State Veteran Benefits

• Military Retired Pay — Income Tax Exempt — Military retired pay is fully exempt from Arkansas income tax. How to apply: Claimed on your Arkansas income tax return. Questions: DFA Individual Income Tax, individual.income@dfa.arkansas.gov, dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Active & Reserve Military Pay — Income Tax Exempt — Pay for service in an active or reserve component is exempt from Arkansas income tax. How to apply: Claimed on your Arkansas income tax return. DFA: individual.income@dfa.arkansas.gov, dfa.arkansas.gov.

• VA & Military Disability Pay — Not Taxed — VA disability compensation and military disability retirement pay are not included in Arkansas taxable income. How to apply: Reflected on your Arkansas income tax return. DFA: individual.income@dfa.arkansas.gov, dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Survivor Annuities — Not Taxed — SBP, RCSBP, and RSFPP survivor annuities are not taxed in Arkansas; Social Security is also not taxed. How to apply: Claimed on your Arkansas income tax return. DFA: individual.income@dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Homestead & Personal Property Tax Exemption — Full property tax exemption on the homestead and personal property of veterans rated 100% permanent and total, or receiving Special Monthly Compensation for loss or loss of use of limbs or total blindness. Surviving spouses and dependent children may qualify; recertified annually. (Ark. Code § 26-3-306) How to apply: Apply at your local county collector's office.

• Sales Tax Exemption on Adapted Vehicles — No state gross receipts tax on specially adapted vehicles or equipment purchased with VA assistance for a service-connected disability. How to apply: Claim at your local Arkansas revenue office with your VA Benefit Summary Letter; info at dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Military Spouse & Family Tax Relief — Includes the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act, exclusions for certain home-sale profits and Guard/Reserve travel, and tax-payment deferral under the Arkansas Service Members Civil Relief Act. How to apply: Claimed on your Arkansas income tax return. DFA: dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Property Tax — Arkansas provides a full exemption from state taxes on the homestead and personal property for veterans with a qualifying 100% service‑connected disability or special monthly compensation. Surviving spouses and dependent children may qualify as well. Apply through your local county collector’s office: Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands, 501-324-9422, www.cosl.org.

• Full Veterans Tax Guide can be viewed here: Property Taxes in Arkansas

• National Guard Tuition Waiver — Waives up to 120 credit hours (or until a bachelor's degree is earned) at Arkansas public colleges for eligible Arkansas National Guard members. How to apply: Apply each semester through the Arkansas National Guard Education Office, ng.ar.ararng.list.education-office@army.mil.

• Military Dependents Scholarship (MDS) — Waives tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board at Arkansas public colleges for the spouse and children of Veterans who are KIA, MIA, POW, or rated 100% permanent and total disabled, after federal DEA is applied. How to apply: Apply through the ADHE Scholarship system, sams.adhe.edu (MDS). Questions: 501-371-2000 or finaid@adhe.edu.

• Resident (In-State) Tuition — Arkansas public colleges grant in-state tuition to eligible nonresident Veterans, service members, and their dependents. How to apply: Request through the admissions or registrar office of the Arkansas college you plan to attend.

• High School Diplomas & Credit — Diplomas for WWII, Korea, and Vietnam Veterans who left school to serve; two units of Career Focus credit for completing Basic Training. (Ark. Code § 6-16-150) How to apply: Contact your local school district or the Arkansas Department of Education, 501-682-4475.

• Military Children Supports — Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (MIC3) and the Purple Star School Award for military-friendly schools. How to apply: MIC3: 501-683-5188 or 501-683-5291. Purple Star: 501-683-5188.

• State Hiring Preference — 5 points added to passing scores for veterans, eligible Guard/Reserve members, and surviving spouses; 10 points for disabled veterans and certain spouses. Applies to hiring, promotion, and retention. How to apply: Claim preference when applying for state jobs at arcareers.arkansas.gov.

• State Employee Military Leave — 15 days of paid military leave per year for training, and up to 30 working days for emergency active duty called by the Governor or President. How to apply: Arrange through your state agency's human resources office.

• Workforce Services Priority — Priority of service at Arkansas Workforce Centers, with dedicated DVOP and LVER specialists for career help. How to apply: Visit a local Arkansas Workforce Center or dws.arkansas.gov; create an Arkansas JobLink account.

• Private/Local Employer Preference — Arkansas employers may adopt a voluntary written veterans' hiring preference policy. How to apply: Set by each employer; ask the employer's human resources office.

• Disabled Veteran Lifetime Licenses — 100% permanently and totally disabled resident veterans qualify for lifetime fishing ($1.50), hunting ($1.50), or combination ($3.00) licenses. How to apply: Apply by mail to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 2 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205. Questions: 833-345-0325 or 501-207-0326, agfc.com.

• Partially Disabled Lifetime License — Resident veterans rated 70%+ (or 50%+ with a Purple Heart) qualify for a lifetime combination license ($52.50). How to apply: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, 833-345-0325 or 501-207-0326, agfc.com.

• Military Retiree Lifetime Licenses — Resident retired service members age 60+ qualify for discounted lifetime fishing, hunting, or combination licenses. How to apply: Apply at an AGFC regional office or by mail to the Little Rock office; 833-345-0325, agfc.com.

• State Park Camping Discount — Half-price camping year-round at Arkansas State Parks for resident veterans rated 100% permanent and total disabled. How to apply: Show your VA Benefit Summary Letter or Disabled Veteran plate. Info: 888-287-2757, parks.info@arkansas.gov, arkansasstateparks.com.

• Veteran Designation on License/ID — Honorably discharged resident veterans can add a veteran designation to their Arkansas driver's license or ID card. How to apply: Apply at any Arkansas State Revenue Office with proof of service (DD214, NGB 22, or VA ID); dfa.arkansas.gov.

• Military & Veteran License Plates — 19 distinctive military and veteran specialty plates, including a free first Medal of Honor plate, Purple Heart plate, Disabled Veteran plate (Ark. Code § 27-24-203), and a free Gold Star Family plate. How to apply: Request at an Arkansas revenue office; dfa.arkansas.gov. Medal of Honor plate requires an ADVA certification letter first (501-683-2382).

• License Expiration Extension — Service members' Arkansas driver's licenses can be extended until 60 days after separation or honorable discharge. How to apply: Apply at an Arkansas Driver Services Office; 501-682-7059.

• Arkansas Veterans Child Welfare Service — Assists eligible children of honorably discharged Arkansas veterans who are deceased or medically incapacitated (rated 30% or greater) with basic living expenses. One application per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30); each application is considered individually based on need. Administered by ADVA's Child Services Division. Apply through a County Veteran Service Officer, email adva.childwelfare@arkansas.gov, or call 501-526-9205.

• Arkansas State Veterans Homes — Two ADVA-operated nursing homes offering skilled nursing, hospice, and physical, occupational, and speech therapies for eligible veterans and family members. How to apply: Visit ADVA’s Arkansas State Veteran Homes page.

• Arkansas State Veterans Cemeteries — Two ADVA cemeteries providing free burial for Veterans (an $807 fee applies for dependents), the grave and its opening and closing, a federal headstone or niche cover, and perpetual care. Eligibility matches VA national cemeteries. How to apply: Pre-register or apply through ADVA. North Little Rock: 501-683-2259. Birdeye: 870-588-4608.

• ADVA Veteran Service Officer Network — Free help finding, filing, and appealing federal, state, and local benefit claims. Find a VSO

• Arkansas Veterans Legal Services Clinic (UA Little Rock, Bowen School of Law) — Client-centered, trauma-informed legal advocacy for veterans with service-related injuries. Law students work under the supervision of a VA-accredited attorney, and the clinic serves as a statewide resource center for Veterans and their families. Phone 501-916-3434; ualr.edu/law (Clinical Programs).

The clinic's three service areas:

• VA Disability Compensation Appeals — Representation in appeals to the Board of Veterans' Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, including cases involving traumatic injury and military sexual trauma.

• Discharge Upgrade Assistance — Help petitioning the discharge review boards to upgrade a less-than-fully-honorable discharge connected to Post-Traumatic Stress or another service-related trauma.

• Pro Bono Services Center & Resources — Free self-help resources, plus referrals to attorneys and organizations who assist veterans for free or at reduced cost for matters beyond the clinic's in-house focus.

Note: when demand is high, the clinic may pause new applications for its in-house VA appeals and discharge-upgrade representation; current availability is posted on the clinic's website, and the Pro Bono Services Center and self-help resources remain available. Applying does not guarantee the clinic can take a case, so applicants must keep meeting all court dates and VA deadlines while a request is reviewed.