Hawaii Disabled Veteran Benefits

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If you are a disabled veteran living in Hawaii, or thinking about moving here, this page puts every state-level benefit tied to your VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) disability rating in one place: the county property tax exemptions, state income tax treatment, vehicle and plate perks, parks and hunting/fishing, education for you and your family, the state veterans home, hiring preference, and burial. Every dollar figure, deadline, and form name below comes from an official Hawaii government source, and I link that source so you can check it yourself. Where the state's or a county's own pages leave a number unsettled, I tell you to confirm it rather than guess.

Plain-language promise: I keep the how-to steps here so you can act. The only thing I route out is filing or increasing a VA claim, because that is free claims work best handled by an accredited Veterans Service Officer (VSO), never a paid company. Hawaii's Office of Veterans' Services (OVS), part of the state Department of Defense, is your single front door and can connect you with a free VSO.

The one thing to understand about Hawaii property tax: it is run by the four counties, not the state. There is no statewide veterans property tax exemption. The City & County of Honolulu (Oahu), the County of Hawaiʻi (Big Island), Maui County, and Kauaʻi County each write their own rule, threshold, form, and deadline. All four counties give a full exemption (down to just the county's minimum tax) to a veteran who clears that county's disability threshold — Honolulu and Hawaiʻi County set the bar at "totally disabled" (a VA total/100% standard), Maui at 70%+, and Kauaʻi at 80%+ (raised from 100% effective July 1, 2025). Kauaʻi also runs a second, smaller benefit for veterans rated below 80%. I break down each county below so you can see exactly which door you fit.

Property tax exemption

What it is: a real property tax break on your home, administered by your county real property tax / assessment office (not the state). Every county requires that the home be owned and occupied as your principal residence and that the VA certify your disability. The rating that qualifies, the dollar benefit, the form, and the deadline all differ by island. None of these are automatic; you must file.

The routes to a FULL exemption (down to just the minimum tax), spelled out by county:

• City & County of Honolulu (Oahu) — "totally disabled" veteran. A veteran totally disabled due to injuries sustained while on active duty is exempt from real property tax on the home, except for the annual minimum tax (currently $300/year). The ordinance's own test is a physician-certified "total and permanent disability… resulting in inability to engage in any substantial activity," so it isn't written as a strict VA-percentage rule. In practice this covers a VA total (100%) rating; if your 100% comes through Individual Unemployability (IU/TDIU) or is designated Permanent & Total (P&T), bring that rating decision when your physician completes the certificate and ask the office to confirm it meets their standard — Honolulu decides off the physician's certificate, not the VA letter alone. File the "Homes of Totally Disabled Veterans" exemption claim (Form E-8-10.5) with a physician's certificate of disability by June 30 (for the first-half payment) or December 31 (second half).
• County of Hawaiʻi (Big Island) — "totally disabled" veteran. A veteran totally disabled due to injuries received while on active duty is exempt from property tax on the principal home, other than special assessments and the county's annual minimum real property tax, currently $200 (Hawaiʻi County Code, Chapter 19, Article 11, §19-90(e)); any commercially-used portion of the home does not qualify. Hawaiʻi County's own ordinance section is titled to cover homes of "disabled or unemployable veterans," so a veteran rated Individual Unemployability (IU/TDIU) appears to be explicitly contemplated here, alongside 100% schedular or Permanent & Total — confirm your specific rating basis with the office when you file. File Form 19-73 by June 30 (first half) or December 31 (second half); once granted, a permanent-disability exemption does not need annual re-filing as long as you keep meeting the requirements. A widow or widower can also apply after the veteran's death by showing the veteran would have qualified. Real Property Tax Division: Hilo (808) 961-8201, Kailua-Kona (808) 323-4880.
• Maui County — "severely disabled" veteran, 70% or higher. Maui County gives a break to a veteran the VA rates a 70 percent or higher service-connected disability (the county calls this "severely disabled"). A qualifying veteran's home is exempt from real property tax except the county's minimum tax (about $150/year, under MCC 3.48.590) — in effect a flat ~$150 bill instead of the standard one. File the "Claim for Disability Exemption — Severely Disabled Veteran" (Form DFT-475, MCC 3.48.475) by December 31; the County verifies your total service-connected rating directly with the VA (you supply your VA claim number). The exemption continues for an unmarried surviving spouse under the same ordinance section. Real Property Assessment Division, (808) 270-7297, [email protected].
• Kauaʻi County — 80% or higher (raised from 100%, effective July 1, 2025). A veteran rated 80% to 100% service-connected disabled (from injuries received on active duty) has a home exempt from property tax except the county's minimum tax (about $150/year — confirm with the office). Kauaʻi widened this from a 100%-only benefit to 80%+ under a 2023 county-code amendment that took effect July 1, 2025. File the "Claim for Homes of Disabled Veteran Exemption (80% to 100% Disability)" (Rev. 10.01.2025) with the Real Property Assessment Section by September 30. The office can contact the VA to verify your rating, or may ask you to supply the certification. The exemption continues for a widow or widower who remains unmarried and lives in the home as their principal residence. Real Property Assessment, (808) 241-4224.

The capped / reduced program (below the full-exemption threshold, but not nothing):

• Kauaʻi County — taxable-value cap below 80%. A Kauaʻi veteran rated less than 80% service-connected disabled (from injuries received on active duty) gets real property they own exempted from tax up to $50,000 of taxable value (value above that is taxed at the normal rate) — this is a separate, smaller benefit from the 80%+ full exemption above. File the "Claim for Disability Exemption — Less Than 80% Disabled Veteran" with the Real Property Assessment Section by September 30. The minimum VA rating percentage needed to qualify for this tier was not confirmed this pass — ask the office. Real Property Assessment, (808) 241-4224.

Surviving spouse: all four counties continue the exemption for the un-remarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran, ending on remarriage. Kauaʻi's ordinance also requires the widow or widower to keep living in the home as their principal residence. Maui's ordinance section (MCC 3.48.475) separately covers the unmarried surviving spouse of a service member who died while on duty.

Below your county's veteran threshold (for example a 30–60% rating, where no county offers a disabled-veteran exemption), the standard county home exemption (owner-occupant, and age-based tiers) may still lower your bill. Ask your county real property office which general exemptions you qualify for.

1. Identify which county your home is in (Oahu = Honolulu; Big Island = Hawaiʻi County; Maui/Molokai/Lanai = Maui County; Kauaʻi = Kauaʻi County). The rule is set there, not by the state.
2. Have your VA rating decision letter ready (and note whether the VA calls you 100%, IU/TDIU, or Permanent & Total). Call your county office and ask which veteran exemption you qualify for and the exact dollar benefit.
3. File the right form by the county deadline: Honolulu Form E-8-10.5 (June 30 / Dec 31), Hawaiʻi County Form 19-73 (June 30 / Dec 31), Maui Form DFT-475 (Dec 31), the Kauaʻi 80–100% form, or (if you're under 80%) the Kauaʻi under-80% form (both Sept 30). Attach your VA letter and, if asked, your discharge document (DD Form 214).
4. Confirm it posted by checking your next tax bill for the exemption line, or call the office a few weeks after filing.

Sources Honolulu tax office · Hawaiʻi County tax office · Hawaiʻi County disability brochure · Maui County exemptions FAQ · Kauaʻi tax office · Kauaʻi County Code change coverage (The Garden Island)

State income tax

What it is: Hawaii does not tax your VA disability compensation or your military pension.

• Military retirement / pension pay is not taxed by Hawaii. Distributions from a government retirement system, including military pensions, are excluded from Hawaii income tax.
• VA disability compensation is not taxed. It is excluded from income at the federal level, so it never enters the federal adjusted gross income that flows onto your Hawaii return. (This is a federal rule, not Hawaii-specific.)
• Reserve / National Guard duty pay exclusion: Hawaii lets you exclude a limited amount of military reserve or Hawaii National Guard duty pay from income — currently $8,636 for the 2025 tax year (the return filed in 2026), up from $8,082 in prior years. Check the current-year N-11 instructions each filing season, since the cap is adjusted periodically.

1. Confirm your VA disability compensation never appears as income on your Hawaii return (it should not appear on your federal return either, and Hawaii starts from your federal figures).
2. If you receive military retirement pay, take the government-pension exclusion on the current-year Form N-11; check the current instructions for the exact line, since forms change year to year.
3. If a prior return taxed your VA compensation or military pension, fix it with a tax preparer familiar with military filings or by contacting the state tax department — this is a filing mechanic, not claims work.

Sources Form N-11 instructions · IRS Armed Forces Tax Guide · Hawaii Tax Dept

Vehicles, plates & tolls

What it is: a state registration-fee exemption for 100%-rated disabled veterans, a veteran designation on your license or ID, veteran specialty plates, and (new on Oahu) a small age-based city registration-fee break. Hawaii has no toll roads, so there is no state toll program.

• State registration-fee exemption (100% rating) — the main disability benefit. A veteran the VA rates 100% service-connected disabled gets a $45.00 state registration-fee exemption on one non-commercial vehicle. You still owe any remaining balance (weight tax, county fees). The three requirements are: (1) a 100% service-connected VA disability rating, (2) Hawaii resident, and (3) discharge other than dishonorable. This does not auto-renew — you get a fresh exemption letter from OVS each year.
• Veteran designation on your driver's license or state ID. Available statewide to veterans discharged under other-than-dishonorable conditions, at all county licensing offices.
• Veteran specialty license plates (Combat, Combat-Wounded, Pearl Harbor Survivor, POW, WWII/Korea/Vietnam/Persian Gulf, Gold Star Family, and more) are available at standard plate cost.
• Honolulu (Oahu) $20 city registration-fee exemption, age 65+ (Bill 62, effective July 1, 2026). This is an age-based benefit, not disability-based: a veteran age 65 or older, not dishonorably discharged, can have the $20 city and county registration fee waived on one non-commercial vehicle per year (state fees and weight tax still apply). Mayor Blangiardi signed Bill 62 (Ordinance 25-45) on October 20, 2025, and the exemption is now in effect. Apply in person at a satellite city hall (schedule an AlohaQ appointment) with the Veteran 65+ Motor Vehicle County Fee Registration Exemption form (CS-L(MVR)50B), proof of veteran status (DD-214, VA Benefits Summary Letter, Military Retiree ID, NGB-22, Honorable Discharge Certificate, or veteran-designated Hawaii driver's license), proof of age, and proof of vehicle ownership.

1. If you are rated 100%, get a current VA benefit-summary letter showing the 100% rating, then take it (with your Hawaii driver's license and current vehicle registration) to OVS for the annual exemption letter to present at the DMV.
2. Ask your county licensing office to add the veteran designation to your license or ID, and about any specialty plate you want.
3. On Oahu, if you are 65 or older, schedule an AlohaQ appointment, bring the completed Veteran 65+ form (CS-L(MVR)50B), and your documents to a satellite city hall to claim the $20 city-fee exemption.

Sources OVS motor-vehicle exemption · county DMV veteran designation · OVS benefits & services · Honolulu CSD veterans page · Hawaiʻi Public Radio, Bill 62 coverage

Recreation: parks, hunting & fishing

What it is: Hawaii's outdoor licenses run through the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). The state does not publish a specific disabled-veteran license-fee waiver, but your VA disability rating unlocks a valuable free federal lands pass, and DLNR runs a disabled-hunter accommodation program.

• Free federal lands pass (this is the big one). A veteran with a VA service-connected disability rating qualifies for a free lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass, which covers entrance and standard amenity fees at national parks and federal recreation lands (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes, Haleakalā, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau, and more). This is federal, not a Hawaii program.
• Hunting & fishing licenses: DLNR's Division of Forestry & Wildlife runs hunting licensing statewide and maintains a disabled-hunter accommodation program. The official pages do not publish a disabled-veteran-specific fee waiver or discount, so if you want a fee break, confirm current terms directly with DLNR before you buy.

1. For the federal Access Pass, bring proof of your VA service-connected disability rating; get the free pass in person at any federal recreation site that issues them, or order it (a small processing fee applies for mail orders).
2. Before buying a Hawaii hunting or fishing license, call DLNR Division of Forestry & Wildlife at (808) 587-0166 and ask whether any disabled-veteran fee reduction or the disabled-hunter accommodation applies to you.
3. For state park camping fees, ask DLNR Division of State Parks directly whether any disability-based waiver exists, since none is published for veterans specifically.

Sources National Park Service passes · DLNR hunting · DLNR state parks

Education for you & your family

What it is: Hawaii's main education benefit for veterans is resident (in-state) tuition at the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) System, which avoids the much higher nonresident rate. There is a National Guard tuition-assistance program too. Hawaii does not appear to run a dedicated full tuition waiver for children of a disabled veteran (beyond the federal GI Bill / Chapter 35 routes below).

• UH resident tuition — who qualifies: veterans eligible to use the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty) who live in Hawaiʻi (and keep it if they later move but stay continuously enrolled); people using Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35 / DEA) or the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship; veterans in VA Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E / Chapter 31), the service-connected-disability vocational program; and active-duty members stationed in Hawaiʻi plus their dependents, and Hawaii National Guard / Reserve members.
• Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program (STAP): for eligible Guard members who complete initial training; funding-dependent, covering a share of tuition at state community colleges and four-year campuses. This is a Guard-service benefit, not a service-connected-disability benefit. Confirm current terms through your unit or the UH veterans office.
• Dependents: no Hawaii state-funded full-ride specifically for children of a 100%/P&T disabled veteran was found in official UH sources. Your children's main tuition help will be the federal GI Bill transfer, Chapter 35 DEA, or the Fry Scholarship — ask a UH campus veterans office to confirm.

1. Contact the veterans / military-connected student office at your UH campus before you enroll and ask which residency-for-tuition category you fit.
2. Bring your VA education eligibility document (GI Bill Certificate of Eligibility, Chapter 35 or Chapter 31 authorization, or Fry Scholarship letter) so they can set your tuition rate correctly.
3. If you are a Guard member, ask your unit and the UH office about STAP and how it stacks with federal benefits.

Sources University of Hawaiʻi veterans office

State Veterans' Home & long-term care

What it is: Hawaii operates one state veterans nursing home, the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo on the Big Island, for skilled nursing, long-term care, and short-term rehabilitation.

• Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home (Hilo): 24-hour skilled nursing, long-term residential care, short-term post-acute rehabilitation (physical / occupational / speech therapy), and related services for veterans. Address: 1180 Waianuenue Ave, Hilo, HI; phone (808) 961-1500.
• VA cost help: the VA pays a per-diem toward care for eligible veterans at state veterans homes, and a higher-rated service-connected veteran may have most or all of the skilled-nursing cost covered. The exact amount depends on your VA rating and VA rules, so confirm your specific cost with the home's admissions office and the VA.
• Statewide VA health care (a federal benefit, not state-run) is delivered through the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System; check eligibility and enroll through the VA facility locator.

1. Call the Yukio Okutsu home's admissions office at (808) 961-1500, ask for the application and physician's-statement packet, and confirm eligibility (skilled-care need plus veteran status).
2. Ask specifically what your out-of-pocket cost will be given your VA rating, and how the VA per-diem or service-connected coverage applies.
3. Have your discharge document (DD Form 214) and VA rating letter ready to submit with the application.

Sources OVS Hilo veterans home · VA state veterans homes · VA facility locator

State hiring & civil service

What it is: Hawaii adds veterans-preference points to your score on open-competitive state civil-service recruitments, with extra points for a service-connected disability.

• 5 preference points for an honorably discharged veteran — submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4) verifying dates of honorable service.
• 10 preference points for a veteran with a qualifying service-connected disability — submit an official statement/letter from the VA or armed service, dated within the past 12 months, confirming you qualify for 10-point preference.
• Veteran job help: the Hawaii Department of Labor & Industrial Relations, Workforce Development Division, runs dedicated services for veteran job seekers (including Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program staff).

1. When you apply for a state civil-service job through the State Recruiting Office, claim veteran status and attach your DD-214 (Member 4).
2. If you have a service-connected disability, get a VA letter dated within the last 12 months confirming 10-point preference and attach it.
3. For job-search help, use the state's veterans employment services or ask OVS for a referral.

Sources state HR job-applicant info · state veterans employment services

Other: burial, records & advocacy

What it is: state veterans cemeteries, free discharge-record copies, and free claims advocacy through OVS.

• Burial: qualified veterans and eligible dependents may be buried at the Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery (Kaneohe, Oahu) or county veterans' cemeteries on Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokai, or Lanai. Eligible dependents include spouses and minor children (and unmarried adult children permanently disabled before age 21). Bring the DD-214 (or a VA Statement of Service) showing character of discharge.
• Military Funeral Honors: coordinated through OVS.
• Free DD-214 copies: OVS provides free certified copies of your discharge document if it is on file with the state.
• Free claims advocacy: OVS offers free help filing and pursuing VA claims for veterans and dependents statewide — use this (or another free accredited VSO) rather than a paid company.

1. For burial, have the next of kin or funeral director contact the cemetery / OVS with the veteran's DD-214 (or VA Statement of Service), service dates, VA claim number, and dates of birth and death.
2. If you need a certified DD-214, ask OVS whether yours is on file for a free copy.
3. For anything tied to a VA claim or rating, use OVS's free advocacy or a free accredited VSO.

Sources OVS burial arrangements · OVS veteran cemeteries · OVS funeral honors · OVS benefits & services

Who to call

Hawaii Office of Veterans' Services (OVS), part of the state Department of Defense, is your single front door for the programs above and can connect you with a free accredited VSO for a VA claim or rating.

• Website: dod.hawaii.gov/ovs · Benefits overview: dod.hawaii.gov/ovs/benefits-and-services
• OVS main office: (808) 433-0420 (island-based veteran service counselors are listed on the OVS site)
• Property tax questions: your county real property tax / assessment office (Honolulu, Hawaiʻi County, Maui, or Kauaʻi) — they administer the exemptions, not the state

1. Anything tied to your actual VA rating — filing a new claim, appealing, or arguing for a higher percentage — goes to a free accredited VSO. Start with OVS at (808) 433-0420 or find one at VA.gov. Never pay a private company for basic claims help.
2. State- and county-program questions (property tax, vehicle exemption, plates, parks, education, the veterans home, hiring, burial) go to the specific office linked in that section, or start at dod.hawaii.gov/ovs.

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