Arkansas VA Disability Benefits & Resources for Veterans

The Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) runs two state veterans homes and two state veterans cemeteries, in North Little Rock and Birdeye. The state’s biggest benefit for seriously disabled veterans is a full exemption from state taxes on the home and personal property. Arkansas also stopped taxing military retirement pay in 2018.

State benefit details verified against official state sources on September 27, 2026.

Key benefits at a glance

Property tax exemption

Ark. Code § 26-3-306 exempts a disabled veteran from paying all state taxes on the homestead and on personal property such as vehicles. You qualify if VA has:

• rated you 100% service-connected and total and permanent, or
• awarded you special monthly compensation for the loss, or loss of use, of one or more limbs, or for total blindness in one or both eyes.

When a veteran who received the exemption dies, it carries over to the surviving spouse (as long as the spouse does not remarry) and to minor dependent children. Spouses and minor children of a service member killed in the line of duty or declared missing in action also qualify.

Apply at your county collector’s office with your VA award letter. ADVA’s property tax guide lists two dates to keep in mind: assess your personal property with the county assessor by May 31, and pay real estate and personal property taxes to the county collector by October 15. Veterans who don’t qualify for the full exemption can still ask the county assessor about the homestead credit and the assessment freeze for disabled homeowners.

State income tax

• Military retirement: Arkansas has exempted retirement benefits paid to members of the uniformed services since tax year 2018 (Act 141 of 2017). Act 358 of 2023 lets a retiree whose military pension is under $6,000 apply the rest of the $6,000 retirement exemption to an employer-sponsored pension. If your military pension is $6,000 or more, you can’t also exempt an employer pension.
• VA disability compensation is exempt from taxation under federal law (38 U.S.C. § 5301) and isn’t reported as income.

Vehicle registration and license plates

The Department of Finance and Administration issues a red-on-white Disabled Veteran plate to veterans the VA certifies as eligible under Act 7 of 1949 or Act 30 of 1979. You’ll need:

• a VA letter confirming that eligibility
• proof of insurance
• the vehicle title or registration

The first plate is free. A second plate costs $4.00. After the veteran’s death, one plate can be reissued to the surviving spouse for $4.00. A spouse who isn’t already a joint owner must also show the marriage license and death certificate. The plate is issued through DFA’s Specialty License Plate Office. Ask the office which VA letter it needs before you go, because the DFA page describes eligibility only by those two acts.

Hunting and fishing licenses

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission sells these licenses to disabled veterans from its Little Rock office and by mail. Call 833-345-0325, or 501-207-0326 in the Little Rock area.

• Resident Disabled Military Veteran Lifetime Combination License and Permit (VLL2), $52.50: for residents rated 70% or higher, or 50% or higher with a Purple Heart. It covers hunting, fishing, trout and the state duck stamp. You need VA disability certification and one year of Arkansas residency.
• Lifetime Combination License (VLC2), $3.00: for residents rated 100% total and permanent, with one year of residency. Hunting-only (VLH) and fishing-only (VLF) lifetime licenses are $1.50 each. Lifetime waterfowl ($7.00) and trout ($10.00) permits can be added.

Education benefits

The Arkansas Heroes Scholarship has replaced the Military Dependents Scholarship. Starting with the 2025 application cycle, new applicants can apply only for Heroes. It covers in-state tuition, on-campus housing and mandatory fees for up to eight semesters of full-time undergraduate study at an Arkansas public or private college. Who can apply:

• the spouse or dependent child (under 26) of an Arkansan who was killed in action, declared missing in action, held as a prisoner of war, or rated 100% totally and permanently disabled through military service
• the spouse or dependent child of a Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipient

For military families, the scholarship pays whatever tuition, housing and fees remain after VA Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35) is applied, so you must also apply for Chapter 35. The annual deadline is July 1. A spouse loses eligibility on remarriage.

State veterans homes

ADVA operates two nursing homes. Honorably discharged veterans, veterans’ spouses and Gold Star parents with a medical need for nursing care may apply.

• Arkansas State Veterans Home at Fayetteville: 1179 North College Ave., Fayetteville, (479) 444-7001
• Arkansas State Veterans Home at North Little Rock: 2401 John Ashley Drive, North Little Rock, (501) 683-1406

Employment preference

Under Ark. Code § 21-3-301 et seq., state agencies must give veterans preference in hiring, promotion and layoffs. When an agency scores applicants numerically:

• a veteran who passes gets 5 points
• a disabled veteran gets 10 points, as does the spouse of a disabled veteran whose disability rules them out for selection

On the interview list, 10-point veterans go to the top of their score group, followed by 5-point veterans. Unmarried surviving spouses of deceased veterans also qualify. Include your DD-214, and a VA letter if you’re claiming the 10 points.

How to apply for Arkansas veteran benefits

1. Download your VA benefit summary letter from VA.gov. It shows your rating and whether it is permanent and total.
2. For the property tax exemption, take the letter to your county collector. Assess your personal property by May 31 so it appears on your bill.
3. For the Disabled Veteran plate, get the VA eligibility letter and submit it to DFA’s Specialty License Plate Office with your title or registration and proof of insurance.
4. For the VLL2 or VLC2 license, send your VA disability certification and proof of one year of residency to the AGFC Little Rock office.
5. Dependents should apply for Chapter 35 with VA, then for the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship through ADHE’s scholarship system, by July 1.
6. For help with any of these, contact ADVA at 501 Woodlane Street, Suite 401N, Little Rock, (501) 683-2382, or visit veterans.arkansas.gov.

VA offices and medical centers in Arkansas

Little Rock VA Regional Benefit Office at Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center: 2200 Fort Roots Drive, Building 111, North Little Rock, AR 72114. VA encourages visitors to schedule an appointment through its VERA scheduler.

VA medical centers in Arkansas:

• John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital: Little Rock
• Eugene J. Towbin Healthcare Center: North Little Rock
• Fayetteville VA Medical Center: Fayetteville

Find outpatient clinics near you with the VA facility locator.

Filing a federal VA disability claim from Arkansas

The VA disability claim process is the same in every state. See how to file, check your claim status and the 2026 compensation rates. ADVA and accredited county veterans service officers help Arkansas veterans file claims for free. If you’re in crisis, call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 and press 1.