Tennessee state benefits
Property Tax Relief for Disabled Veterans (2026)
P&T- Veteran who owns and lives in the home as a primary residence, with: a service-connected P&T rating; or service-connected paraplegia/paralysis, loss or loss of use of 2+ limbs, or legal blindness; or 100% P&T from POW service
- The state pays back tax on up to $175,000 of market value (2026)
- Some unremarried surviving spouses also qualify (form F-16S)
No County Wheel Tax (100% P&T or Former POW)
100% + P&T- Veteran with a 100% permanent, total service-connected disability, or any former POW, as determined by VA
- Exempt from the county motor vehicle privilege tax (the "wheel tax")
Free Disabled Veteran License Plate
100% + P&T- Tennessee resident veteran paid VA compensation for service-connected loss or loss of use of one or both feet or hands, serious vision loss in both eyes, or a 100% permanent and total rating
- Your first plate is free (2 free if issued before May 19, 2014). A second plate costs the regular registration fee plus half the specialty-plate fee; more plates cost the regular fee plus the cost of making the plate. County fees may apply
$10 Hunting & Fishing License for Life
30%+ or P&T- Tennessee resident veteran who is 100% P&T from a service-connected cause, or 30%+ disabled by reason of war service
- A one-time $10 fee buys a combo hunt/fish license plus supplements, valid for the rest of your life
- WMA, special and federal permits are extra
State Park Camping & Cabin Discounts
All veterans- 100% total service-connected resident veteran: 50% off camping and overnight cabin fees
- Any Tennessee-resident veteran: 25% off cabins and camping year-round (50% Dec–Feb), 25% off The Lodges, 20% off golf, 15% off select gift shop items. Premium sites excluded
- A free night of camping on Veterans Day (call 1-888-867-2757)
No State Income Tax on Pay or Pensions
All veterans- Tennessee has no individual income tax on wages, pensions or Social Security, so military retired pay isn't taxed by the state
- The Hall tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed from January 1, 2021
- VA disability compensation is federal tax-free
Veterans' Preference for State Jobs
All veterans- Honorably discharged veteran applying for a Preferred Service state job who meets the minimum qualifications
- Also: spouses of veterans with a 100% service-connected or P&T rating, and unremarried surviving spouses of those who died in the line of duty, who are Tennessee voters or have lived in Tennessee for 2 years
- A hiring preference applied by law, not a guarantee of a job
No Sales Tax on Vehicle Adaptive Equipment
Other rules- Honorably discharged veteran with a service-connected disability under 38 U.S.C. 3901
- Adaptive equipment needed to drive safely is exempt from sales and use tax. This covers the equipment, not the vehicle
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.