Mississippi Veteran Benefits 2026

Income Tax Treatment

Mississippi has a state income tax.

Military Retirement Pay: Mississippi fully exempts military retirement pay, as it exempts all qualified retirement income.

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

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

Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans in Mississippi

Type: Full exemption at 100%

Mississippi exempts a 100% service-connected totally disabled veteran (honorably discharged) from ALL ad valorem (property) taxes on the assessed value of homestead property, under Miss. Code Ann. 27-33-67 / 27-33-75. This is a full homestead exemption tied to a 100% total service-connected disability rating; it is distinct from the general $7,500-assessed-value homestead exemption available to ordinary homeowners.

• Income limit: None.
• Age requirement: None for the disabled-veteran total exemption. (Mississippi's separate over-65/disabled general homestead exemption is a different program.)
• Surviving spouse: Yes. Extends to the un-remarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran.
• Counts being paid at 100% via unemployability (TDIU)? Varies / not explicitly addressed — confirm with the assessor or state VA

Source: Miss. Code Ann. 27-33-67 and 27-33-75 and a second official source. Verified June 2026 against primary sources.

To apply, contact your county assessor's office or the Mississippi 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

$1 Disabled Veteran license plates: A Mississippi resident veteran rated by the VA with a 100 percent permanent service-connected disability — or at least a 70 percent nonpermanent service-connected disability — may purchase annually two motor vehicle license plates plus one motorcycle plate in his or her county of legal residence for $1.00 in total cost per plate under Miss. Code Ann. § 27-19-53, as amended by SB 2187 (2023), effective July 1, 2023. The plates cover private passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, and motorcycles only and are not transferable. Veterans in the 70–99% nonpermanent tier must provide an updated VA benefits letter at each renewal showing the rating has not dropped below 70 percent. Apply at your county tax collector with verification from the Veterans Affairs Board — see the Mississippi DOR motor vehicle FAQs.

No ad valorem or privilege taxes on those vehicles: Vehicles and motorcycles registered under § 27-19-53 are “exempt…from all ad valorem and privilege taxes” — that is, up to two vehicles and one motorcycle at a time pay no annual vehicle ad valorem tax and no road-and-bridge privilege tax. The DOR FAQ confirms a qualified veteran may register two vehicles and one motorcycle exempt from all ad valorem and privilege taxes, with regular fees applying to any additional vehicles the veteran owns. Motor-vehicle ad valorem exemptions are codified at Miss. Code Ann. § 27-51-41 per the DOR motor vehicle ad valorem tax page.

Surviving spouses: The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran who was issued (or was eligible for) the Disabled Veteran plate may apply for or retain the plates and keep renewing two motor vehicle plates and one motorcycle plate for as long as the spouse remains unmarried, filing a sworn statement of unmarried status with the county tax collector at registration or renewal. Vehicles so registered stay exempt from all ad valorem and privilege taxes.

Purple Heart Disabled plate: The Department of Revenue lists the Purple Heart Disabled plate at a $0.00 tag fee under Miss. Code Ann. § 27-19-56.5. DOR’s specialty license plates gallery also includes branch-specific “100% Disabled Veteran” designs and other military plates — check the gallery entry for each plate’s statute and fee.

Recreation: Parks, Hunting & Fishing

No hunting or fishing license required — total service-connected disability: Mississippi residents who are “totally service connected disabled by the Veterans Administration” are not required to purchase a hunting or fishing license under Miss. Code Ann. §§ 49-7-5 and 49-7-9 (the same exemption covers residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, multiple-amputees, or adjudged totally disabled by the Social Security Administration). You must carry proof of age, residency, and disability status at all times while hunting or fishing — MDWFP notes that all previously issued disability exempt licenses are null and void, so your VA documentation is what counts in the field. Details: MDWFP hunting license requirements and fishing license requirements. Nonresident disabled veterans are not covered — the exemption is residents-only.

15% state park camping & lodging discount: Mississippi State Parks give 15% off the camping and lodging rate for veterans, active service members, guests 62 and older, and disabled guests — excluding holidays and special events — per the MDWFP state park fees page. For the disabled-guest category, accepted proof of 100% disability includes a VA letter stating “100% Service Connected Disability” (a Social Security TPQY form or railroad disability letter also works). Fishing at a park still requires a valid fishing license or the exemption above.

Education & Other Mississippi Benefits

In-state tuition: Any veteran as defined by Title 38 of the U.S. Code — and anyone entitled to veterans’ educational assistance — is authorized in-state tuition at Mississippi’s public colleges and universities, and military personnel stationed in Mississippi are classified as state residents for tuition purposes, per the Mississippi Veterans Affairs state benefits summary.

Children of POW/MIA service members: Children of armed-services members whose official home of record and residence are in Mississippi and who are reported as prisoners of war or missing in action receive an eight-semester scholarship, without cost, at state colleges and universities.

Mississippi National Guard education: The Adjutant General is authorized to pay tuition at accredited institutions for active members of the Mississippi National Guard.

Free records for benefits claims: Birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and honorable-discharge records are furnished without charge when needed to establish a veterans’ benefits claim.

VA Healthcare in Mississippi

Mississippi 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 Mississippi Veterans Resources

• Mississippi Department of Veterans Affairs
• Mississippi Veterans Affairs — State Benefits
• Mississippi DOR — Motor Vehicle FAQs (Disabled Veteran Plates)
• MDWFP — Hunting License Requirements & Exemptions
• MDWFP — State Park Fees & Discounts
• VA Facility Locator
• 2026 VA Disability Compensation Rates