Pennsylvania VA Disability Benefits & Resources for Veterans

Pennsylvania’s biggest veteran benefit, a full real estate tax exemption, is means-tested, which surprises many 100% rated veterans. The state also leaves military pensions untaxed, gives war-disabled veterans free hunting and fishing licenses, and runs six state veterans homes. Almost every state program starts at your County Director of Veterans Affairs.

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

Key Pennsylvania Benefits at a Glance

Disabled Veterans’ Real Estate Tax Exemption

This program removes all real estate taxes on your principal dwelling. Unlike most states’ disabled-veteran exemptions, it also requires you to show financial need. The State Veterans’ Commission decides eligibility, and the exemption is authorized under Title 51 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

Who qualifies: Veterans and surviving spouses must meet every one of these:

• Pennsylvania resident.
• Honorable or under-honorable-conditions discharge from the U.S. armed forces.
• Service during a VA-recognized period of war. Operation- or service-specific expeditionary medals can also establish wartime service.
• The property is your principal dwelling and is owned by you alone, jointly with your spouse, or as tenants by the entirety.
• A VA rating of 100% permanent service-connected disability, total disability individual unemployability (TDIU), or service-connected blindness, paraplegia or loss of two or more limbs.
• Financial need. On January 1, 2025, the Commission raised the presumptive need level to $114,637 in annual income. Above that, you qualify only if your verified allowable monthly expenses exceed your monthly household income, including a cost-of-living allowance.

How to apply: Contact the County Director of Veterans Affairs in your county, usually at the county courthouse. Veterans or spouses denied for need in earlier years are encouraged to reapply under the higher income level. Questions go to the DMVA at [email protected]. Don’t send applications or personal information by email.

State Taxes

The 2025 PA-40 instructions list military pension benefits as income not taxable for Pennsylvania personal income tax. The Department of Revenue’s tax guide also excludes disability pensions and similar allowances for injuries or sickness from active service in the U.S. armed forces. VA disability compensation is therefore not taxed by the state. Active-duty pay for service outside Pennsylvania is also not taxable.

Vehicles and Driver Licenses

• Registration and title fee waiver (form MV-371DV): PennDOT waives registration and title fees on one passenger vehicle or truck weighing 9,000 pounds or less. It applies if you lost a limb or eye or became partially paralyzed in service, were a POW in a conflict with a DoD campaign medal, or received the Medal of Honor or Purple Heart. License plate fees still apply. A disability rating alone, even 100%, doesn’t qualify.
• Disabled Veteran plate: PennDOT issues it to veterans whose disability is certified by their service unit or VA.
• Severely Disabled Veteran plate: For veterans with a 100% service-connected disability. You can self-certify with a legible copy of a VA award letter, Summary of Benefits letter or similar document showing 100%.
• Driver license veteran designation: Available through PennDOT.

Hunting and Fishing

Pennsylvania Game Commission. DV licenses are issued only by County Treasurers and Game Commission offices.

• Resident DV Hunting and Furtaker licenses (no charge): For a service-related disability from a war or armed conflict involving the loss of one or more limbs, loss of use of one or more limbs, or a VA 100% or total compensation rating. Total ratings based on individual unemployability count as 100%.
• Resident DV Lifetime Hunting and Furtaker licenses (no charge): For the same veterans when the condition is permanent. You renew free each year through HuntFishPA.
• Resident Reduced DV Hunting and Furtaker licenses ($2.97 each): For a wartime service-related disability rated 60% to 99%.

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. A free fishing license is available to resident disabled veterans who lost one or more limbs or the use of them, or became totally blind, in a war or armed conflict, or who are rated 100% by VA. Residents rated 60% to 99% can get a reduced-fee resident license from the Commission or a county treasurer.

Education

The DMVA’s Educational Gratuity Program helps children of honorably discharged wartime veterans rated 100% permanent and total, and children of veterans who died in service during a period of war or armed conflict. The student must be 16 to 23, have lived in Pennsylvania for the five years before applying, attend an approved Pennsylvania school and show financial need. It pays up to $500 per term directly to the school for up to four scholastic years. Apply through your County Director of Veterans Affairs with the veteran’s DD-214 or death certificate, the student’s birth certificate, ID and proof of residency.

State Veterans Pensions

The DMVA pays a $150 monthly pension to two groups of veterans who lived in Pennsylvania when they entered the military and have an honorable or under-honorable-conditions discharge:

• Blind Veterans Pension: Service-connected vision loss to 3/60 or 10/200 or less with correction in the better eye.
• Amputee and Paralyzed Veterans Pension: Service-connected loss or loss of use of two or more extremities, with a disability rating of at least 40%.

State Veterans Homes

The DMVA runs six veterans homes:

• Delaware Valley Veterans’ Home, Philadelphia
• Gino J. Merli Veterans’ Center, Scranton
• Hollidaysburg Veterans’ Home, Hollidaysburg (the largest)
• Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home, Erie (the oldest)
• Southeastern Veterans’ Center, Spring City
• Southwestern Veterans’ Center, Pittsburgh

Employment Preference

Under the Veterans’ Preference Act (51 Pa.C.S. § 7101 to 7111), eligible veterans get 10 points added to their final score on Commonwealth civil service entrance exams. A veteran within the Rule of Three, or the alternative rule the agency uses, gets mandatory appointment preference over non-veterans, subject to a background check. The preference doesn’t apply to promotions or internal postings.

VA Regional Office and Medical Centers

Pennsylvania has two VA regional benefit offices:

• Philadelphia VA Regional Benefit Office: 5000 Wissahickon Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19144
• Pittsburgh VA Regional Benefit Office: 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

VA medical centers in Pennsylvania:

• Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia. Its Pennsylvania clinics are in Philadelphia and Horsham.
• VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (H. John Heinz III and University Drive campuses), Pittsburgh. Its clinics are in Rochester, Uniontown, Monroeville, Washington and Greensburg.
• Lebanon VA Medical Center, Lebanon. Its clinics are in Wyomissing, Mechanicsburg, Willow Street, Pottsville and York.
• Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre. Its clinics are in Allentown (two), Bloomsburg, Bangor, Sayre, Tobyhanna, Honesdale and Williamsport.
• Coatesville VA Medical Center, Coatesville. Its clinics are in Newtown Square and Norristown.
• Erie VA Medical Center, Erie. Its Pennsylvania clinics are in Meadville, Bradford, Franklin and Warren.
• James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center, Altoona. Its clinics are in DuBois, Huntingdon, Indiana, Johnstown and State College.
• Butler VA Medical Center, Butler. Its clinics are in Butler, Kittanning, Monroe Township, Cranberry Township, New Castle and Hermitage.

Filing a Federal VA Claim

The VA claims process is federal and the same in every state. See How to File a VA Claim, Check Your Claim Status and 2026 VA Disability Rates. For free local help, every Pennsylvania county has a County Director of Veterans Affairs; find yours on the DMVA county directors page. The DMVA’s toll-free line is 800-547-2838.

Crisis Support

Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255.