State veteran benefits

Veteran Benefits in District of Columbia

The District offers a disabled-veteran homestead deduction, qualifying survivor relief, hiring preference, and vehicle-related benefits. Military retirement pay does not receive the former pension exclusion, while qualifying survivor benefits have separate tax treatment.

Checked against official state sources on October 3, 2026.

Free help in the District of Columbia

Mayor's Office of Veterans Affairs

Provides advocacy, benefit information, and claims assistance for District veterans, dependents, and survivors.

Agency website (opens in a new tab) · Phone: 202-724-5454

Free help with VA claims

MOVA's District Veteran Service Officers assist veterans and family members with federal VA claims and benefits.

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.

Open the Benefits Finder

Property tax relief

Disabled Veterans Homestead Deduction

Who qualifies
Veterans with VA total and permanent disability from a service-incurred or aggravated condition, or paid at the 100% disability level due to unemployability. Must be domiciled in DC, occupy a qualifying principal residence with no more than five units, own at least 50%, and meet the annually indexed household-income limit.
What you get
Reduces the qualifying property's assessed value by $445,000. The separate senior/disabled tax reduction and tax-cap credit cannot also apply.
How to apply
File the veteran homestead application with MOVA; it certifies disability eligibility to the Office of Tax and Revenue.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code §§ 47-850(a-2), 47-863(a)(1A)

Sources (2)

Homestead deduction for a disabled veteran's surviving spouse or partner

Who qualifies
A surviving spouse or domestic partner of a deceased qualifying disabled veteran whose property received the veteran deduction, or would have qualified had the veteran applied, at death. The survivor and property must continue to meet the applicable homestead and eligible-household rules.
What you get
A $445,000 assessed-value deduction under the veteran homestead program.
How to apply
File an application with MOVA, which certifies the veteran's disability eligibility at death to the Office of Tax and Revenue.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code § 47-850(a-2); DC Law 26-83

Sources (1)

State income tax

Military retirement pay: Taxed

Military retirement taxation and survivor-benefit exclusion

Who qualifies
DC taxpayers receiving military retirement pay. A separate exclusion applies to federal or DC survivor benefits received by people age 62 or older at the end of the tax year.
What you get
Military retirement pay has no current special pension exclusion under this provision. The former age-62 $3,000 exclusion applied only before 2015. Qualifying survivor benefits at age 62 or older are excluded.
How to apply
Report income under the normal DC return rules and claim the survivor-benefit exclusion only when eligible.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code § 47-1803.02(a)(2)(N)

Sources (1)

Education and tuition

District-funded National Guard tuition assistance

Who qualifies
DC National Guard members or new recruits who are District residents.
What you get
District-contributed funds may be used for tuition assistance at the National Guard's discretion.
How to apply
Ask the DC National Guard education office about current availability and application requirements.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code § 49-807

Sources (1)

State jobs and hiring preference

Veterans hiring preference

Who qualifies
Qualified veterans with more than 180 consecutive days of wartime or contingency-operation service, honorable or general discharge, and separation within five years. Qualifying disabled veterans receive additional points; the five-year limit does not apply for a VA medical impairment of at least 30%. The DCHR hiring page excludes applicants retiring or retired at Major/Lieutenant Commander or above unless retirement is based on service-connected disability.
What you get
Five hiring-preference points for the general qualifying veteran branch, and ten for qualifying disabled veterans.
How to apply
Claim preference during the application and provide documents establishing eligibility.

Official page (opens in a new tab) District Personnel Manual chapter 2, §§ 212 and 214

Sources (2)

Licenses, plates and parks

Disabled veteran vehicle registration fee exemption

Who qualifies
Veterans classified by VA as totally and permanently disabled from a service-incurred or service-aggravated condition who own a noncommercial vehicle.
What you get
Waives the annual registration fee for one qualifying vehicle per veteran.
How to apply
Submit the exemption application with a VA statement documenting the qualifying total and permanent disability.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code § 50-1501.03(f)-(g)

Sources (1)

Veteran designation on DC license or identification card

Who qualifies
Applicants who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
What you get
Adds a VETERAN designation to a qualifying driver license or identification card.
How to apply
Provide DMV a DD Form 214, WD AGO form, or DD256 with the other required application documents.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code §§ 50-1401.01(b)(3), 50-1401.03(a)(2)

Sources (2)

Veteran specialty license plates

Who qualifies
District residents who are qualifying veterans or their spouses, for a passenger vehicle not used for hire. The statutory veteran definition requires qualifying military or Guard/Reserve service, qualifying active-duty orders or at least 20 years of service, and discharge other than dishonorable.
What you get
Allows veteran identification tags with designs for military branches. Application and annual display fees apply.
How to apply
Apply to DMV for the veteran registration certificate and tags.

Official page (opens in a new tab) DC Code § 50-1501.02a

Sources (1)

Emergency financial help

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

State veterans homes

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

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.