Michigan VA Disability Benefits & Resources for Veterans

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

Overview

Michigan keys most of its disabled veteran benefits to one threshold: a VA rating of 100% permanent and total, or individual unemployability (TDIU). That rating unlocks a full homestead property tax exemption, free hunting and fishing licenses, a free permanent Disabled Veteran plate, and free state park entry. The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) coordinates benefits and connects veterans with accredited county service officers through 1-800-MICH-VET.

Key benefits at a glance

Property tax relief

Michigan’s Disabled Veterans Exemption under MCL 211.7b removes all property tax on the homestead of an honorably discharged Michigan resident who meets one of three tests (MVAA):

• rated by the VA as permanently and totally disabled from service and entitled to benefits at the 100% rate;
• rated individually unemployable; or
• received VA assistance for specially adapted housing.

The unremarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran keeps the exemption as long as they stay unremarried and remain a Michigan resident.

What changed recently:

• No annual refiling. Under MCL 211.7c, beginning January 1, 2025, a granted exemption stays in effect without reapplying each year. It continues until you rescind it by filing Form 6054 within 45 days of selling, moving, or losing eligibility, or until the assessor revokes it (Bulletin 19 of 2023).
• Mid-year proration. For a newly purchased home, the exemption is prorated for the first year. In April 2026 the State Tax Commission revised Form 5107 so buyers should attach the closing documents; if they don’t, the exemption is prorated by the number of days you owned and occupied the home (State Tax Commission).

How to apply: file Form 5107, the State Tax Commission Affidavit for Disabled Veterans Exemption, with your VA letter at the city, village or township office that issues your tax bill. TDIU claimants must include the VA letter showing individual unemployability.

Veterans who don’t qualify for the full exemption may still claim Michigan’s income tax credit for property taxes paid by a disabled veteran on Form MI-1040CR-2. The credit depends on rating and household income.

State income tax

MVAA states that active-duty and retired military pay are exempt from Michigan individual income tax, and that military disability retirement paid for injury or sickness from active service is not included in taxable income. VA disability compensation is excluded from federal gross income (IRS Publication 525) and is not taxed by Michigan.

Vehicle registration and plates

Veterans with a total or permanently total disability rating and an honorable discharge can get one permanent Disabled Veteran plate for a private passenger vehicle (Secretary of State). The plate never expires, and MVAA says registration is free apart from a one-time $5 administrative fee when the plate is first issued. You still need a disability placard to park in accessible spaces. A surviving spouse can transfer the plate when the title is transferred. Former POWs qualify for a reduced-cost plate regardless of rating.

Hunting and fishing licenses

The Michigan DNR gives resident veterans a free hunting or fishing license of any type that doesn’t require a separate application (drawings are excluded) if the VA has rated them either:

• permanently and totally disabled at the 100% rate, for disabilities other than blindness; or
• individually unemployable.

Carry your VA eligibility letter while hunting or fishing. Veterans rated 100% P&T also get free entry to Michigan state parks.

Education benefits

The Children of Veterans Tuition Grant (Public Act 248 of 2005) is administered by MI Student Aid. It serves natural or adopted children, ages 16 through 25, of a Michigan veteran who died or became totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected condition, or who is MIA. Awards per academic year are:

• Full-time: up to $2,800
• Three-quarter time: up to $2,100
• Half-time: up to $1,400

The lifetime cap is $11,200 (eight semesters). Students need a 2.25 GPA, must file the FAFSA every year, and apply once through the MiSSG Student Portal. The 2026–27 deadline is June 30, 2027.

All veterans and active-duty members also get in-state tuition at Michigan public schools regardless of residency.

State veterans homes

Michigan Veteran Homes operates three homes:

• Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids
• Michigan Veteran Homes D.J. Jacobetti in Marquette, where a new facility has been built
• Michigan Veteran Homes at Chesterfield Township in Macomb County

Employment preference

Civil Service Commission Rule 3-8 gives preference in initial state employment to qualifying veterans (90 or more days of active duty and an honorable discharge), veterans eligible for VA disability compensation, surviving spouses, and spouses of veterans rated over 50% (Civil Service Commission). You must register your preference with the Michigan Civil Service Commission and still meet the job’s minimum qualifications.

How to apply in Michigan

1. Get your VA letter showing P&T at 100% or TDIU. Most Michigan benefits require one or the other.
2. Find an accredited county VSO through MVAA (1-800-642-4838 or Michigan.gov/VSO). They can help with state benefits and file federal claims for free.
3. Property tax: file Form 5107 with your local assessor once. Attach closing documents for a new purchase.
4. Plate: apply through the Secretary of State.
5. Licenses: buy through the DNR license system at no charge; keep the VA letter with you.

VA regional office and medical centers

The Detroit VA Regional Benefit Office is on the 12th floor of the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building, 477 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226. Michigan has five VA medical centers, each with its own clinic network:

• John D. Dingell VA Medical Center (Detroit)
• Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles VA Medical Center (Ann Arbor)
• Battle Creek VA Medical Center
• Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center (Saginaw)
• Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Facility (Iron Mountain), serving the Upper Peninsula

Filing a federal VA claim

The claim process is set by federal law and is the same everywhere: see how to file a VA claim, check your claim status, and current compensation rates. Because Michigan’s biggest benefits require P&T or TDIU, make sure your VA decision letter actually states permanence. A county VSO can help you request it.

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