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Alaska Veteran benefits

19 benefits from Alaska for Veterans and their families, on top of what VA gives. Many need no disability rating.

Each one says who qualifies, how to apply, the official link, and the date we last checked it. Rules change, so the official page has the final word.

Free help in Alaska

Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Office of Veterans Affairs is the state Veterans agency. They can tell you what you qualify for and help you apply.

Call 907-334-0874 State agency website

A Veterans service officer (VSO) helps with VA claims and state benefits for free.

Find a service officer near you Alaska's list of local offices
Your VA disability rating
Who is it for?

19 benefits

Property tax

  • 50%+

    Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans

    Alaska requires municipalities to exempt the first portion of assessed value of a disabled veteran's primary residence from property tax. The exemption can transfer to a surviving spouse age 60 or older.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: VA rating of 50% or higher. Resident disabled veteran with a service-connected disability rated 50% or more, owning and occupying the property as primary residence; or the widow/widower age 60+ of a qualifying veteran.
    How to apply
    Apply through the local municipal/borough assessor's office with VA disability rating letter; deadlines are set by each municipality.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Income tax, retirement pay and other taxes

  • No rating needed

    No State Individual Income Tax

    Alaska levies no individual income tax, so military retirement pay, VA disability compensation, and other veteran benefit income are not taxed at the state level. Veterans do not file a state income tax return in Alaska.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Applies to all Alaska residents, including veterans and military retirees, receiving any form of personal income.
    How to apply
    No filing or application is required because there is no state individual income tax return.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Vehicles, driver's licenses and plates

  • No rating needed

    Disabled Veteran License Plate with Parking Privileges

    Disabled veteran license plates do not automatically include disabled-parking privileges; veterans must submit an additional form with their plate application to add parking privileges.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Alaska veterans obtaining a disabled veteran license plate who also want accessible-parking privileges attached to the plate.
    How to apply
    Submit DMV Form 861 along with the online or in-person disabled veteran license plate application.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Veteran Designation on Driver License or ID Card

    Alaska DMV can add a 'veteran' designation to a driver license or state ID card at no extra cost, using military discharge or veteran status documents as proof.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Alaska residents applying for or renewing a driver license or state ID card who can provide a DD-214/215, NGB22 form, veteran-status letter from the Veterans Department, or qualifying military ID.
    How to apply
    Apply for or renew your license/ID using Form D1 at a DMV office and present qualifying proof of veteran status.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Veteran License Plates

    The Alaska DMV issues specialty license plates recognizing veterans, branch of service, Gold Star families, POWs, and Purple Heart recipients for qualifying applicants.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Must submit proof of honorable service (or current service) and any additional documentation required for the specific specialty plate requested.
    How to apply
    Apply at a DMV office or online, submitting proof of service; some plates are available same-day, others mailed within about two business days.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating neededFor family or survivors

    Gold Star Family License Plate

    Alaska offers specialty license plates to families of military service members killed in the line of duty to honor fallen service members and provide a visible recognition of their sacrifice.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Parent, guardian, brother, sister, dependent, or spouse (unless remarried) of a member of the United States armed forces that was killed in the line of duty.
    How to apply
    Apply using Form 803 at the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, submitting a copy of the Report of Casualty (DD1300) from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
    Official page

    Last checked October 26, 2026.

Hunting, fishing and parks

  • Any rating

    Disabled Veteran's Annual Camping Pass

    Alaska State Parks issues one free camping pass to disabled veterans, valid for camping at any developed Alaska State Park campground; it does not cover boat launch or day-use fees.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: Any VA service-connected rating, even 0%. Disabled veterans who present proof of a service-connected disability in person at an Anchorage or Fairbanks DNR Public Information Center.
    How to apply
    Present proof of service-connected disability in person at a Public Information Center, or call ahead if unable to appear in person, to receive the free decal.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • 50%+

    Free Resident Hunting, Sport Fishing, and Trapping License for Disabled Veterans

    Alaska gives resident veterans certified as at least 50% disabled a free, complimentary permanent license to hunt, sport fish, or trap, and it waives king salmon and waterfowl conservation stamps.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: VA rating of 50% or higher. Alaska resident veterans honorably discharged and certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (or Alaska Territorial Guard equivalent) as having a 50 percent or greater disability.
    How to apply
    Apply through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Disabled Veteran License application, available online or by calling the licensing office.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

School and tuition

  • No rating neededFor family or survivors

    Alaska Veterans' Dependent Tuition Waiver Program

    Spouse and dependent children of Alaska resident armed service members who died in the line of duty, were listed as Prisoners of War, or were Killed in Action receive a waiver of all undergraduate tuition and fees through the University of Alaska system.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Spouse or dependent child of an Alaska resident service member who died in the line of duty, died from injuries sustained in the line of duty, or is listed by the Department of Defense as a Prisoner of War or Missing in Action.
    How to apply
    Apply through the University of Alaska system admissions process.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating neededFor family or survivors

    University of Alaska Tuition Waiver for Survivors of Fallen Service Members

    Spouses and dependent children of an Alaska resident service member who died in the line of duty, died of injuries from the line of duty, or is a POW/MIA can receive a full waiver of undergraduate tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board at University of Alaska schools.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Must be the spouse or dependent child of a bona fide Alaska resident who was a service member who died in the line of duty (or of related injuries) or is listed as a POW or MIA; enrolled in good standing at a state-supported institution.
    How to apply
    Apply through the University of Alaska campus Student Accounts or Military/Veteran Services office with proof of the qualifying service member's status.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Jobs and hiring preference

  • No rating needed

    Private Employer Veteran Hiring Preference Authorization

    Alaska law affirmatively allows (without requiring) private employers to give a hiring preference to veterans and National Guard members, protecting such preferences from being treated as unlawful discrimination.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Applies to any veteran discharged under honorable conditions from the U.S. armed forces, a reserve unit, the Alaska Territorial Guard, Alaska Army/Air National Guard, or Alaska Naval Militia, and to National Guard members in good standing.
    How to apply
    No state application needed; private employers may voluntarily adopt a veteran hiring preference under this authorization.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    State Employment Preference for Veterans

    Alaska gives hiring preference to veterans for state jobs. Veterans get 5 points. Disabled veterans and former prisoners of war get 10 points and must be offered an interview if they meet the job's minimum qualifications. It does not apply to jobs open only to current state employees.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Veterans discharged under honorable conditions who meet the job's minimum qualifications. Disabled veterans and former prisoners of war get the higher preference.
    How to apply
    Apply for state jobs on Workplace Alaska. It flags 10-point veterans. If selected, you must show a DD-214, DD-215, or VA letter. Questions: Alaska Job Center, (877) 724-2539.
    Official page

    Last checked October 26, 2026.

Business certification and contracts

  • No rating needed

    Alaska Veteran-Owned Business Procurement Preference

    Businesses owned by Alaska veterans can receive a bid-price preference of five percent, capped at $5,000, when competing for State of Alaska contracts, in addition to any other preference for which they qualify.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Sole proprietorships owned by an Alaska veteran, partnerships with a majority of veteran partners, LLCs with a majority veteran membership, or corporations wholly owned by individuals a majority of whom are Alaska veterans, and which also qualify as an Alaska bidder.
    How to apply
    Complete the Alaska Veteran Certification, Qualifying Entity Certification, and Alaska Bidder Certification forms and submit them with your bid or proposal by the solicitation deadline.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Homes, Veterans homes and cemeteries

  • No rating needed

    AHFC Veterans Interest Rate Preference

    Eligible veterans purchasing a home can receive a reduced interest rate on part of their mortgage loan through AHFC's Veterans Interest Rate Preference, a separate program from the Veterans Mortgage Program. Assistance amounts, rates, and funding availability change often, so confirm the program is still offered and get current terms from the agency before relying on it.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Qualified veterans who meet AHFC's 'State Vet' income limits; cannot be combined with the Veterans Mortgage Program.
    How to apply
    Ask the bank or lender handling your home financing to apply the AHFC Veterans Interest Rate Preference to your loan.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    AHFC Veterans Mortgage Program

    The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation offers qualified veterans mortgage financing to purchase owner-occupied homes, including certain multi-unit properties, through participating approved lenders. Assistance amounts, rates, and funding availability change often, so confirm the program is still offered and get current terms from the agency before relying on it.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Qualified Alaska veterans purchasing an owner-occupied single-family residence or, with restrictions, a duplex, triplex, or fourplex; must meet AHFC underwriting and veteran eligibility rules under AS 18.56.101.
    How to apply
    Contact an AHFC-approved lender to apply for the Veterans Mortgage Program loan.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Alaska Veterans & Pioneers Home

    The State's Palmer facility reserves most of its beds for veterans needing residential, nursing, and rehabilitative long-term care, alongside the general Alaska Pioneer Homes system.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Applicants must generally be Alaska residents age 60 or older who have been physically present in Alaska for at least 12 consecutive months before applying; a majority of beds at this home are designated for veterans.
    How to apply
    Submit a completed application to any of the six Alaska Pioneer Homes or the Division of Alaska Pioneer Homes Central Office in Juneau.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Interior Alaska Veterans Cemetery

    Alaska is building its first state veterans cemetery in Salcha near Fairbanks, which will provide burial for eligible veterans and family members in the Interior region once construction is complete.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Eligibility will follow state veterans' cemetery rules for veterans and their eligible family members once the cemetery opens; the department is developing admission regulations.
    How to apply
    Watch official updates from the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs for the cemetery's opening and application process.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Military Funeral Honors Program

    Alaska Army National Guard provides military funeral honors for eligible deceased veterans, including flag folding and presentation, playing of Taps, and uniformed presence to honor military service.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Military members on active duty or in the Selective Reserve; former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable; former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment in the Selected Reserve and departed under non-dishonorable conditions.
    How to apply
    Contact a funeral director with the veteran's DD-214 or discharge documentation. Funeral directors contact the Alaska Honor Guard Headquarters. Family members can contact the Alaska Honor Guard directly for assistance.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Veterans' Land Purchase Discount

    The Alaska Department of Natural Resources gives eligible veterans a one-time 25 percent discount on the purchase price of qualifying state land sold for residential or recreational use.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Alaska resident veterans who served at least 90 days on active duty (or in the Alaska Territorial Guard) with an honorable or general-under-honorable-conditions discharge; the discount can be used only once in a veteran's lifetime and not for commercial or industrial land.
    How to apply
    Submit proof of veteran eligibility with your bid or application when purchasing state land through a DNR land sale or auction.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

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