Colorado Veteran Benefits

Colorado offers 17 state-level veteran benefits in 2026, spanning 3 tax programs, 3 education programs, 0 housing programs, 1 healthcare program, 4 recreation programs, and 2 employment programs. 11 are available to any honorably discharged veteran regardless of rating; 2 are reserved for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA. These stack with federal VA benefits.

Colorado offers 2 state benefits specifically for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA, including: Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption, Free Fishing License (Hospitalized or Totally Disabled Veterans). These typically include enhanced property tax exemptions, free hunting/fishing licenses, free state park access, and registration fee waivers. 100% disabled Colorado veterans also qualify for the 15 broader benefits available at lower rating thresholds — 17 total.

Veterans rated 50% or higher qualify for 15 Colorado state benefits — every benefit available to any veteran (11) plus benefits gated at 10-49% (1) plus 3 additional benefits gated at the 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% threshold. These typically include partial property tax credits, hunting/fishing license discounts, and tuition assistance. A 100% rating unlocks 2 additional benefits on top.

Yes. Colorado offers 3 tax-related benefits for veterans. The headline program is Military Retirement Pay State Income Tax Deduction: Subtract up to $15,000-$24,000 of military retirement pay from Colorado taxable income depending on age. Estimated value: Up to $24,000 income subtraction. Whether Colorado also exempts military retirement pay and VA disability compensation from state income tax varies by program — see the Tax Benefits section above for the full list.

Colorado offers 3 state education benefits: Colorado National Guard State Tuition Waiver Program; Dependent Tuition Assistance Program (POW/MIA/Deceased or Disabled Guard Members); In-State Tuition for Veterans and Dependents. Some are tuition waivers at state public universities; others are scholarships for surviving spouses and children of veterans who died in service or were rated permanently and totally disabled. These supplement (and in many cases stack with) the federal Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Colorado's veteran license plate / registration benefit: Disabled Veteran Vehicle Registration & Ownership Tax Exemption. Exemption from vehicle registration fees and ownership tax on one vehicle for veterans rated 50%+ disabled. Estimated value: Full registration and ownership tax exemption on one vehicle. Apply through your local DMV / county tax assessor with your VA disability rating letter and DD-214.

Yes — Colorado offers 4 recreation-related veteran benefits, including: Military Appreciation Free State Park Entry (August & Veterans Day); Free Lifetime Hunting & Fishing License (50%+ Disability), and 2 more. Most state park, hunting, and fishing license discounts are tied to a minimum VA disability rating (typically 50% or 100%) and require Colorado residency.

Each Colorado state benefit has its own application — there is no single application that covers them all. Most require: (1) DD-214 or equivalent discharge document, (2) proof of Colorado residency, and (3) VA disability rating letter if the benefit is rating-gated. Use the application URL listed on each benefit's detail page on this site. For complex cases (claims appeals, dependent benefits), contact your county Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for free assistance.

Yes. Colorado state benefits are administered separately from federal VA benefits and the two are designed to stack. A Colorado veteran can simultaneously receive federal VA disability compensation, VA healthcare, GI Bill education benefits, AND any Colorado state programs they qualify for. Some specific overlaps (e.g., state tuition assistance) may require exhausting federal GI Bill benefits first; check each benefit's eligibility notes.

Yes. Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado. Free burial at the state cemetery in Grand Junction for eligible Colorado veterans and dependents. Eligibility generally requires honorable discharge and Colorado residency; some sites accept any veteran meeting federal VA national cemetery criteria. This is in addition to (not a substitute for) burial at a federal VA National Cemetery.

Colorado benefits unlock at every VA rating tier. 11 benefits require no disability rating (available to any honorably discharged veteran). 1 are gated at 10-40%. 3 are gated at 50-90%. 2 require a 100% rating. Veterans rated 100% qualify for ALL 17 Colorado state benefits.