Missouri Veteran Benefits

Missouri offers 11 state-level veteran benefits in 2026, spanning 2 tax programs, 3 education programs, 0 housing programs, 1 healthcare program, 1 recreation program, and 2 employment programs. 10 are available to any honorably discharged veteran regardless of rating; 0 are reserved for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA. These stack with federal VA benefits.

Veterans rated 50% or higher qualify for 11 Missouri state benefits — every benefit available to any veteran (10) plus benefits gated at 10-49% (0) plus 1 additional benefit 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 0 additional benefits on top.

Yes. Missouri offers 2 tax-related benefits for veterans. The headline program is Military Retirement Pay Tax Exemption: 100% exemption of military retirement pay from Missouri state income tax. Estimated value: Full retirement pay exemption. Whether Missouri 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.

Missouri offers 3 state education benefits: Missouri Returning Heroes Education Act; Wartime Veteran's Survivors Grant Program; In-State Tuition for Veterans Using GI Bill Benefits. 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.

Missouri's veteran license plate / registration benefit: Disabled Veteran License Plates. One free set of Disabled Veteran license plates with no specialty, transfer, or processing fees. Estimated value: Free plates plus potential parking savings. Apply through your local DMV / county tax assessor with your VA disability rating letter and DD-214.

Yes — Missouri offers 1 recreation-related veteran benefit, including: Hunting & Fishing License Exemption. Most state park, hunting, and fishing license discounts are tied to a minimum VA disability rating (typically 50% or 100%) and require Missouri residency.

Each Missouri 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 Missouri 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. Missouri state benefits are administered separately from federal VA benefits and the two are designed to stack. A Missouri veteran can simultaneously receive federal VA disability compensation, VA healthcare, GI Bill education benefits, AND any Missouri 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. Missouri State Veterans Cemeteries. Free burial in one of five state veterans cemeteries including gravesite, opening/closing, and headstone. Eligibility generally requires honorable discharge and Missouri 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.

Missouri benefits unlock at every VA rating tier. 10 benefits require no disability rating (available to any honorably discharged veteran). 0 are gated at 10-40%. 1 are gated at 50-90%. 0 require a 100% rating. Veterans rated 100% qualify for ALL 11 Missouri state benefits.