Missouri Disabled Veteran Benefits: Property Tax, License Plates, Education & More

If you are a veteran living in the Show-Me State with a service-connected disability rating from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Missouri has a meaningful set of benefits waiting for you. Some are tied to your exact disability percentage. Others hinge on narrowly defined statuses like being a former prisoner of war (POW). A few are open to every honorably discharged veteran, regardless of rating.

This guide walks through each one plainly, tells you exactly who qualifies, and gives you the step-by-step way to claim what you have earned. You do not need a lawyer to understand any of this, and you do not need to be at 100% to get real help.

Missouri Property Tax Relief for Disabled Veterans

Property tax is where most disabled veterans in Missouri want relief first. The good news: the state does provide relief. The important nuance: Missouri does not currently offer a broad, across-the-board homestead exemption for every veteran with a disability rating. The two strong, established routes are a full exemption for former POWs who are 100% disabled, and a dollar-for-dollar property tax credit for 100% service-connected disabled veterans.

Do not let that scare you off. One of these two paths fits most veterans with a top-level rating, and each has a concrete application process.

Full Property Tax Exemption: Former POWs With a Total Service-Connected Disability

Missouri exempts the qualifying home from property tax for a veteran who meets both parts of this test:

1. You must be a former prisoner of war; and
2. You must have a total (100%) service-connected disability.

When both conditions are true, the exemption removes your primary residence from the tax rolls entirely. You apply through the office of your county assessor, where the property is located, and you must own and occupy the home as your primary residence.

Missouri Property Tax Credit for 100% Service-Connected Disabled Veterans

For a veteran who is 100% disabled but not a former POW, the state offers a property tax credit in place of a full exemption. A credit works differently from an exemption: the tax bill does not disappear, but the state later returns a portion of what you paid.

The credit pays up to $1,100 for homeowners who occupied the home all year, and up to $750 for renters (and part-year owners). There are household income limits, adjusted for filing status:

Here is the detail most veterans overlook: your VA disability payments are excluded from your household income when you are a 100% service-connected disabled veteran. That single rule can push a household whose income is mostly VA compensation safely under the limit.

You claim this credit on Form MO-PTC through the Missouri Department of Revenue. Contact your county assessor or collector to start, since application details run through the county where you live.

Tip: Because property tax procedures happen at the county level in Missouri, always confirm the exact form and filing deadline with your local assessor before the spring filing window.

Two Property-Tax Paths, Side by Side

Missouri Disabled Veteran License Plates

Missouri lets an eligible veteran get one free set of Disabled Veteran (DV) license plates. That first set comes with no registration, processing, transfer, or replacement fees. It is a real, everyday-dollar benefit, and the qualification bar is far more open than the property tax rules.

To qualify you must be a Missouri resident who served in and was honorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces, and you must have a service-connected disability verified by the VA.

What You Need to Apply

1. A completed and signed Application for Missouri Military Personalized License Plates (Form 4601).
2. A statement directly from the VA, no more than one year old, confirming your disability is service-connected. A letter from a VA hospital or clinic is not accepted for this purpose — it must come from the VA itself.

Good to know about the plates:

• Personalized plates are free. If you want a custom configuration instead of the stock layout, there is no personalization fee on your free set.
• Extra plates cost money. A second or additional DV plate is subject to the usual registration and personalization fees.
• Parking access requires the wheelchair symbol. The DV plate alone does not allow parking in accessible spaces. To add the wheelchair accessibility symbol you must also submit a signed Physician’s Statement for Disabled License Plates/Placards (DOR-1776) from an approved health care provider confirming the disability is permanent.

Missouri Income Tax Treatment of Veterans’ Pay

On your Missouri income taxes, several kinds of veteran income are treated favorably. The standout: military retired pay is exempt from Missouri income tax and can be deducted from your Missouri adjusted gross income. If you are drawing a military pension, that money is not taxed at the state level.

In addition, VA disability compensation and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for survivors are not included in taxable income. Missouri follows the federal treatment here, so these benefits pass through your return without state tax.

Combined with the property tax credit, a disabled veteran whose household income leans on VA compensation and a military pension can keep a notably larger share of their money in their pocket each year.

Missouri “Returning Heroes” College Tuition Break

For veterans who served in a combat zone after the 9/11 terror attacks, Missouri’s Returning Heroes Education Act is a serious education benefit. The law caps tuition at Missouri’s public colleges and universities at $50 per credit hour for qualifying combat veterans.

You generally qualify if you:

• Are a Missouri resident (residency at the time you entered the military);
• Served on active duty in a designated combat zone for more than 30 days after the 9/11 attacks; and
• Were honorably discharged.

After other aid (grants and scholarships) is applied to tuition and fees, anything left over that exceeds $50 per credit hour is waived. The benefit requires you to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average to keep renewing, so keep your grades up.

Separately, under the federal Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act (the so-called “Forever GI Bill” and its in-state tuition rules), veterans using GI Bill benefits while living in Missouri are charged the in-state tuition rate at public schools, regardless of your official state of residence. The same in-state treatment extends to eligible dependents using transferred benefits.

Hunting and Fishing Benefits From the Missouri Department of Conservation

If you enjoy the outdoors, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has veteran-specific permits and programs. These benefits are real and tied to your disability rating or POW status.

No-permit hunting for disabled veterans: An honorably discharged veteran with a service-related disability of 60% or greater, or who was a prisoner of war, may hunt (but not trap) wildlife without a permit. This does not cover black bears, deer, elk, or turkeys. You must carry a certified statement of eligibility from the VA. Note that hunting waterfowl still requires a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit, and a federal duck stamp is required to hunt waterfowl.

Resident-price permits: Veterans with a service-related disability of 60% or greater, or who were POWs, may buy hunting and fishing permits at resident prices, saving money even when a permit is required.

Managed hunts for hunters with disabilities: MDC runs dedicated managed deer hunts for hunters with disabilities across the state. Some are drawn through the standard system; others are administered by partner agencies. Hunters permanently using a wheelchair are automatically allowed into specific managed deer hunts at several conservation areas.

Free veteran fishing events: Each fishing season, MDC and Missouri State Parks host free fishing days at trout parks like Roaring River and Bennett Spring specifically for veterans and active-duty service members. These are seasonal events you can plan around.

Employment Preference for Disabled Veterans in Missouri

Missouri gives veterans an advantage when seeking state employment. Veterans’ preference in state hiring adds points to your examination or hiring assessment when an exam is used to rank applicants. Disabled veterans get a stronger preference than veterans without a service-connected disability, reflecting the state’s intent to open public-sector careers to those who served.

The exact point amount can vary by agency and by how an exam is scored, so ask the hiring office or your local Missouri Veterans Commission service officer for the current mechanics for the position you are targeting. In many classified-service settings, disabled veterans receive a 10-point preference. Your Vietnam-or-after or qualifying service plus a compensable service-connected disability makes you eligible to assert it.

Your State Benefits at a Glance

Common Questions About Missouri Disabled Veteran Benefits

Do I have to be 100% disabled to get any property tax help in Missouri?

For the property tax credit, yes — that benefit is set aside for veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. But for other benefits, no. The Disabled Veteran license plate, military retired pay exemption, and hunting benefits are available to veterans with lower ratings or, in some cases, any honorable discharge.

Where do I apply for the property tax benefits?

Both the full exemption and the property tax credit begin at your county assessor’s office. The assessor handles the exemption; the credit is claimed through the Missouri Department of Revenue (Form MO-PTC) but starts with your local assessor or collector.

Do VA disability payments count as income for the Missouri property tax credit?

Not for a 100% service-connected disabled veteran. Your VA payments are excluded from the household income used for the credit’s limits. That exclusion is often what makes a household eligible.

Is a Military retired pension taxed in Missouri?

No. Military retired pay is exempt from Missouri income tax and can be deducted from your Missouri adjusted gross income.

Can I get free Missouri license plates if I was honorably discharged but am not disabled?

The Disabled Veteran plates require a service-connected disability. If you are not disabled, you may still qualify for other specialty military plates, but not the no-fee DV set specifically.

Does the Disabled Veteran license plate allow disabled parking?

Not by itself. You must have the wheelchair accessibility symbol on the plate, which requires a physician’s statement (Form DOR-1776) confirming a permanent disability.

Your Next Steps

You do not have to chase every benefit at once. Start with the ones most likely to put real money back in your pocket and work through them in order.

1. Confirm your rating and request a current VA statement of your service-connected disability if you do not have one handy. You will need it for the plates and the property tax credit.
2. Call or visit your county assessor to ask about the property tax credit (and the full exemption if you are a former POW). Ask for the exact local form and deadline.
3. Apply for your free Disabled Veteran plate at your local license office with Form 4601 and the VA letter.
4. If you served in a combat zone, contact the veteran services office at your local public college to begin the Returning Heroes tuition benefit before you enroll.
5. Connect with a Missouri Veterans Commission service officer — their help is free, and they handle the paperwork details for many of these benefits across state agencies.

The bottom line: Missouri’s benefits are written with specific eligibility tests, and your disability percentage is the key that opens most of them. Take your VA rating letter, sit down with your county assessor and a Missouri Veterans Commission service officer, and claim what you have earned — one benefit at a time.