Louisiana VA Disability Benefits & Resources for Veterans

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

Overview

Louisiana’s biggest benefit for disabled veterans is written into its constitution: a tiered add-on to the homestead exemption that grows at 50%, 70% and 100% and passes to a surviving spouse. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) keeps at least one veterans service office in every parish, and its veterans assistance counselors (VACs) certify most of the state benefits below.

Key benefits at a glance

Property tax relief

Every Louisiana homeowner gets a homestead exemption on the first $7,500 of assessed value. Article VII, Section 21(K) of the Louisiana Constitution stacks more on top for veterans with a VA service-connected rating:

• 50% to 69%: the next $2,500 of assessed value is exempt. Assessed value above $10,000 remains taxable.
• 70% to 99%: the next $4,500 of assessed value is exempt. Assessed value above $12,000 remains taxable.
• 100% unemployability or totally disabled: the entire assessed value of the homestead is exempt. LDVA notes that certain municipal assessments can still apply.

A surviving spouse qualifies for the same tier while they own and occupy the property, whether or not the exemption was in place before the veteran died. In the 2026 session the Legislature proposed a constitutional amendment (Act 39) that would let a surviving spouse carry the exemption to one later home. Voters decide it this fall, and if it passes it applies from the January 1, 2027 assessment year (LDVA release).

How to claim it: bring your VA rating letter to your parish assessor’s office. The exemption is tied to the homestead, so you need to have the regular homestead exemption on the property first.

State income tax

LDVA states that military retirement benefits are exempt from Louisiana income tax. VA disability compensation is excluded from federal gross income (IRS Publication 525), so it does not show up on your Louisiana return either.

New residents also get a break on vehicles: veterans and military retirees who bring a primary personal vehicle from another state pay a flat $90 vehicle use tax if they register it within 90 days of moving (LDVA).

Vehicle registration and plates

Veterans rated 50% or more can get either a free disabled veteran plate or a free military honor plate, and a veteran rated 100% can get the 100% DAV plate (LDVA). Any veteran can add a “VETERAN” designation to a Louisiana driver’s license or ID with proof of service at the Office of Motor Vehicles.

Two Louisiana extras tied to the 50% threshold: free parking at Louisiana airports with an LDVA-certified form and your itinerary (rules vary by airport), and up to seven days of free parking at the Port of New Orleans cruise terminal with a certified form and a military honor plate.

Hunting and fishing licenses

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries issues a free Disabled Veterans Hunting and Fishing License to veterans with a permanent service-connected rating of 50% or more. It covers basic and saltwater fishing; basic, deer, waterfowl and turkey hunting; and the WMA access permit. It does not include the federal duck stamp, and it must be renewed each year.

Veterans below 50% have a newer option. Under Act 321 of 2025, any honorably discharged resident veteran can buy the Resident Honorably Discharged Hunt/Fish Combo for $20, an 80% discount from the regular $100 combo (LDWF announcement). Apply online, by mail, or at LDWF headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

Education benefits

Title 29 is Louisiana’s in-state tuition exemption for veterans’ families (LDVA). Children of living veterans can qualify; spouses qualify when the veteran is POW/MIA; and both surviving spouses and children qualify when the veteran has died. The veteran must also meet residency requirements, and the rules differ for living and deceased veterans. Title 29 can be used alongside GI Bill benefits.

To apply, book an appointment with a VAC at your parish veterans service office. The VAC decides eligibility, sends the certificate to LDVA headquarters, and the student takes the mailed certificate to their school’s Title 29 office.

Starting August 1, 2026, Act 355 lets veterans use a DD-214 as proof of eligibility for the TOPS scholarship program.

State veterans homes

LDVA operates five veterans homes:

• Louisiana Veterans Home, Jackson
• Northeast Louisiana Veterans Home, Monroe
• Northwest Louisiana Veterans Home, Bossier City
• Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home, Reserve
• Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home, Jennings

Honorably discharged veterans with 90 days of active duty, spouses of veterans, and Gold Star parents are eligible. Veterans rated 70% to 100% service-connected pay no monthly fee. LDVA also runs five state veterans cemeteries.

Employment preference

For original appointments to state classified jobs, Louisiana State Civil Service adds 5 or 10 points to qualifying candidates’ scores. The 5 points require a DD-214. The 10 points also require a VA letter documenting a service-connected disability, dated within six months of the application. A 2026 law (Act 160) sets a 180-day minimum service requirement for preference points in fire and police civil service.

How to apply in Louisiana

1. Get your VA rating letter from VA.gov. Most Louisiana benefits key off the percentage, and the hunting and fishing license requires the rating to be permanent.
2. Visit a parish veterans service office. LDVA’s counselors certify the airport and cruise parking forms and Title 29, and they can file federal claims for free. Call LDVA at (225) 219-5000 to find the nearest office.
3. Take the letter to the right agency: parish assessor for property tax, Office of Motor Vehicles for plates and the license designation, LDWF for hunting and fishing.
4. Renew the annual items. Hunting and fishing licenses expire every year.

Since August 1, 2026, Act 558 exempts veterans from fees for health records requested for a VA or state disability claim, once per facility.

VA regional office and medical centers

The New Orleans VA Regional Benefit Office is at 2400 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119, co-located with the New Orleans VA Medical Center. Louisiana’s VA health care is split among three systems:

• Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System: New Orleans VA Medical Center, plus clinics in Baton Rouge (two), Bogalusa, Franklin, Hammond, Houma, Slidell and Reserve.
• Alexandria VA Health Care System: Alexandria VA Medical Center in Pineville, plus clinics in Lake Charles, Leesville (Fort Polk), Jennings, Lafayette (two) and Natchitoches.
• Overton Brooks VA Medical Center (Shreveport): plus clinics in Shreveport and Monroe.

Filing a federal VA claim

Disability compensation is decided under federal rules, so the process is the same in every state. See how to file a VA claim, check your claim status, and the current compensation rates. A parish VAC can prepare and submit the claim for you at no cost.

If you are in crisis, call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.