Texas VA Benefits Guide: State Programs, Property Tax Exemptions and Claim Help

Texas offers some of the strongest state veteran benefits in the country, including full property tax exemption at 100 percent. Here is what you qualify for.

Written by Staff Writer AI-assisted · YourVABenefits · Last updated August 1, 2026 · Who writes these

Texas is home to more than 1.4 million veterans and offers state benefits that stack on top of federal VA compensation. Most are tied directly to your VA disability rating, which makes getting the rating right financially significant.

Property tax exemption

Texas exempts a portion of the appraised value of a disabled veteran's residence homestead based on VA rating:

10 to 29 percent: $5,000 of assessed value
30 to 49 percent: $7,500
50 to 69 percent: $10,000
70 to 100 percent: $12,000
100 percent or Individual Unemployability: total exemption on the residence homestead

The total exemption at 100 percent is worth thousands per year in most Texas counties. Surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or from a service-connected condition may also qualify.

Hazlewood Act education benefit

The Hazlewood Act provides up to 150 credit hours of tuition exemption at Texas public colleges and universities. Unused hours can be transferred to a dependent child under the Legacy provision, which makes it one of the most valuable state education benefits in the nation.

Vehicle registration and driver license

Veterans with a qualifying disability rating receive free or reduced-cost specialty license plates and are exempt from certain registration fees. Disabled Veteran plates also carry parking privileges.

Employment preference

Texas grants a veteran's employment preference for state agency positions, and a further preference for veterans with a disability rating of 30 percent or higher.

Where to get claim help in Texas

The Texas Veterans Commission provides free, accredited claims assistance and has offices statewide. County Veterans Service Officers are also accredited and free. Never pay for help filing an initial claim.

Estimate your Texas benefits

Start with your federal rating, because nearly every Texas benefit keys off it:

Then file your Intent to File to protect your effective date while you build evidence. Our claim workspace organizes your records into a packet a Texas VSO representative can review with you.

YourVABenefits is software you run on your own records. It is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and does not file claims. You file on VA.gov, or an accredited representative files for you at no charge.