Updated August 2026

Utah Veteran Benefits 2026

The Beehive State works hard for the people who worked harder.

Utah’s benefits reach from Hill Air Force Base to the red rock — property-tax relief that follows your rating and parks access at any rating. Every claim below is checked against Utah code and agencies.

Utah Highlights

Retirement tax credit available
Property tax exemption for disabled veterans — can also be applied to vehicles (10% minimum rating)
Free state-park day-use Honor Pass for disabled veterans at any rating (veteran + 7 guests)
Discounted hunting & fishing licenses at 20%+ disability ($12 fishing vs. $40)
Tuition waivers for Purple Heart recipients and military survivors
Four state veterans nursing homes

Delicate Arch glowing red at sunset with snow-dusted cliffs behind it in Arches National Park, Utah — Delicate Arch, Arches National Park. NPS / Neal Herbert

Income Tax Treatment

Utah has a state income tax.

Military Retirement Pay: Utah effectively fully exempts military retirement pay through a nonrefundable tax credit that offsets the entire tax on it, in place since 2021.

Active Duty Pay: Active duty pay is taxable by Utah.

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

Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans in Utah

Type: Assessed-value exclusion

Utah's 'Veteran with a Disability' exemption (formerly Armed Forces / Disabled Veteran exemption) reduces the TAXABLE VALUE of the primary residence (or tangible personal property) by an amount equal to the maximum exemption multiplied by the veteran's service-connected disability percentage. The maximum exemption is inflation-indexed (CPI) annually. For the 2025 tax year the maximum is $535,459 of taxable value. A 100%-rated veteran gets the full $535,459 excluded; a 50%-rated veteran gets ~50% of that (~$267,730). Minimum 10% rating required.

VA disability rating / category	What you get
10% – 100% service-connected disability	Taxable value reduced by (2025 maximum $535,459) x (disability percentage). E.g., 100% = up to $535,459 excluded; 50% = ~$267,730; 10% = ~$53,546. No exemption below 10%.Primary residence (or qualifying tangible personal property held for personal use). Must file with the county (deadline varies by county; e.g., Sept 1/Sept 2 in some counties). Provide VA benefit letter showing percentage and effective date.
Below 10%	No exemptionStatute: 'No exemption is allowed for any disability below 10 percent.'

VA disability rating / category

What you get

10% – 100% service-connected disability

Taxable value reduced by (2025 maximum $535,459) x (disability percentage). E.g., 100% = up to $535,459 excluded; 50% = ~$267,730; 10% = ~$53,546. No exemption below 10%.Primary residence (or qualifying tangible personal property held for personal use). Must file with the county (deadline varies by county; e.g., Sept 1/Sept 2 in some counties). Provide VA benefit letter showing percentage and effective date.

Below 10%

No exemptionStatute: 'No exemption is allowed for any disability below 10 percent.'

Income limit: None for the Veteran-with-a-Disability exemption (Utah's separate Circuit Breaker / indigent-abatement programs are income-tested, but those are different programs).
Age requirement: None
Surviving spouse: Unmarried surviving spouse OR minor orphans of a qualifying deceased veteran with a disability may claim the exemption.
Counts being paid at 100% via unemployability (TDIU)? Yes — being paid at the 100% rate via Individual Unemployability (TDIU) qualifies

Recent change: The maximum taxable-value figure is adjusted yearly by CPI: it was approximately $479,504 (2023), ~$521,620 (2024), and $535,459 (2025 tax year) per Utah State Tax Commission Pub 36. (Roots trace to a statutory base of $200,000 in 2005, indexed each year.) Note 2026 legislative activity: H.B. 124 (2026 session) proposes 'Veteran Armed Forces Property Tax Exemption Amendments' — monitor for changes affecting the 2026 amount/structure.

Source: Utah Code Ann. (UCA) 59-2-1903 and 59-2-1904; administered under UCA Title 59, Chapter 2, Part 19 (Tax Relief) and a second official source. Verified June 2026 against primary sources.

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

The property-tax exemption reaches your vehicles too: Utah’s veteran-with-a-disability exemption is not limited to your house. The Utah State Tax Commission’s Publication 36 states the exemption “can also be applied toward tangible personal property, such as motor vehicles” — the same percentage-scaled amount (maximum taxable value multiplied by your service-connected disability percentage, minimum 10% rating; no exemption below 10%). Pub 36 (Rev. 4/26) lists the program under UCA Title 59, Chapter 2a, Part 5. To claim it, an application with proof of military service and proof of disability must be on file with the county where the eligible property is located. This matters because Utah charges uniform fees at registration in lieu of vehicle property tax under UCA 59-2-405 — age-based fees on passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and travel trailers, or 1.5%/1.0% of fair market value for vehicles outside the age-based schedule (motor homes pay the 1.0% fee). Ask your county how the exemption applies to your registration before you renew.

Disabled Veteran plate: the Utah DMV Disabled Veteran plate recognizes Utah resident disabled veterans; you must provide a letter from the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs or another U.S. military entity certifying the veteran’s disabled status. It is not free — the DMV fee table lists an $8.25 standard plate fee, $5.00 special group plate fee, and $4.00 registration certificate fee, plus shipping (add $3.00 for a set of plates); there is no initial or annual contribution. The plate does not carry handicapped-parking privileges (a separate disability placard covers parking), and it may be transferred to a surviving spouse who remains unmarried.

Purple Heart / Combat Wounded plate: available with a Military Order of the Purple Heart membership card or a DD-214 showing the award — see the DMV Purple Heart plate page. The plate itself carries the standard special-group fees ($8.25 plate, $5.00 special group, $4.00 registration certificate; $6.75 motorcycle plate), but vehicles registered with a Purple Heart plate are exempt from two recurring registration charges per the DMV Registration Taxes & Fees page: the $2.50 automobile driver education fee and the $1.00 uninsured motorist identification fee.

Gold Star plate: the Gold Star plate honors families of members killed in service — recipients of the Gold Star award issued by the U.S. Secretary of Defense qualify, with documentation such as the casualty report, telegram, or other verification of the award. Same fee structure: $8.25 plate, $5.00 special group, $4.00 registration certificate, no contribution amounts. Separately, anyone can support veteran programs with the “Utah Honors Veterans” special group plate for a $25 initial contribution and $10 annual renewal contribution benefiting the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (per the UDVMA 2026 benefit guide).

Recreation: Parks, Hunting & Fishing

Veterans With Disabilities Honor Pass — free state-park day use at any rating: Utah State Parks issues a free Honor Pass to veterans who (1) are Utah residents, (2) were honorably discharged, and (3) have a service-related disability rating issued by the Veterans Benefits Administration with current documentation (VA summary of benefits letter) — any rating percentage qualifies. The pass covers day-use admittance for the qualified veteran and up to seven guests in the same private vehicle. It is non-transferable, must be picked up in person (Utah State Parks region offices, most state parks, or the main State Parks office in Salt Lake City), and is valid until the end of the calendar year it was issued — bring updated documentation each year to renew. It is not valid at This Is The Place Heritage Park, does not cover the Davis County fee on the Antelope Island Causeway, and does not cover camping, golf, or other special in-park fees.

Discounted hunting & fishing licenses at 20%+ disability: a Utah resident with a service-connected disability of 20% or greater may buy discounted licenses from the Division of Wildlife Resources — apply once with an official VA or service-branch letter, statement, or card certifying the rating, and the discount renews automatically afterward (DWR disabled veteran license application). Current prices on the DWR fee schedule: 365-day fishing license $12.00 (regular adult resident price $40.00), 1-year basic hunting license $25.50 (vs. $40.00), and 1-year combination license $28.50 (vs. $44.00). Multiyear licenses can be purchased at the discounted rate for up to five years.

Education & Other Utah Benefits

Scott B. Lundell Military Survivors Tuition Waiver: surviving dependents of service members killed in action on or after September 11, 2001 are eligible for a tuition waiver at Utah state schools under Utah Code 53H-11-308 (formerly 53B-8-107) — apply through the school’s admissions office (UDVMA education benefits).

Purple Heart Tuition Waiver: Purple Heart recipients receive a tuition waiver at all public institutions of higher learning in Utah, usable toward a degree up to and including a master’s degree, under Utah Code 53H-11-303 (formerly 53B-8e-103). Submit proof of the Purple Heart to the institution you attend.

Veterans Tuition Gap Program: a supplemental state grant under Utah Code 53H-11-413 (formerly 53B-13b-104) that can cover tuition, fees, books, supplies, and housing for veterans attending Utah institutions of higher education whose federal education benefits are exhausted or unavailable. Utah also grants in-state tuition at public degree- and certificate-granting schools to active-duty members and veterans released from active service within 12 months of attending; immediate family members may be eligible as well.

Utah State Veterans Nursing Homes: the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs oversees four state veterans nursing homes, along with the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park in Bluffdale (no fee for an eligible veteran’s burial).

VA Healthcare in Utah

Utah 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 Utah Veterans Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Utah tax military retirement pay?

Utah effectively fully exempts military retirement pay through a nonrefundable tax credit that offsets the entire tax on it, in place since 2021.

Does Utah offer property tax exemptions for disabled veterans?

Does Utah have a state income tax?

Utah has a state income tax. Utah effectively fully exempts military retirement pay through a nonrefundable tax credit that offsets the entire tax on it, in place since 2021.

Does Utah's disabled veteran property tax exemption apply to vehicles?

Yes. Utah State Tax Commission Publication 36 states the veteran-with-a-disability exemption can also be applied toward tangible personal property, such as motor vehicles. The exemption amount is percentage-scaled (maximum taxable value multiplied by the service-connected disability percentage, minimum 10% rating), and an application with proof of military service and proof of disability must be on file with the county where the eligible property is located. Utah vehicles otherwise pay uniform fees in lieu of property tax at registration under UCA 59-2-405.

Do disabled veterans get free admission to Utah state parks?

Yes. The Utah State Parks Veterans With Disabilities Honor Pass gives free day-use admission to veterans who are Utah residents, were honorably discharged, and have a VA service-related disability rating (any percentage) with current documentation. It covers the veteran and up to seven guests in the same private vehicle, must be picked up in person, and is valid until the end of the calendar year issued; renew annually with updated documentation. It is not valid at This Is The Place Heritage Park and does not cover the Antelope Island Causeway fee, camping, golf, or other special fees.

Do disabled veterans get discounted hunting and fishing licenses in Utah?

Yes. Utah residents with a service-connected disability of 20% or greater can buy discounted Division of Wildlife Resources licenses: a 365-day fishing license for $12.00 (regular adult resident price $40.00), a 1-year basic hunting license for $25.50 (vs. $40.00), and a 1-year combination license for $28.50 (vs. $44.00). Apply once with an official VA or service-branch letter, statement, or card certifying the rating; the discount renews automatically afterward.