Virginia Unemployment Calculator
Figure basis: Official Virginia Employment CommissionThis calculator estimates your Virginia unemployment insurance (UI) weekly benefit for 2026. Enter your usual gross weekly pay to see an estimated weekly benefit, alongside the official Virginia minimum ($160) and maximum ($478) weekly benefit amounts and the 12 to 26 weeks of benefits payable. The weekly amount is an estimate: it uses about 50% wage replacement (which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule) and is capped at the state minimum and maximum. Your state agency sets the exact figure from your base-period wage history, and eligibility rules apply. The minimum, maximum, and number of weeks are the official 2026 figures, sourced from Virginia Employment Commission.
In Virginia, the weekly unemployment benefit ranges from $160 to $478, payable for 12 to 26 weeks (up to $12,428 in total). On $1,000 a week, the estimated benefit is about $478.00 per week.
How Virginia unemployment benefits work
Virginia pays a weekly benefit amount (WBA) based on your earnings during the base period (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters). The WBA is subject to a state minimum of $160 and a maximum of $478, and is payable for 12 to 26 weeks.
estimated weekly benefit = min(max(weekly wage x 50%, $160), $478)
estimated maximum total = estimated weekly benefit x 26 weeks
The 50% figure is an approximation of the common state formula; your state agency sets the exact WBA from your wage records.
Virginia unemployment figures (2026)
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum weekly benefit | $160 | Virginia Employment Commission |
| Maximum weekly benefit | $478 | Virginia Employment Commission |
| Weeks payable | 12 to 26 weeks | Virginia Employment Commission |
Editor's insight: Virginia's 2026 benefit increase
Virginia just made the most consequential change to its unemployment program in years. Under HB1320 and SB759, the maximum weekly benefit rises to $478 and the minimum to $160 for new claims filed on or after July 5, 2026, lifting a ceiling that had been frozen at a level long counted among the lowest in the country. If you filed before that date, your existing claim keeps the older, lower figures, so the effective date matters a great deal here.
Virginia pays for 12 to 26 weeks, with the exact number tied to your base-period wages and, in some conditions, the statewide unemployment rate. The state calculates your weekly amount from your two highest base-period quarters, then applies the $160 to $478 band. This tool estimates roughly half of your usual gross pay and clamps it to that band, which is a useful planning figure but not your official monetary determination.
Because the increase is so recent, this is exactly the kind of number that stale calculators elsewhere still get wrong, quoting the old maximum months after the law changed. Confirm the effective date on your own claim, note that benefits are federally taxable and reported on a 1099-G, and file promptly: the weekly benefit is set from the base period in force when you file, so timing can shift both your amount and your maximum weeks.
Virginia unemployment: frequently asked questions
What is the maximum unemployment benefit in Virginia for 2026?
The maximum weekly benefit amount in Virginia is $478 for 2026. The minimum is $160. Over the maximum 26 weeks, that is up to $12,428 in total benefits.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Virginia?
Virginia pays benefits for 12 to 26 weeks; the exact number depends on your base-period wages and, in some states, the state unemployment rate.
How much unemployment will I get in Virginia?
Your weekly benefit is roughly half your usual gross weekly pay, subject to the Virginia minimum of $160 and maximum of $478. For example, on $1,000 a week the estimate is about $478.00. This is an estimate; Virginia sets your exact amount from your base-period wage history.
Is this the exact unemployment amount I will receive?
No. The minimum, maximum, and weeks shown are the official 2026 figures, but the weekly amount here is an estimate (about 50% wage replacement, which matches the common "one twenty-sixth of high-quarter wages" rule). Your state agency computes the exact figure from your reported wages, and eligibility rules apply.
Official sources
- Virginia unemployment weekly benefit and duration (tax year 2026): Virginia Employment Commission, as at Jul 15, 2026.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 July 2026. See our methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice; file your claim with your state agency.