Nevada Disabled Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled veteran living in Nevada, 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, the (non-existent) state income tax, vehicle plates and fees, parks and hunting/fishing, education for you and your family, the state veterans' homes, hiring preference, and burial and business benefits. Every dollar figure and form name below comes from an official Nevada source, and I link that source at the end of each section 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.

Two things about Nevada reshape this whole page — read them first. First, Nevada has no full (100%) property-tax exemption for disabled veterans. Even a 100% Permanent & Total (P&T) rating gets only a capped exemption of assessed value (about $35,400 for fiscal year 2025/2026), not a waiver of the whole tax bill. Below I enumerate every route and tier the law actually provides so you know exactly what you get. Second, Nevada has no state individual income tax at all — so there is no state tax on your military retirement pay or anything else, but that is not a veteran-specific carve-out, it applies to everyone.

Sources State Tax Dept

Property tax exemption

What it is: Nevada gives veterans a property-tax exemption measured as a fixed amount of assessed value (assessed value is about 35% of a property's taxable value). It is not automatic — you apply at your county Assessor's office. There are two separate programs and you may claim only one: the general Veterans' Exemption and the larger Disabled Veterans' Exemption. Both base amounts are adjusted every fiscal year by the growth in the Consumer Price Index (CPI, All Items) measured from July 2003.

Is there a route to a full (100%) exemption? No. Unlike many states, Nevada provides no full property-tax waiver at any rating — not for a 100% schedular rating, not for P&T, not for Individual Unemployability (IU), not for a specially adapted housing grant. Every route below is a capped dollar amount of assessed value. Here is every tier and pathway the law actually provides:

• Disabled Veterans' Exemption — tiered by your total percentage of permanent service-connected disability. The base amounts before the yearly CPI adjustment are $10,000 / $15,000 / $20,000 of assessed value. For fiscal year 2025/2026 the CPI-adjusted amounts are:
  • 60%–79% disabled: about $17,700 of assessed value exempt
  • 80%–99% disabled: about $26,550 of assessed value exempt
  • 100% (total permanent) disabled: about $35,400 of assessed value exempt
  If the VA rates you for more than one condition, the amount is based on your combined percentage, not to exceed 100%. There is no tier below 60% for the disabled exemption — a veteran rated under 60% uses the standard Veterans' Exemption instead.
• Standard Veterans' Exemption (for veterans who are not claiming the disabled tier) — base $2,000, CPI-adjusted to about $3,540 of assessed value for FY2025/26. Requires at least 90 consecutive days of active duty during a qualifying service period and an honorable discharge (or certificate of satisfactory service).
• Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran — base $1,000, CPI-adjusted to about $1,770 for FY2025/26. The law keys on all of these conditions: the spouse was married to and living with the veteran for the 5 years preceding the veteran's death; the veteran was eligible for the exemption at death (or would have been if a Nevada resident); the spouse has not remarried; and the spouse is a bona fide Nevada resident. A surviving spouse who is also a veteran in her own right may claim both the surviving-spouse exemption (as it applied to the late spouse) and her own veteran's exemption.

Who qualifies (residency and proof):

• Bona fide Nevada resident — you either established residence and actually resided in Nevada for at least 6 months, or you hold a valid Nevada driver's license or ID card that is not marked "seasonal resident."
• Proof for the disabled exemption — an honorable discharge or certificate of satisfactory service, plus a VA certificate (or other military document) showing your permanent service-connected disability percentage. Combined ratings are added, capped at 100%.
• Not just for your house. If you don't own real property (or prefer), the exemption dollar amount can instead be applied to personal property tax — including the DMV Governmental Services Tax on your vehicle registration or a manufactured-home tax bill — or you can split it across categories, or donate it entirely to the Gift Account for Veterans' Homes (see Other).
• One county at a time. The exemption applies in a single county; if you move, contact the new county Assessor to transfer it.

1. Find your county Assessor's office (Clark, Washoe, Douglas, Carson City, etc.) — they administer this, not the state.
2. Gather your discharge document (DD Form 214 or certificate of satisfactory service) and, for the disabled exemption, your VA rating letter showing the permanent service-connected percentage.
3. Ask the Assessor which exemption gives you more and complete their application; decide whether to apply it to your home, your vehicle registration tax, a manufactured home, or the veterans'-homes donation.
4. After approval, watch for an annual renewal postcard — sign and return it to keep the exemption in force.

Sources the statute · State Tax Dept · Clark County Assessor

State income tax

What it is: Nevada has no state individual income tax whatsoever, so there is nothing to exempt and no state return to file — this applies to every resident, not just veterans.

• Military retirement pay from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is not taxed by Nevada, because Nevada has no personal income tax to levy.
• VA disability compensation is already excluded from income for federal tax purposes, and Nevada adds no state tax on top.
• There is no veteran-specific income-tax form or election to make in Nevada. Business owners should note Nevada does levy a Modified Business Tax and a state business license fee (see the Other section for the veteran waiver); those are separate from income tax.

Sources State Tax Dept · VA

Vehicles, plates & tolls

What it is: the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues low-cost Disabled Veteran plates that waive parking fees, and your property-tax exemption can be redirected to cut the tax on your registration. Nevada has no toll roads, so there is no toll benefit.

• Disabled Veteran plate — for a Nevada veteran with a qualifying VA-certified service-connected disability. Fee: $8.50 to issue, $0 to renew each year. The plate carries the International Symbol of Accessibility, so it authorizes use of accessible/handicapped parking and exempts your vehicle from Nevada state and local parking fees. Apply in person at a DMV office using the Application for Veteran-Related License Plates (Form SP-10), with proof of your service-connected disability; if you also want a hanging placard, use the Disabled Person placard application (Form SP-27).
• Other honor plates — Purple Heart, Congressional Medal of Honor, and Ex-Prisoner of War plates are also $8.50 to issue, $0 to renew, and where the accessibility symbol applies they carry the same parking-fee exemption. Apply using the Special Recognition/Honor plate application (Form SP-96).
• Governmental Services Tax offset. Instead of applying your Veterans'/Disabled Veterans' property-tax exemption to a home, you can apply it against the Governmental Services Tax portion of your DMV vehicle registration (see Property tax).
• Standard "Veterans & Families" plates (not disability-based) carry an ordinary specialty-plate fee, part of which supports veteran services — these are not free, unlike the Disabled Veteran plate. Confirm current registration base fees with the DMV before relying on any specific dollar figure.

1. Get your VA rating letter documenting the service-connected disability, plus your title/registration information.
2. Take Form SP-10 to a Nevada DMV office and request the Disabled Veteran plate (and a placard on Form SP-27 if you want one).
3. Ask the DMV to apply your property-tax exemption to the Governmental Services Tax on this registration if you are not using it on a home.

Sources Nevada DMV · DMV registration fees · State Tax Dept

Recreation: parks, hunting & fishing

What it is: a low-cost annual parks pass for disabled veterans, and a deeply discounted hunting-and-fishing license for veterans rated 50% or higher, run through Nevada State Parks and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW).

• Disabled Veteran State Parks Annual Permit — for a Nevada resident, honorably discharged veteran with proof of a permanent service-connected disability (the parks page sets no minimum percentage; bring your VA documentation). Cost: a $30 annual administrative fee, valid 12 months. It gives unlimited park entry plus use of camping and boat-launch facilities; additional fees still apply for reservations, utility hookups, and cabin/yurt rentals. Apply online through the reservation system, or by email/mail with the permit application.
• Disabled Veteran combination hunting & fishing license — for a Nevada resident veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or more (honorable discharge or certificate of satisfactory service). Price: about $15 for the combination license (plus a nominal processing fee), valid one year. Apply through NDOW using the NDOW Disabled Veteran License Application; non-resident veterans do not get this rate.

1. For the parks permit, gather your DD-214 and VA disability letter, then apply through Nevada State Parks (online, email, or mail).
2. For the $15 hunting/fishing license, confirm your VA letter shows a 50% or higher service-connected rating, complete the NDOW application, and submit it to NDOW or an approved license agent.

Sources Nevada State Parks · Dept. of Veterans Services · Dept. of Wildlife

Education for you & your family

What it is: Nevada's state tuition-waiver programs, run through the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), mostly benefit Purple Heart recipients and the families of members who were killed, captured, or declared missing — not living disabled veterans directly. Your main education benefit as a disabled veteran is the federal GI Bill / Veteran Readiness and Employment programs through the VA.

• Purple Heart tuition/fee waiver — a veteran awarded the Purple Heart may receive a waiver of registration, laboratory, and mandatory fees at NSHE institutions and is treated as a Nevada resident for tuition.
• POW/MIA and line-of-duty family waivers — children and spouses of a service member (including Nevada National Guard) who is a prisoner of war, declared missing in action, or killed in the line of duty may register at NSHE institutions with registration fees waived. A child may use the waiver for up to 10 years after turning 18 (or 10 years after enrollment if enrolled before 18); a spouse has up to 10 years from the qualifying event.
• Nevada National Guard tuition waiver — active Guard members can receive a registration/laboratory fee waiver. Whether a member can transfer that waiver to a spouse or dependent has changed over time, so confirm the current transfer rules with NSHE before relying on it.
• Federal Chapter 35 (Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance) — this is a federal VA benefit (not a Nevada program) for spouses and children of a veteran who is rated permanently and totally (P&T) disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died from one.
• Note the gap: this pass found no Nevada state tuition benefit that runs directly to a living disabled veteran (as opposed to survivors, dependents, POW/MIA families, Purple Heart recipients, or Guard members). If that matters for your situation, confirm with an NSHE campus veterans' services office.

1. If you have a Purple Heart, ask your NSHE campus about the fee waiver and Nevada-resident tuition status.
2. For a child or spouse of a member who was killed, captured, or declared missing, confirm the current waiver terms and 10-year window with your NSHE campus.
3. For your own schooling as a disabled veteran, use your federal VA education benefits and, if a dependent qualifies, Chapter 35.

Sources Nevada System of Higher Education · VA Chapter 35 benefit

State Veterans' Homes & long-term care

What it is: Nevada operates two state-owned skilled-nursing homes for veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents.

• Southern Nevada State Veterans Home — 100 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City, NV 89005; main line (702) 668-5806, admissions (702) 668-5517. A 180-bed skilled-nursing facility with 24/7 nursing, physical/occupational/speech therapy, mental-health, palliative/hospice, pharmacy, and specialized Alzheimer's/dementia care; it holds a 5-Star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Northern Nevada State Veterans Home — 36 Battle Born Way, Sparks, NV 89431; (775) 827-2955. A skilled-nursing and rehabilitation facility (about 96 beds) that opened in 2019.
• Who is eligible: eligible veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents who need skilled nursing care, subject to a physician's assessment of the level of care needed. Cost is offset by Medicare/Medicaid, VA compensation/pension, and a VA per-diem, with private pay as a backstop; the published daily rate at the Southern home is about $125/day — confirm your out-of-pocket cost with the home's admissions office, because a higher VA disability rating can substantially reduce or eliminate it.
• VA medical care in Nevada (separate from the state homes) runs through the federal VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System (Reno) and VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System (Las Vegas).

1. Pick the closer home (Boulder City or Sparks).
2. Call that home's admissions office, ask for the application and physician's-statement packet, and confirm your specific cost given your VA rating and Medicare/Medicaid status.
3. Have your DD Form 214 and VA rating letter ready to submit.

Sources Dept. of Veterans Services · VA locations

State hiring & civil service

What it is: Nevada gives veterans extra points on state hiring exams and gives disabled veterans a guaranteed interview. The state hiring page returned an error on direct fetch in this pass; the figures below reflect its current indexed content — verify on the live page before relying.

• Preference points: an honorably discharged veteran generally receives 10 points added to a qualifying score on training-and-experience examinations; Guard/Reserve members and surviving spouses of veterans generally receive 5 points. Confirm the current point values on the live state hiring page.
• Guaranteed interview for disabled veterans: a veteran with a service-connected disability who meets the minimum qualifications for a state position is guaranteed an opportunity to interview. In addition, at least 22% of the qualified applicants interviewed for a state position must be qualified veterans who do not have a service-connected disability — a structured preference favoring veterans generally and disabled veterans specifically.
• Job-search help: the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) provides veteran career services, including the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program for those with a significant barrier to employment, and applies Priority of Service to all veterans and eligible spouses.

1. When you apply for a Nevada state job or exam, claim veteran status and request your preference points, with your DD Form 214 and VA rating letter ready.
2. If you have a service-connected disability and meet the minimum qualifications, make sure you are flagged for the guaranteed interview.
3. Use DETR Veteran Services for resume, placement, and priority-of-service help.

Sources Dept. of Veterans Services · the statute · DETR

Other: burial, business & the donation option

What it is: a few smaller but valuable programs — state veterans' cemeteries, a business-license fee waiver, and the option to donate your property-tax exemption to the veterans' homes.

• State Veterans Memorial Cemeteries: Nevada operates two — Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Fernley, (775) 575-4441) and Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Boulder City, (702) 486-5920). For an eligible veteran there is no charge for the plot or for opening/closing the grave; a $450 fee (subject to change) applies to bury an eligible spouse or dependent. Eligibility mirrors federal VA national-cemetery eligibility.
• Veteran-owned business license fee waiver: the Nevada Secretary of State waives the fee to issue a state business license, and the renewal fee for the business's first 5 years, if the business was created on or after July 1, 2023 and either the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran or at least 50% of the business is owned by one or more honorably discharged veterans.
• Donate your property-tax exemption: instead of using your Veterans'/Disabled Veterans' exemption on your own tax, you may donate the full amount to the state's Gift Account for Veterans' Homes.

1. For burial, call the cemetery office (Fernley or Boulder City) to confirm eligibility and pre-plan; have your DD Form 214 ready.
2. Starting a business? Apply for the state business license through the Nevada Secretary of State and claim the veteran fee waiver.
3. If you'd rather give than take the property-tax break, tell your county Assessor you want to donate it to the Gift Account for Veterans' Homes.

Sources Dept. of Veterans Services · VA National Cemetery Administration · Secretary of State · State Tax Dept

Who to call

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) 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: veterans.nv.gov; contact page: veterans.nv.gov/contact
• Reno office: (775) 688-1653 (9400 Gateway Drive, Suite A, Reno, NV 89521)
• Las Vegas office: (702) 486-3830 (7220 Bermuda Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119)
• Find a free accredited Veterans Service Officer: veterans.nv.gov/veterans-service-officers
• Property-tax questions: your county 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. Find one through NDVS or at VA.gov. Never pay a private company for basic claims help.
2. State-program questions (property tax, plates, parks, education, homes, hiring, business) go to the specific office linked in that section, or start at veterans.nv.gov.

Sources State Tax Dept

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