Virginia Veteran Benefits

Virginia offers 20 state-level veteran benefits in 2026, spanning 8 tax programs, 2 education programs, 0 housing programs, 2 healthcare programs, 3 recreation programs, and 2 employment programs. 12 are available to any honorably discharged veteran regardless of rating; 6 are reserved for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA. These stack with federal VA benefits.

Virginia offers 6 state benefits specifically for veterans rated 100% disabled by the VA, including: Real Property Tax Exemption (100% Disabled Veterans), Personal Property Tax Exemption on One Vehicle (100% Disabled), Sales and Use Tax Exemption on Vehicle Purchase (100% Disabled), and 3 more. These typically include enhanced property tax exemptions, free hunting/fishing licenses, free state park access, and registration fee waivers. 100% disabled Virginia veterans also qualify for the 14 broader benefits available at lower rating thresholds — 20 total.

Veterans rated 50% or higher qualify for 14 Virginia state benefits — every benefit available to any veteran (12) plus benefits gated at 10-49% (1) 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 6 additional benefits on top.

Yes. Virginia offers 8 tax-related benefits for veterans. The headline program is Military Retirement Pay Income Tax Subtraction: Subtract up to $40,000 of military retirement income from Virginia taxable income. Estimated value: Up to $2,300/yr tax savings. Whether Virginia 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.

Virginia offers 2 state education benefits: In-State Tuition Residency Waiver for Veterans; Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP). 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.

Virginia's veteran license plate / registration benefit: Disabled Veteran License Plates and Registration Fee Exemption. Free Disabled Veteran license plates and no annual registration fee for permanently and totally disabled veterans. Apply through your local DMV / county tax assessor with your VA disability rating letter and DD-214.

Yes — Virginia offers 3 recreation-related veteran benefits, including: Discounted Hunting and Fishing License (Partial Disability); Free Lifetime Hunting and Fishing License (100% Disabled), and 1 more. Most state park, hunting, and fishing license discounts are tied to a minimum VA disability rating (typically 50% or 100%) and require Virginia residency.

Each Virginia 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 Virginia 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. Virginia state benefits are administered separately from federal VA benefits and the two are designed to stack. A Virginia veteran can simultaneously receive federal VA disability compensation, VA healthcare, GI Bill education benefits, AND any Virginia 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. Virginia State Veterans Cemetery Burial Benefits. Free interment at three Virginia state veterans cemeteries for eligible veterans and family members. Eligibility generally requires honorable discharge and Virginia 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.

Virginia 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%. 1 are gated at 50-90%. 6 require a 100% rating. Veterans rated 100% qualify for ALL 20 Virginia state benefits.