State veteran benefits

Veteran Benefits in Alabama

Alabama exempts military retirement pay and offers property tax relief for qualifying permanent and total disabilities. Other main benefits include dependent scholarships, National Guard education assistance, state veterans homes, recreation benefits, and state employment preference.

Checked against official state sources on October 3, 2026.

Free help in Alabama

Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs

The state department assists former service members and their dependents with benefits.

Agency website (opens in a new tab) · Phone: 334-242-5077

Free help with VA claims

State Veteran Service Officers provide claims representation through offices around Alabama. VA-recognized VSO representation is free. Use ADVA’s statewide service-office directory.

Find a local office (opens in a new tab)

Not sure what applies to you?

Answer seven questions and the Benefits Finder builds a checklist of federal and state benefits, deadlines and free help.

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Property tax relief

Permanent and total disability homestead exemption

Who qualifies
Alabama homeowners whose principal residence qualifies and who are permanently and totally disabled, regardless of age or income. The residence and related land may not exceed 160 acres.
What you get
Exempts the principal residence from state, county, and municipal property taxes. Effective October 1, 2026, veterans determined permanently and totally disabled by VA who qualify under the covered homestead provisions no longer have to verify eligibility annually after initial approval. The verification release ends at death or when a new homestead is established.
How to apply
Apply with supporting documents to the tax assessing official in the county where the home is located. For the current year, the Revenue rule gives an October 1 through December 31 application period.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Code 40-9-21 and 40-9-21.1; Act 2026-598

Sources (2)

State income tax

Military retirement pay: Exempt

Education and tuition

Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship

Who qualifies
Alabama-resident spouses, unmarried surviving spouses, children, and stepchildren of qualifying veterans. The main disabled-veteran pathway requires a service-connected rating of at least 40%, honorable qualifying service of at least 90 days or release for a qualifying service-connected disability, and the program’s Alabama residency requirements. For the usual residency pathway, the veteran lived in Alabama for one year before entering service and meets the current-residency or tax-return rule. A separate five-year residency pathway applies to 100% permanently and totally disabled veterans. Children generally must start before age 26, with specified exceptions. Students must complete FAFSA each covered year, meet the institution’s satisfactory academic progress standards, and provide the required FERPA release.
What you get
Pays covered undergraduate tuition, required books, and instructional fees at qualifying Alabama schools, subject to program limits and other-aid coordination.
How to apply
Submit an application and all supporting documents through the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Portal linked on ADVA’s current program page.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Code 31-6-1 through 31-6-17; Ala. Admin. Code 920-X-2-.02

Sources (4)

Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program

Who qualifies
Active members in good standing of a federally recognized Alabama National Guard unit, age 17 or older, enrolled in an eligible Alabama program. Applicants need basic training unless military rules exempt them, satisfactory academic progress and at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and FAFSA unless covered by the high-school dual-enrollment exception. Federal veterans education benefits must not already pay all covered expenses. The program does not pay for multiple degrees at the same award level.
What you get
Provides education assistance for covered tuition and instructional fees, subject to the state program’s per-term median-tuition limit, federal benefits and other applicable aid, and available funding.
How to apply
Obtain an application through an eligible institution, the Alabama Military Department, or ACHE. Submit a complete application by the current term deadline. The rule sets September 30 of the award academic year as the final cutoff.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Admin. Code chapter 300-4-4; Act 2026-521

Sources (1)

State jobs and hiring preference

Veterans’ preference in state competitive employment

Who qualifies
Veterans and spouses in the qualifying preference categories who take open competitive state employment tests.
What you get
Adds five or ten points to the final test score, depending on the qualifying category.
How to apply
Claim preference on the state job application and attach the required supporting documents.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Code 36-26-15

Sources (2)

Licenses, plates and parks

Military Veteran’s Appreciation fishing license

Who qualifies
Alabama-resident veterans with a VA-certified disability of at least 20%.
What you get
Discounted fishing license eligibility for disabled veterans.
How to apply
Request an application packet from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources license office.

Official page (opens in a new tab)

Sources (3)

Parks for Patriots

Who qualifies
Veterans and active-duty military personnel.
What you get
Complimentary admission at state parks and day-use facilities that charge an entrance fee.
How to apply
Ask for complimentary admission at the gate or day-use facility and have service identification or documentation available.

Official page (opens in a new tab)

Sources (1)

Emergency financial help

We could not confirm this from an official source yet. Ask Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs or a free veterans service officer what applies to you.

State veterans homes

State veterans homes

Who qualifies
Veterans who meet federal admission criteria and ADVA requirements, including Alabama residence for at least one year immediately before applying, lawful presence, no sex-offender registry listing, and no felony-fugitive status. The home must be able to provide the required care.
What you get
State homes provide nursing home care and some assisted living care.
How to apply
Obtain an application from a local veterans service office, the facility, or ADVA’s website.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Admin. Code 920-X-2-.03

Sources (1)

State veterans cemeteries

Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Spanish Fort

Location
Spanish Fort
Who qualifies
Eligibility is determined under National Cemetery Administration rules and ADVA policies.
What you get
State veterans cemetery services for eligible veterans and family members.
How to apply
Use pre-registration to establish eligibility before burial is needed.

Official page (opens in a new tab) Ala. Admin. Code 920-X-2-.04

Sources (1)

Changes on the way

  • Takes effect January 1, 2027: Act 2026-574 expands state employment preference. Spouses of active-duty service members receive five points, and surviving spouses of service members who die in the line of duty receive ten points. These changes had not taken effect when this page was checked.
    Sources (1)

Before you apply

This page summarizes state law and agency guidance as checked on October 3, 2026. It is general information, not legal or tax advice. Eligibility depends on your records, and laws change, so confirm the details on the official page linked with each benefit, or ask a free accredited representative. This page covers the main state programs. Your county veterans service officer can tell you about smaller or local benefits.

Federal VA benefits apply in every state. See the Veteran Resource Directory and the Benefits Finder.