Maine Disabled Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled veteran living in Maine, 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 property tax exemption, state income tax breaks, vehicle plates and fee waivers, parks and hunting/fishing, education for you and your kids, the state veterans' homes, hiring preference, and more. Every dollar figure, deadline, and form below comes from an official Maine source, and I link that source so you can check it yourself. Where the state'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.

Read this before you believe a “$100,000 Maine exemption.” Several commercial “veteran benefits” sites claim Maine gives 100%-disabled veterans a $100,000 property-tax exemption, or a full 100% exemption. That is not what Maine law says. Maine law provides fixed-dollar reductions off your home's assessed value — $6,000 for most qualifying veterans, $7,000 for World War I-era veterans, and $50,000 for veterans who received a federal specially adapted housing grant. Maine has no full (100%) veteran property-tax exemption. Do not budget around the $100,000 figure; the amounts below and the official Maine Revenue Services page control.

Sources the property-tax statute · Maine Revenue Services

Property tax exemption

What it is: Maine gives qualifying veterans a fixed-dollar reduction off the just value (assessed value) of their primary home. It is not automatic — you file once with your local municipal assessor by April 1. There is no full (100%) exemption in Maine; the routes below are the only ones the law provides, and you can use only one route on the same property. Maine Revenue Services (MRS) also publishes a plain-language bulletin and a qualification flowchart to help you confirm your route.

Every route the law actually provides:

• $6,000 standard veteran exemption — off the just value of your homestead. You qualify if you served during a federally recognized war period (including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War and later operations, or service February 1, 1955–February 27, 1961, or as an awarded expeditionary-medal recipient) and you meet either of these:
  • you have reached age 62; or
  • you are receiving any form of pension or compensation from the U.S. Government for total disability — in plain terms, if the VA pays you at the total-disability level (a 100% rating, or Individual Unemployability paid at the 100% rate), there is no minimum age; you qualify at any age. The law also independently covers a veteran disabled by injury or disease incurred or aggravated during active military service who receives U.S. compensation for a total, service-connected disability.
• $7,000 exemption — for veterans who served in World War I or earlier.
• $50,000 specially adapted housing exemption — the largest reduction, for a veteran who received a federal grant for a specially adapted housing (SAH) unit (the VA adaptive-housing grant tied to certain severe service-connected disabilities). You take this instead of the $6,000 exemption, not on top of it.
• Surviving spouse, minor child, or parent continuation — the exemption extends to the unremarried surviving spouse or a minor child of a veteran who would have qualified (at the same $6,000 or $7,000 amount), and the $50,000 specially-adapted-housing exemption is likewise available to a qualifying unremarried surviving spouse. A parent age 62 or older receiving a federal benefit based on the service-connected death of their veteran child may also qualify.

A related credit worth checking: separate from this exemption, Maine has a refundable Property Tax Fairness Credit (a “circuit breaker” claimed on your state income-tax return) that can help lower- and moderate-income residents regardless of disability rating. Income limits and the credit amount change yearly — confirm the current figures with MRS before relying on any number.

1. Confirm your route and amount ($6,000, $7,000, or $50,000) using the MRS eligibility flowchart.
2. Get the Veteran Exemption Application (PDF) from Maine Revenue Services.
3. Gather your proof: your discharge document (DD Form 214) and your VA rating or benefit-summary letter (and, for the $50,000 route, your SAH grant paperwork).
4. File the application with your local municipal assessor (the town or city office, not the state) on or before April 1 of the year you first want the exemption.
5. Once granted, it continues on the property; confirm it posted by checking the next tax bill's exemption line or calling the assessor.

Sources the property-tax statute · Maine Revenue Services · MRS Bulletin 7 · MRS eligibility flowchart · Property Tax Fairness Credit

State income tax

What it is: Maine does not tax your already federally tax-free VA disability compensation, and it fully exempts military retirement pay.

• Military retirement pay is fully exempt from Maine income tax — benefits received under a military retirement plan, including survivor benefits (Survivor Benefit Plan, SBP), are 100% exempt with no age or dollar cap, and the exemption is not reduced by Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits the way the general pension deduction is.
• VA disability compensation is federally tax-free and is excluded from your federal adjusted gross income, so it is not Maine taxable income either (Maine starts from your federal figures).
• Other (non-military) pension income gets a separate Maine pension income deduction — up to $48,216 per person for tax year 2025 (this figure is indexed and reduced by Social Security/Railroad Retirement benefits; confirm the current-year amount with MRS). Military retirement pay is exempt in full and does not use up this cap.

1. Confirm your VA disability compensation never appears as income on your Maine return (it should not appear on your federal return either).
2. If you receive military retirement pay or SBP, take the full military-retirement exemption on the current Maine return; check the current-year MRS instructions for the exact line, since form layouts change.
3. If a prior return taxed your VA compensation or military retirement pay, fix it with a preparer familiar with military filings or by contacting MRS — this is a filing mechanic, not claims work.

Sources MRS income tax FAQ · IRS Publication 525

Vehicles, plates & tolls

What it is: the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), part of the Secretary of State's office, issues Disabled Veteran plates and waives registration and other fees for 100%-disabled veterans, and Maine separately exempts qualifying veterans from the local motor-vehicle excise tax. Maine does not run toll-discount programs for veterans, so there is no toll benefit to claim.

• Free registration (no annual registration fee) for a veteran who is 100% service-connected disabled, permanent and total, and receiving 100% VA benefits, on a vehicle with a registered gross weight of not more than 26,000 lbs, when the application includes VA (or military-branch) certification of the permanent disability.
• Disabled Veteran plate — two qualifying routes:
  • Category A: a veteran who is 100% service-connected disabled and receiving 100% benefits, with the disability permanent and total.
  • Category B: a veteran with loss of, or loss of use of, both legs.
  Both categories are exempt from excise tax, registration fees, and title fees; Category B additionally waives sales tax. The plate is also issued in Parking and Motorcycle versions.
• Motor-vehicle excise tax exemption is available more broadly to a veteran receiving U.S. compensation for a total, service-connected disability, using a current VA Benefit Summary letter presented to your local municipal excise-tax office. The Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services can help confirm eligibility.
• Disability Special Veteran plate (a plate-design option for veterans who do not meet the Category A/B threshold) is requested on Form PS-18, Application for Disability Plates/Placard (PDF). This design carries no extra plate fee, but it is not a registration-fee waiver — only Categories A and B above waive the registration fee.

1. If you are rated 100% permanent and total (Category A) or have loss/loss of use of both legs (Category B), get your VA certification / Benefit Summary letter.
2. Apply for the Disabled Veteran plate and fee-exempt registration through any BMV branch, or mail/fax the BMV Disability Clerk (29 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0029; fax 207-624-9204; phone 207-624-9000 ext. 52149).
3. Separately, take your VA Benefit Summary letter to your town/city excise-tax office to claim the excise-tax exemption on your vehicle.
4. Confirm at the counter (or on your registration) that the registration, excise, and title fees were waived before you pay.

Sources the registration-fee statute · Maine BMV · Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services

Recreation: parks, hunting & fishing

What it is: free or fee-exempt access to Maine State Parks, and a free lifetime hunting/fishing/trapping license for more seriously disabled veterans, run through the Bureau of Parks and Lands, the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W), and the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services.

• State Park day-use pass: Maine issues a free day-use pass that admits the holder, and the holder's spouse and children when accompanied by the holder, to state parks and historic sites free of charge. Veteran eligibility rules can vary — confirm your current eligibility with the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services before relying on it.
• Camping and reservation fee exemption: a resident disabled veteran (plus spouse and unmarried children) who displays a Maine Disabled Veteran license plate is exempt from reservation and camping fees at Maine State Parks and Public Lands.
• Free lifetime hunting, fishing & trapping license — requires a service-connected disability rated 50% or higher. It covers fishing, trapping, and hunting (archery, muzzleloader, bear, migratory bird, pheasant, spring/fall turkey, coyote night hunt), crossbow, expanded-archery deer permits, and a guide license if you qualify. It is valid for the life of the holder while you maintain Maine residency (or residency in a reciprocal state — New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Texas, or another reciprocal state). Apply using the Disabled Veteran Hunting & Fishing License application.
• Marine and moose: disabled veterans may also qualify for noncommercial lobster, crab, and scallop licenses through the Department of Marine Resources, and IF&W allocates controlled moose-hunt permits for eligible disabled veterans.

1. For the free license, get your VA letter showing a 50% or higher service-connected rating.
2. Submit the Disabled Veteran Hunting & Fishing License application to the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services.
3. For camping fee waivers, make sure you have your Maine Disabled Veteran plate before you reserve, and mention the exemption when booking.
4. Confirm current day-use-pass eligibility and any marine/moose specifics with BVS at 207-287-7020.

Sources Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services

Education for you & your family

What it is: Maine's Veterans' Dependents Educational Benefits program waives tuition and mandatory fees for the spouse and children of a veteran who is 100% permanently disabled or died from service. This is a benefit for your family; your own schooling generally runs on the federal GI Bill.

• The benefit: a 100% waiver of tuition and all mandatory fees at the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System, and Maine Maritime Academy. The waiver runs up to 120 credit hours (confirm the current credit-hour and cost basis with the school's veterans office), the student must apply for a federal Pell Grant, and typically must maintain satisfactory academic progress (about a 2.0 GPA) within a set number of academic years — verify the current terms with BVS.
• Which veterans make a dependent eligible (any one of these):
  • a 100% total and permanent service-connected disability rating; or
  • was killed in action; or
  • died as a result of a service-connected disability; or
  • was totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected cause at the time of death (even if death was from another cause); or
  • is an active-duty member missing in action or forcibly detained by a foreign power for 90+ days.
  The veteran must have entered service from Maine or been a Maine resident for five years before the application.

1. Confirm the veteran meets one of the eligibility triggers above and read the program brochure.
2. Have the student apply for a federal Pell Grant (a program requirement).
3. Complete the Maine Veterans Dependents Educational Benefits Application, attaching the veteran's DD Form 214 plus a marriage certificate (spouse) or birth certificate (child).
4. Coordinate with the school's financial-aid / veterans office so the waiver applies against actual tuition and fees owed.

Sources the education statute · Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services · program brochure

State Veterans' Homes & long-term care

What it is: Maine Veterans' Homes (MVH) — an independent nonprofit system the Maine Legislature created in 1977 — operates six long-term-care and residential-care campuses: Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias, Scarborough, and South Paris, offering skilled nursing, residential care, and memory care.

• Who can be admitted: Maine veterans, and also spouses, widows/widowers, and Gold Star parents. A combat record or a service-connected disability rating is not required to be eligible; every applicant must meet the home's medical eligibility for the level of care needed. Confirm your specific situation with the home's admissions office.
• VA cost help: depending on your service-connected disability rating and the care you need, the VA may pay part or all of the cost of care in a state veterans' home. Ask the admissions office and your VSO how your rating affects your out-of-pocket cost.
• VA health care: Maine veterans are served by the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta plus community-based outpatient clinics. Your VA priority group (and how much care is cost-free) depends on your rating and income. Apply at VA.gov — How to Apply for VA Health Care.

1. Pick the nearest campus (Augusta, Bangor, Caribou, Machias, Scarborough, or South Paris) and reach its admissions office by calling the Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services at 207-287-7020 or starting at maine.gov/veterans.
2. Call that home's admissions office, ask for the application and physician's-statement packet, and confirm your cost given your VA rating.
3. Have your DD Form 214 and VA rating letter ready.
4. Separately, if you are not already enrolled, apply for VA health care at Togus through VA.gov.

Sources the veterans'-homes statute · Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services

State hiring & civil service

What it is: Maine's state hiring preference is a guaranteed interview — not a points system like the federal 5-point/10-point rule.

• Guaranteed interview: a veteran (or a Gold Star spouse) who meets the minimum qualifications for a State of Maine classified position must be offered an interview for it. You establish veteran status with your DD Form 214.
• If you are not selected, a state executive order directs the state to give you personalized guidance toward other open State of Maine positions you may qualify for. Contact the Bureau of Human Resources at 207-624-7761 or [email protected].
• Occupational licensing: the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation offers expedited/accelerated licensing that can credit relevant military training and experience toward a state license — confirm the specifics with the applicable licensing board before relying on it.

1. When you apply for a state job, claim veteran (or Gold Star spouse) status and attach your DD Form 214.
2. Make sure you clearly meet the posting's minimum qualifications — that is what triggers the guaranteed interview.
3. If you are passed over, contact the Bureau of Human Resources for the personalized guidance toward other openings.

Sources the hiring-preference statute · Bureau of Human Resources

Other: burial & emergency aid

What it is: a state emergency cash grant for veterans in crisis, and free burial in a Maine veterans' cemetery.

• Veterans' Emergency Financial Assistance Program (VEFAP): a grant of up to $2,000 for a Maine-resident veteran (discharge status Honorable or General Under Honorable Conditions) facing an emergency — preventing homelessness, an employment-related vehicle repair, a family medical hardship, uninsured home damage from a natural disaster, or a threat to basic necessities (with dental emergencies capped at $500). Administered by Fedcap – Veterans Forward (844-653-0316).
• State veterans' cemeteries: the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System operates cemeteries in Augusta (two: Blue Star Avenue and Mt. Vernon Road), Caribou, and Springvale. Maine provides the plot, opening/closing of the grave, and perpetual care at no charge, and the federal VA separately provides a headstone, marker, or niche cover at no cost. Eligibility requires an honorable or general discharge, and covers the veteran, spouse, and eligible dependents; Maine residency is not required.

1. In a financial emergency, call Fedcap – Veterans Forward at 844-653-0316 or start from the Bureau's VEFAP page; have your discharge document ready.
2. For pre-need or at-need burial, contact the Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery System (Augusta office 207-287-3481, [email protected]) and complete the cemetery eligibility application.

Sources Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services · Memorial Cemetery System

Who to call

The Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services (BVS) is your single front door for the programs above and for a free accredited VSO to help with a VA claim, a rating, or applying for any of these benefits.

• Website: maine.gov/veterans
• Phone: 207-287-7020  |  Email: [email protected]
• Mail: 117 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0117 (Central Office at Camp Keyes, 194 Winthrop Street, Augusta)
• Property tax questions: your local municipal assessor (they administer the exemption)

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. Call BVS at 207-287-7020 or find one at VA.gov. Never pay a private company for basic claims help.
2. State-program questions (property tax, plates, parks, education, homes, hiring, burial) go to the specific office linked in that section, or start at maine.gov/veterans.

Sources Maine Revenue Services — Property Tax Exemptions

← All states