VA Rating CalculatorOctober 7, 2026 · 10 min read · DisableVet
New Hampshire Disabled Veteran Benefits: A Complete Guide
New Hampshire is one of the most veteran-friendly states in the country, and for good reason. It has no state income tax on wages, no sales tax, and it no longer taxes interest or dividend income at all. But the Granite State goes much further for disabled veterans: property tax credits and exemptions, free license plates and registration, free college tuition for your children, free state park admission, and even free hunting and fishing licenses for totally disabled veterans.
This guide walks you through every major benefit New Hampshire offers, what you qualify for at your disability rating, and exactly how to claim each one. Whether you are rated at 100% or just getting started with a lower rating, there is something here for you.
New Hampshire's Tax Advantage for Veterans
No State Income Tax on Your VA Benefits or Military Retirement
New Hampshire does not tax wages, salaries, or self-employment income. Critically for veterans, that means your VA disability compensation and your military retirement pay are not taxed by the state. Federal rules already exclude VA disability compensation from taxable income, so your disability check is completely tax-free.
The state's last remaining tax on individual income — the Interest and Dividends Tax — has been fully repealed, so investment income is no longer taxed either. On top of that, New Hampshire has no sales tax and no estate or inheritance tax.
Bottom line: if you are a New Hampshire resident veteran, the VA benefits and retirement income you receive are not reduced by state income tax.
Property Tax Credits and Exemptions for Disabled Veterans
New Hampshire's property tax relief for disabled veterans comes in a few different forms. Some are automatic, and some depend on whether your city or town has voted to adopt them. Here is how they break down.
The Disabled Veterans' Tax Credit (RSA 72:35)
If you have a total and permanent (100%) service-connected disability rating from the VA — or you are a double amputee or paraplegic because of a service-connected injury — you qualify for a yearly credit against the property taxes on your home. A surviving spouse also qualifies.
- Standard credit: $700 per year, subtracted from the property tax on your primary residence.
Many cities and towns choose to adopt a larger optional credit, ranging from $701 up to $5,000 per year. Whether you get the higher amount depends entirely on where you live, so check with your local assessor's office.
| Credit Type | Amount | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Standard disabled-vet credit | $700 / year | 100% P&T, double amputee, or paraplegic; surviving spouse |
| Optional disabled-vet credit | $701 up to $5,000 / year | Same as above, if your town adopted it |
To claim it, you file an application with your town or city assessor and provide a letter from the VA certifying your total and permanent disability rating. The assessor must accept the VA certification as conclusive on the question of disability.
Full Exemption for a Specially Adapted Homestead (RSA 72:36-a)
This is the strongest property tax benefit New Hampshire offers. If you are a 100% permanently and totally disabled veteran, a double amputee, paraplegic, or blind in both eyes from service connection, and you own a home that was specially adapted with a VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant — you can be exempt from all property taxes on that homestead. Your surviving spouse also qualifies for the full exemption.
Other Veterans' Property Tax Credits
- Standard Veterans' Credit (RSA 72:28): Veterans who served at least 90 days in a qualifying conflict receive a $50 yearly credit. Cities and towns may adopt an optional credit up to $750.
- Combat Service Credit (RSA 72:28-c): Veterans who served in a designated combat area earn a $500 credit.
- Surviving Spouse Credit: A surviving spouse who has not remarried, of a veteran who died on active duty or of a service-connected disability, may receive a $700 credit (up to $2,000 if adopted locally).
Free License Plates and Registration (DMV Benefits)
New Hampshire does not charge qualified disabled veterans for their plates or registration. This can save you hundreds of dollars per vehicle, every year.
Disabled Veteran License Plates (RSA 261:86)
If you are a permanently and totally disabled veteran due to a service-connected disability — or an amputee, paraplegic, or totally blind from service connection — you get one set of Disabled Veteran plates at no charge. These plates carry the international accessibility symbol.
If you prefer, you may instead take, also at no charge, one set of the standard veterans' plates without the accessibility symbol. The trade-off is that the standard veterans' plates do not come with the free parking privileges tied to the accessibility-symbol plates.
Free Vehicle Registration
New Hampshire waives the registration fee for a vehicle owned by a veteran who is:
- A permanently and totally disabled veteran from a service-connected disability, or
- An amputee, paraplegic, or blind as a result of a service-connected cause, or
- A former prisoner of war who was honorably discharged.
Free Driver's License Fee
New Hampshire charges no fee for a driver's license for a veteran who is an amputee, paraplegic, or classified by the VA as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability.
Free Parking
Any vehicle bearing the Disabled Veteran plates with the international accessibility symbol gets free parking time in any city or town, as long as the vehicle is under the direct control of the owner.
| Vehicle Benefit | Who Qualifies | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Disabled Veteran license plates | 100% P&T disabled, amputee, paraplegic, or totally blind (service-connected) | Free (one set) |
| Vehicle registration fee waiver | 100% P&T, amputee, paraplegic, blind, or former POW | Free |
| Driver's license fee waiver | 100% P&T disabled veteran | Free |
| Free parking | DV plate holders with accessibility symbol | Free |
Free College Tuition for the Children of Disabled Veterans
One of New Hampshire's most generous benefits is free tuition at its public colleges for the children of disabled, deceased, or missing veterans. This applies to the University System of New Hampshire (UNH, Keene State, Plymouth State, and Granite State College) and the Community College System of New Hampshire.
Children of 100% Permanently Disabled Veterans (RSA 187-A:20)
Children of a veteran who is totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability and was a New Hampshire resident can attend a University System of New Hampshire institution tuition-free.
- The child must be under age 27.
- The qualifying parent must have been domiciled in New Hampshire when they entered service or when they received their 100% rating, and be a current resident (or have been an NH resident at death).
- Biological, adopted, and stepchildren qualify.
- The child must complete the FAFSA and be eligible for federal financial aid, and must have exhausted Post-9/11 GI Bill and federal tuition assistance first.
Children of Veterans Killed or Died of Service-Connected Disability (RSA 193:19-21)
Children of service members who died in wartime service — or of certain wartime veterans who died of a service-connected disability — get free tuition at New Hampshire public institutions plus a scholarship of up to $2,500 per year for room, board, books, and supplies for up to four years, based on financial need.
Children of Missing or Captured Service Members (RSA 188-F:15)
Children of a member domiciled in New Hampshire who has been reported missing or captured can attend the community college system free while the parent remains listed as missing or captured.
For the Veteran or Spouse Themselves
All public colleges in New Hampshire offer in-state tuition to veterans using the Post-9/11 or Montgomery GI Bill within three years of discharge, and to dependents using transferred benefits or the Fry Scholarship.
State Parks, Hunting, and Fishing
Free State Park Admission (RSA 216-A:3-g, IV)
Here is a benefit that is easy to miss — and it applies to far more veterans than most people realize. New Hampshire does not charge day-use admission to state parks for a veteran with any VA service-connected disability rating. There is no percentage floor: a fully able-bodied veteran rated at even 10% qualifies.
You prove eligibility with your Disabled Veteran license plate or a letter from the VA certifying your service-connected disability (ask the VA for a "State Park Letter"). Enterprise activities — ski lifts, campgrounds, and food service — still charge their own fees.
Free Perpetual Hunting and Fishing Licenses (RSA 214:13-c)
If you are a New Hampshire resident honorably discharged veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, you can get a free perpetual Fish and Game license — meaning hunting and fishing privileges for life. You pay a one-time $10 administrative fee when you apply.
Employment and Other Benefits
Veterans' Preference in State Employment (RSA 283:1)
New Hampshire gives honorably discharged veterans a 5-point preference on state classified job examinations, and disabled veterans a 10-point preference. That boost can make the difference between being reached for an interview and being passed over.
Military Leave for State Employees (RSA 110-B:65)
If you work for the state of New Hampshire and serve in the National Guard or Reserves, you are entitled to up to 15 days of paid military leave per training year for drill and training.
Priority of Service for Veterans
Veterans and eligible spouses receive priority for employment, training, and placement services at NHWorks career centers across the state. State-funded federal and state training opportunities also give qualified veterans priority.
Free Veterans Services and Assistance
The New Hampshire Department of Military Affairs and Veterans Services (DMAVS), along with county Veterans Service Officers, provides free help with VA disability compensation claims, pension applications, healthcare enrollment, appeals, and education benefits. The state office is at 4 Pembroke Road, Concord, and they can be reached at (603) 225-1200.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New Hampshire disabled veteran property tax credit?
Veterans with a total and permanent service-connected disability get a $700 yearly credit against property taxes. Cities and towns may adopt an optional credit up to $5,000.
Is there a 100% property tax exemption for disabled veterans in New Hampshire?
Yes, but only for a home that was specially adapted using a VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant. That homestead is exempt from all property taxes for a qualifying 100% disabled veteran and their surviving spouse.
Does New Hampshire tax VA disability pay or military retirement?
No. New Hampshire has no tax on wages or individual income of any kind, and the Interest and Dividends Tax has been fully repealed. Your VA compensation and military retirement pay are not taxed by the state.
Can I get free college tuition in New Hampshire as a disabled veteran's child?
Yes. Children of 100% permanently and totally disabled New Hampshire veterans attend the University System of New Hampshire tuition-free. Children of veterans killed or deceased from a service-connected disability also get free tuition plus up to $2,500 a year for living costs.
Do I need a 100% rating for free state park admission?
No. Any New Hampshire veteran with any VA service-connected disability rating gets free day-use admission to state parks. Show your disabled-vet plate or a VA letter.
Next Steps: What You Should Do Now
You do not need to know every statute to get the benefits you have earned. Here is the practical path forward:
- Call your town or city assessor. Ask whether your municipality has adopted the optional disabled-veteran property tax credit, and request the application forms for every veterans' credit that fits you.
- Order your free Disabled Veteran plates. Bring your VA benefits letter to your town clerk or the DMV to get the no-fee plates and registration, and to claim the free parking benefit.
- Get your "State Park Letter" from the VA by calling the Manchester VA at 1-800-827-1000, and confirm your free day-use admission at state parks.
- If you are 100% P&T, review the free-college programs for your children with the university's military and veteran services office.
- Meet with a Veterans Service Officer — it is free — to make sure you are using every state and federal benefit you qualify for. Contact DMAVS at (603) 225-1200.
New Hampshire takes care of its veterans. The hardest part is usually knowing what is available — and many assessor's offices and town clerks do not volunteer this information. Ask, apply, and keep the proof you need handy. These benefits won't come to you automatically, but they are yours for the asking.