Nebraska Veteran Benefits

Nebraska offers 16 state-level veteran benefits in 2026, spanning 3 tax programs, 2 education programs, 0 housing programs, 1 healthcare program, 4 recreation programs, and 1 employment program. 12 are available to any honorably discharged veteran regardless of rating; 1 are reserved for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA. These stack with federal VA benefits.

Nebraska offers 1 state benefit specifically for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA, including: Waiver of Tuition for Dependents of 100% Disabled Veterans. These typically include enhanced property tax exemptions, free hunting/fishing licenses, free state park access, and registration fee waivers. 100% disabled Nebraska veterans also qualify for the 15 broader benefits available at lower rating thresholds — 16 total.

Veterans rated 50% or higher qualify for 15 Nebraska state benefits — every benefit available to any veteran (12) plus benefits gated at 10-49% (1) plus 2 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 1 additional benefit on top.

Yes. Nebraska offers 3 tax-related benefits for veterans. The headline program is Military Retirement Pay State Income Tax Exemption: 100% exclusion of military retirement pay from Nebraska state income tax. Estimated value: Varies by retirement pay amount. Whether Nebraska 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.

Nebraska offers 2 state education benefits: Nebraska National Guard Tuition Assistance; Waiver of Tuition for Dependents of 100% Disabled Veterans. 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.

Nebraska's veteran license plate / registration benefit: Ex-POW, Purple Heart, and Gold Star Family License Plates. Special designation license plates for Ex-POWs, Purple Heart recipients, and Gold Star families. Apply through your local DMV / county tax assessor with your VA disability rating letter and DD-214.

Yes — Nebraska offers 4 recreation-related veteran benefits, including: Veterans Day Free Hunting Permit; Deployed Military $5 Hunt/Fish Permit, 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 Nebraska residency.

Each Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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. Nebraska state benefits are administered separately from federal VA benefits and the two are designed to stack. A Nebraska veteran can simultaneously receive federal VA disability compensation, VA healthcare, GI Bill education benefits, AND any Nebraska 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. Nebraska State Veterans Cemeteries. Free burial for veterans and eligible family members at state veterans cemeteries in Alliance and Grand Island. Eligibility generally requires honorable discharge and Nebraska 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.

Nebraska benefits unlock at every VA rating tier. 12 benefits require no disability rating (available to any honorably discharged veteran). 1 are gated at 10-40%. 2 are gated at 50-90%. 1 require a 100% rating. Veterans rated 100% qualify for ALL 16 Nebraska state benefits.