Every state offers veteran benefits on top of federal VA programs — most commonly property tax exemptions, free or reduced college tuition, free hunting and fishing licenses, and hiring preference for state jobs. The tables below compare all 50 states so you can see what your state owes you, or what a move would change.
A few things are true almost everywhere: every state gives veterans hiring preference for state government jobs, and nearly every state offers free or reduced vehicle registration and license plates for disabled veterans. The big differences are in property taxes, education, and cash bonuses — that is where the tables below earn their keep.
How to read these tables
- Property tax: most full exemptions require a 100% VA disability rating (or unemployability). Partial relief often starts at lower ratings.
- Education: state tuition help for veterans or their spouses and children — separate from, and stackable with, the GI Bill.
- Hunting, fishing & parks: the disability percentage shown (like “at 50%+”) is the VA rating where the benefit kicks in.
- Standout: the benefit that makes that state different — including state cash bonuses for wartime service where they exist.
Amounts and rules change with state legislatures, so treat the tables as a starting map and confirm details on your state’s veterans site (linked in each row) before you count on a number.
Northeast & Mid-Atlantic
| State | Property tax | Education | Hunting, fishing & parks | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Up to $10,000 exempt; more if disabled | Free tuition at state schools for some veterans | Free licenses for 100% disabled; free park parking | Wartime service bonus; Veterans Legal Center |
| Delaware | School-tax exemption for veterans 65+ with 30+ years residency | Benefits for children of deceased veterans | Free licenses and annual park pass at 60%+ disabled | Veteran tax credits |
| Maine | Up to $6,000 exempt; more for disabled | Tuition waiver for dependents | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Veterans Emergency Assistance Program |
| Maryland | Exempt for 100% disabled | Scholarships for dependents | Free licenses and annual park pass for 100% disabled | Charlotte Hall Veterans Home |
| Massachusetts | Various exemptions for veterans | Tuition waiver at state schools | Free licenses for 100% disabled; free park parking | Welcome Home Bonus for recent veterans |
| New Hampshire | Town-by-town tax credits | Tuition waiver for dependents of veterans | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | No state income or sales tax |
| New Jersey | 100% exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition waiver at state schools for dependents | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Veterans Haven housing program |
| New York | Various exemptions for veterans and disabled | MERIT scholarship | Free licenses and vehicle park pass at 40%+ disabled | Wartime bonus (WWII through GWOT) |
| Pennsylvania | Exempt for 100% disabled | Educational Assistance Program for dependents | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | GWOT bonus; free transit for 100% disabled |
| Rhode Island | Exempt for 100% disabled | Benefits for dependents | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Veterans Memorial Cemetery |
| Vermont | Exemption for disabled veterans | Benefits for dependents of certain veterans | Free licenses at 50%+; free day-use parks for all veterans | Vermont Veterans Home |
South
| State | Property tax | Education | Hunting, fishing & parks | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 100% exempt for 100% disabled; partial for others | GI Dependent Scholarship for dependents | Free licenses and park entry for 100% disabled | State veteran cemeteries |
| Arkansas | Exempt for 100% disabled or unemployable | Free tuition for dependents of deceased/disabled veterans | Free licenses and park admission for 100% disabled | Military Family Relief Fund |
| Florida | Fully exempt for 100% disabled; $5,000 for all veterans | Tuition waiver at state schools for some | Free licenses and park admission for 100% disabled | No state income tax; entrepreneurship program |
| Georgia | Up to $121,812 exempt for 100% disabled (2026, indexed yearly) | HOPE Scholarship open to veterans | Free licenses and ParkPass for 100% disabled | Apply Jan 1 – Apr 1 for the exemption |
| Kentucky | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition waiver for dependents of deceased/disabled | Free licenses and camping for 100% disabled | Bonus for qualifying veterans |
| Louisiana | Up to $7,500 homestead exemption | Programs vary — check the state office | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Military family assistance programs |
| Mississippi | Exempt for 100% disabled | Scholarship for children of veterans | Free licenses for 100% disabled | State veterans home |
| North Carolina | First $45,000 of home value exempt for 100% disabled | Scholarships for dependents | Free licenses at 50%+; free parks for 100% disabled | Apply by June 1 for property tax relief |
| Oklahoma | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition waiver for dependents | Free licenses and annual park pass for disabled veterans | Veterans court programs |
| South Carolina | Exempt for 100% disabled; others available | Free tuition for dependents of certain veterans | Free licenses for 100% disabled | Military retirement pay not taxed |
| Tennessee | Tax relief for disabled veterans | HELPS scholarship for dependents | Free licenses at 30%+; free park pass for 100% disabled | No state income tax |
| Texas | Exempt for 100% disabled; partial exemptions for others | Hazlewood Act — free tuition for veterans and dependents | Free licenses at 50%+; free park pass at 60%+ | No state income tax; state veterans homes |
| Virginia | Exempt for 100% disabled | VMSDEP for dependents of deceased/disabled | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Veterans care centers |
| West Virginia | Exempt for 100% disabled | War orphans education benefit | Free licenses and parks at 60%+ disabled | State veterans home |
Midwest
| State | Property tax | Education | Hunting, fishing & parks | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Up to $5,000 exempt; full exemption at 70%+ disabled | Illinois Veteran Grant covers tuition | Free or reduced licenses; free parks for 100% disabled | GWOT bonus; MIA/POW scholarship for dependents |
| Indiana | Deductions for disabled veterans and surviving spouses | Tuition fee exemption for some | Free licenses for 100% disabled; Golden Hoosier park pass | War-service bonus; Military Family Relief Fund |
| Iowa | Up to $4,850 exempt | War Orphans Educational Aid | Free licenses for 100% disabled; reduced camping at 50%+ | War-service bonus; Veterans Trust Fund |
| Kansas | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition waiver for POW/MIA/KIA dependents | Free licenses for 100% disabled; free park pass at 30%+ | Expanded healthcare access |
| Michigan | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition grants available | Free licenses and Recreation Passport for 100% disabled | Trust Fund emergency grants |
| Minnesota | Market-value exclusion for disabled veterans | Education benefits for dependents | Free licenses and park permit for 100% disabled | Assistance Council for Veterans |
| Missouri | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition fees waived at state schools | Free licenses and parks at 60%+ disabled | Post-9/11 bonus; Show-Me Heroes jobs program |
| Nebraska | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition credit for Nebraska Guard | Free licenses and park permit for 100% disabled | Veterans homes and cemetery system |
| North Dakota | Credit for disabled veterans | Dependents education assistance | Free licenses at 50%+; free park pass for disabled veterans | GWOT bonus |
| Ohio | Exempt for 100% disabled | War Orphans Scholarship | Free licenses at 60%+; free parks for 100% disabled | GWOT bonus; G.I. Promise tuition guarantee |
| South Dakota | Exempt for 100% disabled | Tuition reduction available | Free licenses and annual park pass for 100% disabled | No state income tax |
| Wisconsin | Tax credit for veterans | Wisconsin GI Bill tuition remission | Free licenses and parks at 70%+ disabled | Veterans Trust Fund |
West
| State | Property tax | Education | Hunting, fishing & parks | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Up to $150,000 of home value exempt for disabled veterans | Free tuition at state schools for dependents | Reduced license fees; free camping for veterans | Alaska Veterans Land Program |
| Arizona | Up to $4,188 reduction for disabled veterans | Reduced tuition at state universities | Free licenses and annual park pass for 100% disabled | Veteran preference in state contracts |
| California | Up to $175,298 exempt ($262,950 low-income) for 100% disabled; indexed yearly | CalVet fee waiver at state schools | Free or reduced licenses; free day-use park pass at 50%+ | CalVet home loans; dependent fee waivers |
| Colorado | 50% exemption for 100% disabled homeowners | Tuition assistance for dependents | Free licenses and Centennial park pass at 60%+ | A veterans service officer in every county |
| Hawaii | Exempt for 100% disabled homeowners | Reduced UH tuition for some veterans | Reduced park fees for disabled veterans | State veterans cemetery |
| Idaho | Up to $1,500 reduction for disabled veterans | Reduced tuition for dependents of disabled/deceased | Free ($2 for others) licenses; free park pass for 100% disabled | Idaho Veterans Network |
| Montana | Reduced for disabled veterans | Fee waiver for combat veterans | Free licenses and park pass for 100% disabled | Preference in state employment |
| Nevada | Tax abatement for veterans | Benefits for dependents of disabled veterans | Free or reduced licenses; free parks for 100% disabled | No state income tax |
| New Mexico | Exempt for 100% disabled | Vietnam veterans scholarship | Free licenses and parks for 100% disabled | Military retirement pay not taxed |
| Oregon | Exempt at 40%+ disabled | Tuition waiver for dependents of disabled/deceased | Free licenses at 25%+; free camping for 100% disabled | Veteran-owned business preference |
| Utah | Exempt for 100% disabled | Purple Heart scholarship for dependents | Free licenses and annual park pass at 50%+ | Veterans in Piping trade training |
| Washington | Exempt at 80%+ disabled | Tuition waiver for certain dependents | Free licenses at 30%+; free Discover Pass for 100% disabled | No state income tax |
| Wyoming | Exempt for 100% disabled | Veteran benefits at state schools | Free licenses for 100% disabled; reduced park fees | No state income tax |
States that pay a cash bonus for wartime service
A handful of states still pay one-time bonuses to veterans of certain conflicts: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Eligibility usually depends on your service era and residency when you served — your state veterans site has the forms.
States with no state income tax
Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming have no state income tax — which means your retirement pay and civilian income stretch further there. Several other states, including New Mexico and South Carolina, do not tax military retirement pay. See our veteran tax benefits guide for the full picture.
How to claim your state benefits
Property tax exemptions are filed with your county assessor — typically with your VA rating letter and DD-214, and sometimes on a deadline. For everything else, the fastest route is your County Veterans Service Officer, who files state and federal paperwork with you at no charge. Here is how to find yours.
Common questions
Which states have the best veteran benefits?
It depends on what matters to you. Texas is famous for the Hazlewood Act (free state tuition for veterans and their dependents) plus a full property tax exemption for 100% disabled veterans and no state income tax. Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wyoming, and New Hampshire also combine strong exemptions with no state income tax. If free college for your kids is the priority, look at Texas, Alaska, and New Jersey.
Do I lose my state benefits if I move?
Yes — state benefits belong to the state, so when you move you stop receiving the old state’s benefits and must apply fresh in your new state. Federal VA benefits (disability compensation, healthcare, GI Bill) follow you everywhere. Before a move, compare both states’ property tax and education benefits — the difference can be thousands of dollars a year.
Are these benefits only for disabled veterans?
No, but the biggest ones usually require a VA disability rating — most full property tax exemptions require a 100% rating. Many benefits are open to all veterans: state employment hiring preference exists in every state, and many states offer free or discounted park access, license plates, and tuition help for any veteran or their dependents.
How do I actually apply for state benefits?
Property tax exemptions go through your county assessor or tax office, usually with your VA rating letter and DD-214 — and some states have deadlines (Georgia: January 1 to April 1; North Carolina: by June 1). For everything else, your County Veterans Service Officer can file the paperwork with you for free.