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Nevada Veteran benefits

21 benefits from Nevada 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 Nevada

Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS) is the state Veterans agency. They can tell you what you qualify for and help you apply.

Call 775-688-1653 State agency website

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

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

21 benefits

Property tax

  • 60%+

    Exemption for Veteran Who Has Incurred a Service-Connected Disability

    Nevada provides a larger property tax exemption for veterans with a permanent service-connected disability, scaled to the disability percentage, up to the maximum for total disability. Unremarried surviving spouses may also qualify.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: VA rating of 60% or higher. Bona fide Nevada resident, honorably discharged, with a permanent service-connected disability of 60% or more (or surviving spouse married to and living with the veteran for the 5 years before death).
    How to apply
    File an affidavit with proof of disability percentage from the VA with the county assessor.
    Official page

    Last checked October 26, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Veterans' Property Tax Exemption

    Nevada gives an assessed-value property tax exemption to wartime veterans who were honorably discharged. It can instead be applied to the Governmental Services Tax on a vehicle.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Nevada resident who served at least 90 days in a row on active duty, with at least one day in a wartime period listed in Nevada law, and got an honorable discharge or certificate of satisfactory service.
    How to apply
    File an affidavit with the county assessor (NRS 361.155); renewal forms mailed annually except during active service.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026. Law: NRS 361.090.

Income tax, retirement pay and other taxes

  • No rating needed

    No State Income Tax on Military Retirement or VA Benefits

    Nevada levies no individual income tax at all, so military retirement pay, VA disability compensation, and all other personal income are not taxed by the state. This is a general Nevada tax feature, not a veteran-specific carve-out.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Applies to all Nevada residents; no application needed since there is no state personal income tax.
    How to apply
    Not applicable; no state income tax return exists in Nevada.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Vehicles, driver's licenses and plates

  • Certain disabilities

    Disabled Veteran License Plate

    The DMV issues a special Disabled Veteran plate that lets the vehicle park in handicap spaces and be exempt from parking meter and other public parking fees charged by the state or its political subdivisions.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: Certain serious disabilities (see who qualifies). Veteran receiving VA compensation for a qualifying service-connected disability (NRS 482.0962): 100% rating, combined ratings totaling 100%, or a permanent disability qualifying under NRS 482.384.
    100% SC rating (single or combined), OR any SC rating that is a permanent disability qualifying for a disabled-person plate under NRS 482.384
    Official page

    Last checked October 14, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Governmental Services Tax Exemption for Veterans (Vehicle)

    Wartime veterans may apply their property tax exemption instead to reduce the Governmental Services Tax owed when registering a vehicle in Nevada. The exemption can be transferred to a veteran's current spouse.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Same wartime service and honorable discharge requirements as NRS 361.090; exemption applies to up to $2,000 of determined vehicle valuation.
    How to apply
    File an exemption affidavit with the DMV or county assessor at vehicle registration/renewal.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Veteran Designation on Driver License or ID Card

    Honorably discharged veterans can have a 'Veteran' designation placed on their Nevada driver license or ID card by showing evidence of honorable discharge at a DMV office.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Any honorably discharged veteran who presents a DD-214 or other proof of honorable discharge.
    How to apply
    Visit any DMV office; if added at renewal there is no extra fee, otherwise a standalone designation fee applies.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Hunting, fishing and parks

  • 10%+

    Annual Disabled Veteran Permit for State Parks

    Nevada State Parks offers an annual permit to disabled veterans giving free entry, boating, and camping at Nevada State Parks for 12 months from the month of purchase.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: VA rating of 10% or higher. Nevada resident, honorably discharged veteran with a 10% disability or more.
    How to apply
    Purchase in person at a state park, regional office, or Carson City headquarters, or by mail, with photo ID, disability documentation, and DD-214.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • 50%+

    Resident Disabled Veteran Specialty Combination Hunting and Fishing License

    Nevada Department of Wildlife issues a discounted combination hunting and fishing license to resident veterans with a significant service-connected disability, in place of full-price resident licenses.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: VA rating of 50% or higher. Bona fide Nevada resident with a service-connected disability considered 50 percent or more by the VA, honorably discharged or holding a certificate of satisfactory service.
    How to apply
    Submit the Disabled Veteran License Application with a VA Benefit Summary/Percentage Letter and Nevada ID to NDOW.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

School and tuition

  • No rating needed

    In-State Tuition for Veterans and Active-Duty Members

    Honorably discharged veterans qualify for in-state tuition at Nevada System of Higher Education schools no matter how long ago they were discharged; the former 5-year limit was repealed in 2021. Active-duty members stationed in Nevada, plus their spouses and dependent children, also qualify.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces, or active duty at a Nevada military installation (or a specified out-of-state installation with a Nevada connection); spouses and dependent children of qualifying active-duty members also qualify.
    How to apply
    Provide DD-214 or military orders to the NSHE institution's admissions/registrar office when applying.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Operation Recognition - Honorary High School Diploma for Wartime Veterans

    Nevada school districts may issue a standard high school diploma to veterans who left high school to serve during WWII through the Vietnam Era. Family members may apply posthumously on behalf of a deceased veteran.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Served in the Armed Forces between September 16, 1940 and May 7, 1975, attended a Nevada high school before enlisting, and left before graduating; honorable discharge required.
    How to apply
    Submit the Operation Recognition application with a copy of the honorable discharge certificate or DD-214 to NDVS.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating neededFor family or survivors

    Tuition Waiver for Child or Surviving Spouse of Nevada National Guard Member Killed in the Line of Duty

    A child or surviving spouse of a Nevada National Guard service member killed in the line of duty can register for courses without paying registration or lab fees at NSHE institutions.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Child (usable for 10 years after age 18, or 10 years after enrollment if earlier) or surviving spouse (usable for 10 years after the member's death) of a Nevada National Guard member killed in the line of duty; must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.
    How to apply
    Apply through the NSHE institution using documentation of the Guard member's death in the line of duty.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating neededFor family or survivors

    Waiver of Fees for Purple Heart Recipients and Their Children

    The Board of Regents must waive registration, laboratory, and other mandatory fees each semester for veterans awarded the Purple Heart, and the veteran's child may also use the waiver. Recipients are deemed Nevada residents for fee purposes.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Veteran of the Armed Forces awarded the Purple Heart, or the veteran's child; child may use the waiver for 10 years after turning 18 (or 10 years after enrollment if enrolled earlier).
    How to apply
    Submit the NSHE Fee Waiver application for Purple Heart Recipients and their Children with required documentation to the institution.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Jobs and hiring preference

  • No rating needed

    Veterans' Preference in State Employment

    Nevada law requires appointing authorities to give hiring preference to veterans, widows/widowers of those killed in the line of duty, widows/widowers of veterans, and certain Nevada National Guard members when establishing pools of eligible job candidates.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Veterans (as defined in NRS 417.005); widows/widowers of persons killed in the line of duty; widows/widowers of veterans; Nevada National Guard members with a commanding officer's recommendation letter.
    How to apply
    Declare intent to request veterans' preference points at the time of state job application and submit proof of eligibility (e.g., DD-214, VA disability letter).
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Business certification and contracts

  • Any rating

    Bid Preference for Businesses Owned by Veterans With a Service-Connected Disability (Public Works)

    Nevada gives a bid price preference to local businesses owned by veterans with a service-connected disability when bidding on smaller public works construction contracts, effectively lowering their bid for ranking purposes.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: Any VA service-connected rating, even 0%. Business owned by a veteran with a service-connected disability under NRS 338.13841-338.13847; higher preference tier requires disability rated 50% or greater by the VA.
    What you get at each level
    • Standard bid preference
    • Higher bid preference tier
    How to apply
    Submit the Veteran's Preference Certification Form with the qualification application to the Public Works Division.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • Any rating

    Preference for State Purchasing Contracts to Local Businesses Owned by a Veteran With a Service-Connected Disability

    Nevada's State Purchasing Division applies a bid/proposal preference to local businesses owned and operated by veterans with a service-connected disability competing for state purchasing contracts.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: Any VA service-connected rating, even 0%. Business must qualify as a 'local business' and be owned and operated by a veteran with a service-connected disability as defined in NRS 333.3361-333.3369.
    How to apply
    Certify eligibility as part of the state purchasing bid/proposal submission process through the Purchasing Division.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Homes, Veterans homes and cemeteries

  • No rating needed

    Gift Account for the Veterans Homes (Exemption Waiver Donation)

    Veterans who qualify for the property tax or vehicle tax exemption may waive all or part of it and instead direct that amount to be deposited into the Gift Account for the Veterans Home in Southern or Northern Nevada, supporting the state veterans homes.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Any person who qualifies for an exemption under NRS 361.090, 361.091, 371.103, or 371.104.
    How to apply
    Designate the amount to be credited on a form provided by the Nevada Tax Commission/Department when filing the exemption.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Home Is Possible for Heroes Down Payment Assistance

    The Nevada Housing Division's Home Is Possible for Heroes program offers veterans, active military, National Guard members and surviving spouses a below-market fixed-rate 30-year mortgage with down payment and closing cost assistance, with no first-time homebuyer requirement. 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. Available statewide to veterans and military personnel; qualifying income and home price limits apply and there is no first-time homebuyer requirement.
    How to apply
    Apply through an approved participating lender listed by the Nevada Housing Division; a program fee is paid at closing.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Nevada State Veterans Homes (Boulder City and Sparks)

    Nevada operates two state-run skilled nursing homes, in Boulder City and Sparks, providing nursing, memory, and rehabilitative care to eligible veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents at state-supported rates.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Veterans honorably discharged from active duty; also open to spouses/surviving spouses of eligible veterans and Gold Star parents.
    How to apply
    Contact the Admissions office of the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home or Northern Nevada State Veterans Home directly to apply.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemeteries (Fernley and Boulder City)

    NDVS operates two state veterans cemeteries, providing a final resting place for eligible veterans and their family members at no charge for the veteran's plot, with a fee for eligible dependents.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Eligibility follows the same criteria used by the VA National Cemetery Administration; dependents of an eligible veteran may also qualify for burial.
    How to apply
    Contact the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Fernley) or Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery (Boulder City) directly to verify eligibility and pre-register.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

  • No rating needed

    Southern Nevada State Veterans Memorial Cemetery

    The Southern Nevada State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City provides burial for eligible veterans, spouses, and dependents. Veterans are buried at no charge with plot, opening and closing, vault, headstone and perpetual care included.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Eligibility similar to VA National Cemetery Administration criteria. Contact cemetery directly for verification.
    How to apply
    Pre-register online or arrange burial through funeral director or by contacting cemetery directly.
    Official page

    Last checked October 3, 2026.

Other help

  • No rating needed

    Free Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Claims Assistance

    NDVS provides free, accredited Veterans Service Officers who help veterans, service members, and dependents prepare and file benefit claims and connect to state and federal programs.

    Who qualifies
    Rating: No disability rating needed. Open to Nevada veterans, service members, and their dependents seeking help with benefit claims.
    How to apply
    Contact a local NDVS Veterans Service Officer through the NDVS website to schedule assistance.
    Official page

    Last checked September 28, 2026.

Also check

Education only. Helping The Brave is not a government agency. Confirm details with the agency before you apply.