Arizona state benefits
Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption (2026)
10%+- Arizona resident veteran, discharged under honorable conditions, who owns the property
- VA-rated 100% service-connected: your primary residence is fully exempt. A home you own with your spouse counts as yours alone. An unremarried surviving spouse can keep it while living there (first claimable January 2027, for a veteran who had the full exemption in 2026)
- Rated under 100% (or any non-service-connected rating): up to $4,873 of assessed value (2026 statewide AZDOR Abstract figure) times your rating % (60% = $2,924)
- 2026: a household income limit of $39,865 ($47,826 with children) applies to every veteran exemption, including the full one; VA disability pay doesn't count. From tax year 2027 (HB 4168, signed 6/13/26): IU also gets the full exemption and the income limit ends for veterans
No Vehicle License Tax or Registration Fee (100%)
100%+- Veteran (owner or co-owner of the vehicle) whom VA certifies as 100% disabled and paid compensation on that basis
- Waives the vehicle license tax and registration fees on one vehicle; you can move it to a replacement vehicle
- A surviving spouse keeps it until remarriage (MVD asks spouses to re-certify every year)
- Separately: no VLT or registration fee on one vehicle bought with a VA automobile grant
Free or Reduced Hunting & Fishing License
10%+ (free at 100%)- Veteran who has lived in Arizona for 1 year or more before applying
- Permanent 100% service-connected rating with VA compensation: a complimentary combination hunting and fishing license. If VA says the 100% is permanent with no re-exam, renewal needs no new letter; if a re-exam is set, it lasts 3 years
- Any service-connected rating with VA compensation: a reduced-fee combination license (up to 25% off by law; $42 on the AZGFD form)
Free or Half-Price State Park Day Use
Any rating- 100% service-connected veteran: a free day-use pass
- Military retiree or service-disabled veteran: 50% off day-use entry; no pass needed
- Covers you plus up to 3 adults with you. Day entry only: not camping, cave or mansion tours, reservation fees or special events
Military Retired Pay Not Taxed
Other rules- Retired or retainer pay of the uniformed services is fully subtracted from Arizona income tax (tax year 2021 and later)
- VA disability compensation is federal tax-free and isn't in Arizona income
Tuition Waiver: Purple Heart + 50% Rating
Other rules- Current or former service member with a Purple Heart, who lived in or was stationed in Arizona when wounded, and has a VA rating of 50% or more
- Waives undergraduate tuition at Arizona public universities and community colleges (not books, fees, parking or housing)
- Also: unremarried spouses and children (up to 30) of service members who lived in or were stationed in Arizona and were killed in the line of duty
10-Point Preference for State & Local Jobs
Any rating- Honorably separated veteran with a service-connected disability (or receiving VA compensation or military disability retirement): 10 points on a passing merit exam score
- Other veterans with more than 6 months of active duty: 5 points. Some spouses and surviving spouses also qualify
Military Family Relief Fund (Hardship Grants)
Other rules- Veteran discharged under honorable conditions who deployed, has an Arizona tie (home of record, Arizona National Guard at deployment, deployed from an Arizona military installation, or 12 months' continuous physical presence), and has a financial hardship caused by military service
- Helps with basic living costs like rent and utilities. One-time emergency help up to $3,000; $20,000 lifetime limit
Federal benefits to look into
CHAMPVA: health coverage for your spouse and kids
P&TIt's for family members, not the veteran: the spouse or dependent child of a veteran rated P&T from a service-connected disability. It's a cost-sharing program: VA shares the cost of covered care with the family. Not free. Family members eligible for TRICARE can't get CHAMPVA.
DEA (Chapter 35): school money for your spouse and kids
P&TChapter 35 / DEA education benefits are available to the spouse and children of a veteran who is P&T due to a service-connected disability. For school or training that started on or after Aug 1, 2018, DEA pays up to 36 months of benefits.
Social Security: faster disability decisions
100% + P&TSSA expedites disability claims from veterans rated 100% P&T. Say "veteran rated 100% P&T" (or enter "Veteran 100% P&T" in the online Remarks). It doesn't guarantee approval; SSA's own rules still apply.
Dental insurance for CHAMPVA families (VADIP)
P&TCHAMPVA covers dental only in limited medical cases; enrollees can buy dental insurance at reduced cost through VADIP.
Your Benefit Summary Letter (proof of your rating)
All veteransYou can download your Benefit Summary Letter (sometimes called an award letter) on VA.gov.
VA dental care (Class IV)
100% (or paid at 100% for TDIU)Per VA, you qualify for any needed dental care if you have a service-connected disability rated 100% disabling, or you're paid at the 100% rate because of TDIU. A temporary 100% rating does not qualify.
DoD ID card and base privileges (100%)
100% (or paid at 100% for TDIU)A 100% disabled veteran (DAV) and eligible family members can get a DoD Uniformed Services ID card. It gives commissary, exchange and MWR privileges and base access. It is not TRICARE.
Base retail access for all service-connected veterans
Any ratingAll service-connected veterans can use commissaries, exchanges and MWR retail facilities, in person and online, per VA's matrix.
Federal student loan discharge (TPD)
100% (or paid at 100% for TDIU)Veterans whom VA has determined have a service-connected disability rated 100% or are rated totally disabled based on individual unemployability (TDIU) can have eligible federal student loans discharged.
No VA home loan funding fee
10%+Veterans receiving VA compensation for a service-connected disability are exempt from the VA home loan funding fee, at any compensable rating, not just 100%.
America the Beautiful Access Pass
Other rulesA free, lifetime pass for U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a permanent disability. It doesn't have to be 100% or service-connected.
Military Lifetime Pass (federal lands)
All veteransVeterans (and Gold Star families) can get a free lifetime pass to federal recreation lands. No disability is needed.