find one that does, and (3) both borrowers must intend to occupy the property as their primary residence. Their income can help you qualify for more, but the zero-down benefit is reduced or eliminated.

Not in the way most people expect. VA lenders (and virtually all lenders) use the lowest middle credit score among all borrowers on the loan to set the qualifying rate and terms. If your partner has a 720 and you have a 640, the lender qualifies the file using your 640 — even if she’s on the loan. Adding her helps on the income side (more qualifying income = larger loan), but doesn’t pull your credit score up. If your credit is significantly lower, it may actually be smarter to apply solo and just use your income, then add her to the title after closing.

There are meaningful risks that often go undiscussed. First, if the relationship ends and the non-veteran partner keeps the home, the veteran’s VA entitlement remains tied up until the loan is paid off, refinanced into a non-VA product, or the home is sold. That can block the veteran from using VA benefits again for years. Second, Florida does not give automatic property rights to unmarried partners — ownership follows title, not the relationship. Third, a joint VA loan creates joint liability — if one person stops paying, the other must cover the full payment. Every unmarried couple buying together should consult a real estate attorney and sign a co-ownership agreement before closing.

The VA Funding Fee is a one-time fee that helps sustain the VA loan program. For first-time VA loan users with no down payment, the fee is 2.15% of the loan amount (as of 2026). For subsequent use, it’s 3.6%. If you put 5%+ down, it drops to 1.5%; 10%+ down reduces it to 1.25%. Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 10% or greater are completely exempt from the funding fee — and this exemption can be worth thousands. Always confirm your disability rating status before closing so you don’t pay a fee you’re not required to pay.

Yes — an unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died in service or from a service-connected disability may independently qualify for VA loan benefits. This requires a separate Certificate of Eligibility (VA Form 26-1817) and qualification through the VA’s surviving spouse eligibility process. Surviving spouses who remarried after age 57 and on or after December 16, 2003 may still retain this eligibility. This is a separate and important benefit path — speak with a VA-approved lender familiar with surviving spouse files.

Yes, if you want the full zero-down benefit on the entire loan and you’re in Florida. With a legal spouse, the entire loan is VA-backed and zero-down is available on the full purchase price. With an unmarried partner, the VA only backs the veteran’s portion — and the non-veteran’s share typically requires a down payment of around 12.5% of that portion. If zero-down on the full purchase price is essential and your partner needs to be on the loan, legal marriage is the path that gets you there in Florida.