Hawaii Veteran Benefits

Hawaii offers 11 state-level veteran benefits in 2026, spanning 2 tax programs, 2 education programs, 1 housing program, 1 healthcare program, 0 recreation programs, and 1 employment program. 8 are available to any honorably discharged veteran regardless of rating; 3 are reserved for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA. These stack with federal VA benefits.

Hawaii offers 3 state benefits specifically for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA, including: Totally Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption, Disabled Veterans' Motor Vehicle Registration Fee Exemption, Home Accessibility Modification Grant. These typically include enhanced property tax exemptions, free hunting/fishing licenses, free state park access, and registration fee waivers. 100% disabled Hawaii veterans also qualify for the 8 broader benefits available at lower rating thresholds — 11 total.

Yes. Hawaii offers 2 tax-related benefits for veterans. The headline program is Military Retirement Pay Income Tax Exemption: 100% exemption of military retirement pay and SBP payments from Hawaii state income tax. Estimated value: Full exemption (up to 11% state tax savings). Whether Hawaii 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.

Hawaii offers 2 state education benefits: Resident Tuition Rate for Veterans and Dependents; Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (STAP). 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.

Hawaii's veteran license plate / registration benefit: Veteran and Military Specialty License Plates. Up to 10 distinctive veteran plate designs available for a one-time $5.50 plate fee (no additional annual fee). Apply through your local DMV / county tax assessor with your VA disability rating letter and DD-214.

Each Hawaii 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 Hawaii 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. Hawaii state benefits are administered separately from federal VA benefits and the two are designed to stack. A Hawaii veteran can simultaneously receive federal VA disability compensation, VA healthcare, GI Bill education benefits, AND any Hawaii 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. Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery Burial Benefits. Free gravesite, marker, perpetual maintenance, and opening/closing at seven state veterans cemeteries. Eligibility generally requires honorable discharge and Hawaii 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.

Hawaii benefits unlock at every VA rating tier. 8 benefits require no disability rating (available to any honorably discharged veteran). 0 are gated at 10-40%. 0 are gated at 50-90%. 3 require a 100% rating. Veterans rated 100% qualify for ALL 11 Hawaii state benefits.