Hawaii Veteran Benefits 2026

Income Tax Treatment

Hawaii has a state income tax.

Military Retirement Pay: Hawaii fully exempts military retirement pay, as it does other employer-funded pension income.

Active Duty Pay: Active duty pay is fully exempt from Hawaii state income tax.

VA Disability Compensation: VA disability compensation is tax-free at both the federal and state level in all 50 states. Hawaii does not tax VA disability payments.

Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans in Hawaii

Type: Varies by city/county

Hawaii has no statewide veteran exemption; property tax is administered by the four counties, and in Honolulu and Hawaii County a totally service-disabled veteran's home is exempt from real property tax except for the county minimum tax (about $150-$300/year), while Maui and Kauai counties grant exemptions at lower rating thresholds.

• Income limit: None (for the Honolulu/Hawaii County totally-disabled exemption)
• Age requirement: None
• Surviving spouse: Yes - an unremarried widow/widower of a totally disabled veteran who continues to own and occupy the home may claim the exemption (Honolulu ROH 8-10.5). Other counties vary.
• Counts being paid at 100% via unemployability (TDIU)? Varies / not explicitly addressed — confirm with the assessor or state VA

Source: Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Sec. 8-10.5 (Honolulu); county ordinances in Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai counties (no statewide statute) and a second official source. Verified June 2026 against primary sources.

To apply, contact your county assessor's office or the Hawaii Department of Veterans Affairs. You will typically need your VA disability rating letter (and often your DD‑214) and proof that the home is your primary residence.

Real estate vs. personal property: this benefit applies to real-estate (home/homestead) property tax. Personal-property taxes — such as the annual tax some states levy on vehicles — are separate and generally still apply, even at a 100% rating, unless your state specifically exempts them.

Check your exemption by rating & state →

Vehicle & Registration Benefits

State registration fee exemption (100% disabled): Under HRS §249-31.5, a disabled veteran who (1) is a Hawaii resident, (2) was discharged under other than dishonorable conditions, and (3) is determined by the VA to have a service-connected 100 percent disability rating is exempt from the annual state vehicle registration fee — currently $46 under HRS §249-31. The exemption covers one vehicle and does not extend to any vehicle used for commercial purposes. The Office of Veterans’ Services is blunt about the limit: it is a “$46.00 State Registration Fee Exemption Only” — you still pay the balance of your renewal, meaning the county weight tax and county fees. Claim it through your county’s motor vehicle registration office.

County weight-tax exemption — VA-furnished cars only: Hawaii’s counties levy an annual vehicle weight tax, and the only disabled-veteran exemption from it is narrow: under HRS §249-6, passenger cars that were furnished to the veteran by the federal government because of a service disability (for example, a car bought with the VA automobile grant) and certified as such by the Department of Veterans Affairs are exempt from the weight tax — one vehicle per veteran, no commercial use. There is no general weight-tax waiver for a 100% disabled veteran driving a car they bought themselves.

Guard, reserve & active duty weight-tax exemption: Under HRS §249-6.5, one noncommercial motor vehicle registered to a member of the National Guard, military reserve, or armed services (including the Coast Guard) who is assigned to a unit in Hawaii and is a member in good standing is exempt from the vehicle weight tax.

Military & veteran license plates: HRS §249-9.2 authorizes twelve military-service plate designs: Combat Wounded (Purple Heart), Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Former Prisoner of War, Combat Veteran, Vietnam Veteran, Korea Veteran, World War II Veteran, Persian Gulf Veteran, Iraq Veteran, Afghanistan Veteran, and Gold Star Family. Each county’s director of finance issues them for a fee; most applicants must show discharge papers reflecting an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge, and the plates may only go on a noncommercial passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or motor scooter and are not transferable with the vehicle. On Oahu, the City & County of Honolulu DMV charges a one-time $5.50 fee for the plates and emblem on top of normal registration — no recurring annual fee — and requires eligibility certification from the Hawaii Office of Veterans’ Services with application form CS-L(MVR)192. The other counties issue the same plates through their own DMV offices.

Recreation: Parks, Hunting & Fishing

State parks — no veteran pass offered (or needed): DLNR’s Division of State Parks publishes no veteran or disabled-veteran discount, but most Hawaii state parks are free to visit for everyone, and the popular parks that do charge entrance and parking fees charge only out-of-state visitors. At Diamond Head State Monument, for example, Hawaii residents enter and park free with a Hawaii ID or driver’s license, while non-residents pay $5 per person plus $10 per vehicle and must reserve entry in advance.

Saltwater fishing — no license for residents: Hawaii requires no recreational fishing license for residents fishing in the ocean. Nonresidents age 15 and older need the Nonresident Recreational Marine Fishing License ($20 one-day, $40 seven-day, $70 annual), but per DLNR’s license FAQs, “members of the U.S. armed forces on active duty in the State, as well as their spouses and minor children” are exempt from needing one.

Freshwater fishing: A Freshwater Game Fishing License is required to take introduced freshwater game fish. Residents and military age 16 and over pay the same $5 annual fee, minors 9–15 pay $3, seniors 65 and over fish free, and nonresidents pay $25 (7-day tourist license $10, 30-day $20). There is no veteran-specific exemption — the military benefit here is that active-duty members pay the resident rate.

Hunting: A hunting license is required for all hunting in Hawaii, and the state offers no veteran or disabled-veteran discount. On the official state hunting license portal, a resident license is $20 including the required Wildlife Conservation Stamp, a nonresident license is $105, and a senior license is $10; hunters targeting game birds add a $10 Game Bird Stamp. Licenses run through the state fiscal year ending June 30.

Education & Other Hawaii Benefits

Hawaii National Guard tuition (STAP): The State Tuition Assistance Program reimburses 100% of tuition for classes toward a first undergraduate degree at University of Hawaii community colleges and UH university campuses, and 50% of tuition for master’s-degree classes, for Hawaii Air and Army National Guard members in grades E1–E9, W1–W5, or O1–O3. You must be a Hawaii resident as defined by UH for tuition purposes, maintain satisfactory unit participation, and finish each class with a C− or better; STAP pays as a reimbursement after the class ends and depends on annual state funding. Details and forms: HIANG STAP and HIARNG STAP.

Special housing for disabled veterans: Under HRS §363-11, the state Office of Veterans’ Services pays part of the cost of a specially adapted home that is not covered by the federal government. To qualify, you must have been a bona fide Hawaii resident before entering active service and must qualify for the VA’s Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant; the state’s share can never exceed the federal government’s, and payments depend on available appropriations. Contact OVS for the current grant amount.

State employment preference: HRS §76-103 provides civil-service hiring preference for veterans, disabled veterans, spouses of disabled veterans, and unremarried surviving spouses of deceased service members, with the extent of the preference set by state personnel rules.

Cemeteries & records: Qualified veterans (including U.S. war allies) and their dependents can be buried in the Hawaii State Veterans’ Cemetery on Oahu or the veterans’ cemeteries on Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai, and OVS provides free certified copies of your DD-214 if it has the record on file — see OVS Benefits & Services.

VA Healthcare in Hawaii

Hawaii has approximately 2 VA medical centers along with community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) throughout the state. Veterans enrolled in VA healthcare can receive care at any VA facility nationwide.

To find the nearest VA facility, visit VA.gov Facility Locator.

Official Hawaii Veterans Resources

• Hawaii Department of Veterans Affairs
• Hawaii Office of Veterans’ Services — Benefits & Services
• Honolulu DMV — Veteran Specialty License Plates
• DLNR Division of State Parks
• DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources — Fishing Licenses & Permits
• Hawaii Hunting License Portal
• Hawaii National Guard — State Tuition Assistance Program (STAP)
• VA Facility Locator
• 2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates