South Carolina state benefits
Home Fully Exempt from Property Tax (T&P)
P&T- Veteran VA-rated totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected cause
- Your home and land up to 5 acres are exempt, if you own it (alone or with your spouse) and it has the 4% legal residence rate
- An unremarried surviving spouse who lives in and owns the home keeps it
Two Vehicles Exempt from Property Tax
P&T- Same T&P service-connected veteran: 2 private passenger vehicles you own or lease are exempt (a vehicle in your spouse's name counts if your spouse lives with you and it is registered at your address)
- A surviving spouse keeps the exemption on one vehicle until remarriage
Free Disabled Veteran License Plate
P&T- Veteran considered totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability
- No fee for this plate (exempt from the regular registration fee). Up to 3 plates in this class
- A wheelchair version needs a doctor's certification (Form RG-007A)
Free 3-Year Disability Hunting & Fishing License
10%+ (receiving VA pay)- U.S. citizen living in South Carolina for 365 days in a row before you apply, and receiving VA disability benefits
- A 3-year combination license at no cost: hunting, big game, WMA, migratory waterfowl and fresh and saltwater fishing. Base deer tags mailed free
- Renew every 3 years with fresh proof. Optional hard card $6
- Hunting privileges need hunter education if born after June 30, 1979
State Park Discount (At Least 35%)
P&T- South Carolina resident who is disabled (unable to work for 12+ months due to an impairment) or is a veteran VA-classified permanently and totally disabled
- By law, park discounts for these residents must be at least 35% (S.C. Code 51-3-65)
Military Retired Pay Fully Deducted
Other rules- You may deduct all military retirement income in your SC taxable income, at any age (tax year 2022 and later)
- A surviving spouse receiving it gets the same deduction
- VA disability compensation is federal tax-free: VA.gov
Free College Tuition for Your Children
P&T- Child, 26 or younger, of a wartime veteran who served honorably and is P&T disabled as determined by VA (from any cause), or who was killed in action, died in service or from a service-connected cause, was a POW, is MIA, or received the Medal of Honor or Purple Heart
- Free tuition (a tuition waiver) for an undergraduate degree at SC state-supported colleges, universities and technical schools. Residency rules apply; updated by 2026 Act 135
Interview Preference for State Jobs
All veterans- Veteran who served on active duty (not just training), was discharged under honorable conditions, and meets the job's minimum requirements
- Agencies must interview at least one qualified veteran for every full-time position posted. A physical impairment that doesn't stop you doing the job can't disqualify you
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.