New Hampshire Disabled Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled veteran living in New Hampshire, 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 credits and full exemption, the fact that New Hampshire has no income tax at all, vehicle and plate perks, parks and hunting/fishing, education for your kids, the state Veterans Home, hiring preference, burial, and more. Every dollar figure, deadline, and form name below comes from an official New Hampshire source (the state law, the Department of Revenue Administration, the Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services, or the responsible state agency), 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.

Recently expanded — the local-option disabled-veteran tax credit ceiling. State law gives a veteran with a total and permanent service-connected disability a $700 credit off the property tax bill by default, and each city or town may vote to raise its local credit up to $5,000 a year (the ceiling was lifted from $4,000 in a 2025 change). This is in effect now, but it is local-option — the amount above $700 depends on what your specific town has voted to adopt, so the same rating is worth different dollars in different towns. Confirm your town's adopted figure with the local assessor.

Sources the disability-credit statute

Property tax exemption

What it is: New Hampshire has no statewide property tax office that grants these — you file with your local city or town assessing office, and each municipality sets its own optional dollar amounts within the limits the law allows. There are three separate programs, and a disabled veteran may qualify for more than one. Only one of them is a full (100%) exemption from all property tax, and it has a specific extra requirement described below. All three are claimed on the same form, Form PA-29, filed by April 15.

The three programs, from smallest to a full exemption:

• Standard / optional Veterans' Tax Credit — a credit off the property tax bill for wartime-service veterans generally (not disability-specific). The standard credit is $50; a city or town may vote to adopt an optional credit up to $750 that replaces the standard amount. A disabled veteran who does not qualify for the larger disability credit still gets at least this.
• Tax Credit for Service-Connected Total Disability — the main disabled-veteran credit: a $700 credit off the tax bill by default, which your town may vote to raise up to $5,000 a year (see the note at the top of this page). Who qualifies (meet any one):
  • honorably discharged and rated by the VA as having a total and permanent service-connected disability; or
  • a double amputee (upper or lower extremities, or any combination) because of a service-connected injury; or
  • paraplegic because of a service-connected injury.
  It applies to the property you occupy as your principal place of abode.
• Full property tax exemption for certain disabled veterans — a complete exemption from all property tax on your homestead. This is the only route to a 100% exemption, and it has two parts you must satisfy together:
  • Part 1 — a qualifying disability (meet any one): (a) 100% permanently and totally disabled under the federal standard from a service-connected disability (this federal standard also covers a 100% rating based on Individual Unemployability (IU), i.e. paid at the 100% rate and rated permanent and total); or (b) a double amputee of the upper or lower extremities, or any combination, as the result of service connection; or (c) paraplegic as the result of service connection; or (d) blindness of both eyes with visual acuity of 5/200 or less as the result of service connection.
  • Part 2 — the home must have a VA housing-assistance connection. The exemption applies where the homestead was specially adapted by the VA through an approved Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant, or was specially adapted and acquired using the proceeds from the sale of such an SAH/SHA home.

  ⚠  Read Part 2 carefully — a bare 100% rating is not enough by itself

  New Hampshire's full exemption is not a plain "100% rating equals no property tax" rule the way some states have. You need both a qualifying disability and the VA specially-adapted-housing connection. If you received an SAH or SHA grant (or bought your adapted home with the proceeds of one), this is your route. Exactly how the "acquired or specially adapted with VA assistance" language applies to your particular home can be a judgment call, so bring your VA grant paperwork to your local assessor and ask them to walk through the full-exemption rules with you before assuming you are in or out.

  Sources the full-exemption statute

Surviving spouse: both the disability credit and the full exemption continue for the veteran's surviving spouse so long as they meet the law's conditions. Confirm continuation with your assessor.

Residency and deadline: you must be a New Hampshire resident and own the property; the credit/exemption is set as of April 1, and the application is due by April 15. Once granted, the permanent application generally does not need to be refiled every year unless your circumstances change.

1. Find your local city or town assessing office (search "[your town] NH assessor veterans tax credit"). They administer all three programs, not the state.
2. Tell them your situation: your VA rating, whether the VA has designated you permanent and total (or IU at the 100% rate), whether you are an amputee/paraplegic/blind from service, and — important for the full exemption — whether you have a VA SAH or SHA housing grant. Ask which program gives you the most and what your town's adopted dollar amount is.
3. Get Form PA-29 (Permanent Application for Property Tax Credit/Exemptions) from your town office or the state Tax Dept: Form PA-29 (PDF) (always grab the current-year version from the state's exemptions page).
4. Attach your VA rating/certification letter (and, for the full exemption, your VA SAH/SHA grant documentation) and, if asked, your discharge document (DD Form 214).
5. File with the assessing office by April 15. If you are denied, you may appeal in writing. Confirm it posted by checking your next tax bill for the credit/exemption line.

Sources State Tax Dept · the wartime-veterans credit statute · the disability-credit statute · the full-exemption statute

State income tax

What it is: New Hampshire is one of the few states with no tax on wages, salaries, retirement pay, or investment income — so there is nothing for the state to tax your VA compensation or military retirement against, and no veteran-specific carve-out is even needed.

• No broad-based individual income tax. New Hampshire does not tax earned income, military retirement pay, Social Security, or pensions.
• The Interest & Dividends (I&D) Tax was fully repealed effective January 1, 2025. New Hampshire previously taxed interest and dividend income above certain thresholds; that last remaining income-type tax is now gone, so investment income is untaxed by the state too.
• VA disability compensation is tax-free at the federal level as well, so it is not taxed anywhere on the way through.

1. You do not file a New Hampshire income tax return for wages or retirement income — there isn't one. Keep your VA award letter for other purposes (property tax, education, licenses) where proof of rating matters.
2. New Hampshire does levy business taxes (Business Profits Tax, Business Enterprise Tax), a Meals & Rooms tax, and a Real Estate Transfer Tax; none is an individual income tax and none carries a veteran carve-out identified here. If you run a business, confirm your obligations with the state Tax Dept.

Sources State Tax Dept · the Interest & Dividends page · IRS Publication 525

Vehicles, plates & tolls

What it is: New Hampshire waives vehicle registration/plate fees and issues a free special plate for the most seriously disabled veterans, handled through the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and your town/city clerk.

• Registration fee exemption — amputee / paraplegic / loss-of-limb veterans: no fee is charged for the permit to register a motor vehicle owned by a veteran who is an amputee or paraplegic, or who has lost or lost the use of a limb from a service-connected cause, and who the VA has evaluated as totally and permanently disabled from that service-connected disability.
• Registration fee exemption — blind veterans: no fee is charged for the initial set of plates for a vehicle owned by a veteran the VA has determined to have total blindness from a service-connected disability.
• Free special disabled-veteran plate: the initial set of special number plates for a qualifying veteran — an amputee or paraplegic, or a veteran the VA has evaluated as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability — is issued without charge. (The same law also covers no-charge initial plates for blind veterans, former prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, and Pearl Harbor survivors.)
• Tolls: New Hampshire's turnpike tolls use E-ZPass NH, and all NH E-ZPass account holders get the standard in-state discount. This research pass found no separate veteran-specific toll exemption in New Hampshire beyond the general account discount — do not count on a veteran toll waiver unless the NH Department of Transportation Bureau of Turnpikes confirms one for your situation.

1. Gather your VA letter certifying the qualifying disability (total and permanent, or total blindness), plus your DD Form 214.
2. Bring them to a NH DMV office or your town/city clerk that processes registrations, and ask for the fee-exempt registration and the free special disabled-veteran plate.
3. Confirm at the counter that the registration and plate fees are waived before you pay.

Sources the registration-fee statute · the blind-veteran fee statute · the free-plate statute · DMV plate list · DMV · State Veterans Services

Recreation: parks, hunting & fishing

What it is: free state-park day-use for any service-connected rating, and a free or half-price lifetime hunting/fishing license depending on your rating, through the NH Fish and Game Department and the NH Division of Parks and Recreation.

• Free state park day-use admission — any percentage of service-connected disability. Unlike many states that require 100%, New Hampshire waives the day-use admission fee for a veteran with any VA service-connected disability rating. Proof is your NH disabled-veteran special plate, or a VA letter certifying a service-connected disability shown with your NH driver's license. Other charges (ski lifts, food service, campgrounds) still apply.
• Free lifetime hunting/fishing license — total and permanent (100%) service-connected disability. A New Hampshire resident with a discharge other than dishonorable who is totally and permanently disabled (100%) from a service-connected disability gets a perpetual (lifetime) combination license, subject to a one-time $10 administrative fee.
• Half-price lifetime license — 80% to 99% disabled for more than two years. A resident with a discharge other than dishonorable who is rated at least 80% but less than 100% service-connected disabled for more than two years gets a lifetime license at 50% of the standard lifetime-license cost.

1. For free park day-use, just carry your NH disabled-veteran plate registration or your VA service-connected letter plus your NH driver's license.
2. For the hunting/fishing license, get your VA letter showing your rating (100% permanent and total for the free lifetime license, or 80–99% for the half-price one).
3. Submit the Disabled Veterans Resident Lifetime License Application (PDF) to NH Fish and Game's Licensing Division (603-271-3422, [email protected]).

Sources State Parks fees · the park-admission statute · the hunting/fishing license statute · Fish and Game license info · Fish and Game license forms

Education for you & your family

What it is: New Hampshire's headline education benefit is a full tuition waiver for the children of totally and permanently disabled New Hampshire veterans at the state's public colleges and universities. Your own schooling generally runs on your federal GI Bill.

• Tuition Waiver for Children of Disabled New Hampshire Veterans. A biological, adopted, or stepchild of a totally and permanently disabled New Hampshire veteran (discharge other than dishonorable, and rated total and permanent by the VA) gets a full tuition waiver at University System of New Hampshire (USNH) schools (University of New Hampshire, Plymouth State, Keene State) and Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) schools. The child must meet New Hampshire domicile/residency rules and be under age 27 on the first day of the term. The student must also file the FAFSA and use up available federal aid (including Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits) first. Application: USNH Tuition Waiver Application (PDF).
• Your own GI Bill. Your Post-9/11 GI Bill and related education benefits are federal and administered by the VA, not the state — check VA.gov for current amounts and rules.

1. If your child wants to use the waiver, confirm current eligibility on the USNH policy page or with the community college system.
2. Have the child file the FAFSA and apply for federal aid first (the waiver fills the tuition gap after that).
3. Submit the tuition-waiver application with your VA total-and-permanent determination and DD-214 to the school's financial aid office before the term starts (remember the under-27 cutoff).

Sources University System of NH · Community College System · VA education

State Veterans' Home & long-term care

What it is: New Hampshire operates one state veterans' long-term care facility, the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton — a 250-bed facility (about 100 beds for residents with dementia) providing 24-hour skilled nursing/custodial care.

• Who can be admitted: honorably discharged veterans who served in the armed forces in time of war, who were New Hampshire residents for the year before applying or were New Hampshire residents when they entered the military, and who meet the medical standard (incapable of earning a living because of age, disease, or infirmity).
• Cost: the Home charges based on a resident's ability to pay and coordinates VA per-diem and benefits; confirm your exact cost, given your VA rating and income, with the Home's admissions office.
• VA health care (separate from the Home) is enrolled through VA.gov; New Hampshire veterans are served through the Manchester VA Medical Center and its community clinics.

1. Call the New Hampshire Veterans Home at (603) 527-4400 to confirm current eligibility and bed availability.
2. Review the eligibility page and gather your DD Form 214, VA rating letter, and financial/asset information for the admission packet.
3. Ask the admissions office to walk you through the cost given your rating and income before you commit.

Sources NH Veterans Home eligibility · admissions · FAQ · expenses · VA health care

State hiring & civil service

What it is: New Hampshire gives veterans a hiring edge for state government jobs, recently strengthened by both a 2025 law and a governor's executive order, plus priority job-search help through NH Employment Security (NHES).

• Veterans' hiring preference (long-standing). State law directs that preference be given to veterans (and, in defined cases, their spouses or surviving spouses) in appointments across state and local public departments and public works.
• A 2025 executive order (Governor Ayotte). A 2025 executive order directs state government to open employment opportunities to qualified current and former members of the U.S. armed forces, the New Hampshire National Guard, and their spouses — the practical effect being that qualified veterans and spouses who meet the minimum qualifications for a posted state job get a foot in the door. Confirm the current terms directly with the state's Administrative Services.
• A 2025 law. A law signed in 2025 broadened hiring preferences for military members and their spouses and established purchase/procurement preferences for disabled-veteran-owned and military-spouse-owned businesses on state supply purchases. Confirm the current mechanics with Administrative Services before relying on it for a bid.
• Priority employment services. NHES treats veterans as a priority population for job placement, referrals, and case management (through federally funded veteran employment representatives).

1. When you apply for a state job, identify yourself as a veteran and, if applicable, a disabled veteran, and have your DD Form 214 and VA rating letter ready.
2. Browse and apply through the state's veterans job-search page, and use NHES veteran services for help with your search.
3. If you own a business, ask Administrative Services how to register for the disabled-veteran-owned business purchase preference under the 2025 law.

Sources State Admin Services · the Governor's executive orders · the Governor's bill-signing announcement · NH Employment Security

Other: burial, bonuses, veteran business

What it is: a state veterans cemetery, state service bonuses, and a fee-free peddler's license.

• New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery (Boscawen). Burial is at no cost to the eligible veteran (honorable/qualifying discharge); an eligible spouse or dependent may be interred for a nominal fee (confirm the current amount with the cemetery). The veteran and eligible dependents share a gravesite. Federal VA burial benefits may also apply.
• State service bonuses. New Hampshire pays modest one-time bonuses to qualifying resident veterans — for example a $100 Vietnam War bonus and a $100 Global War on Terrorism operations bonus for those meeting the medal, service-dates, residency-at-enlistment, and honorable-discharge tests.
• Fee-free peddler's/hawker's license. Service-connected disabled veterans (and their unremarried surviving spouse) are exempt from the state license fee for a peddler's/hawker's license. Because peddling is also regulated at the town level, confirm the exact process with the New Hampshire Secretary of State and your local clerk; the state benefits page is a good starting point.

1. For burial, the family or funeral home contacts the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery at (603) 796-2026 to begin the interment process, with the veteran's DD Form 214 on hand.
2. For a bonus, confirm your eligibility and how to claim it with the NH Division of Veterans Services.
3. For the peddler's license, ask the NH Secretary of State and your town clerk about the fee exemption before you apply.

Sources State Veterans Cemetery · VA burial benefits · VA cemetery listing · the service-bonus statute · NH state benefits

Who to call

The New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services (DMAVS), Division of Veterans Services is your single front door for the state programs above and for a free accredited VSO to help with a VA claim, rating, or benefit application.

• Website: nhveterans.nh.gov
• Address: 275 Chestnut Street, Room 517, Manchester, NH 03101
• Phone: (603) 624-9230 · NH toll-free: 1-800-622-9230
• Find a VSO: VSOs and Sites — NH DMAVS
• Property tax questions: your local city or town assessor (they administer the credits/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 (603) 624-9230 or find one at VA.gov. Never pay a private company for basic claims help.
2. State-program questions (property tax, plates, parks, licenses, education, the Veterans Home, hiring, burial) go to the specific office linked in that section, or start at nhveterans.nh.gov.

Sources State Tax Dept

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