North Dakota offers various benefits for veterans. On this page, you’ll find a concise overview of each of these benefits.
North Dakota Veterans Home
The North Dakota Veterans Home, situated in Lisbon, welcomes honorably discharged North Dakota veterans and their spouses for admission. Admission costs are determined based on income levels.
North Dakota Veteran Financial Benefits
Income Taxes
Starting from the 2023 tax year, active-duty and reservist pay for residents of North Dakota becomes tax-exempt. Similarly, retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan payments are also tax-exempt.
Veterans Aid Fund
The Veterans’ Aid Fund serves to provide loans to any veteran and to the surviving spouse of a veteran, provided the spouse has not remarried. A qualified applicant may be eligible to receive multiple loans, as long as the combined total of all loans does not exceed $5,000.
Hardship Grant
Open to veterans, their spouses, and surviving spouses who have not remarried, this assistance is specifically for those with urgent needs such as dental work, glasses, hearing aids, transportation for medical treatment, or other necessities approved by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs.
PTSD Grant
North Dakota veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder are eligible for a grant to assist with the expenses of obtaining a PTSD service dog. To qualify, applicants must reside in North Dakota, have a PTSD diagnosis, be actively engaged in counseling or therapy, and obtain a doctor’s recommendation for a PTSD service dog.
Property Tax Deduction
North Dakota veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder are eligible for a grant to assist with the expenses of obtaining a PTSD service dog. To qualify, applicants must reside in North Dakota, have a PTSD diagnosis, be actively engaged in counseling or therapy, and obtain a doctor’s recommendation for a PTSD service dog.
North Dakota Veterans Preference
Veterans are given priority for state employment opportunities. In North Dakota, veterans typically receive a 5-point preference, while disabled veterans receive a higher preference of 10 points.
North Dakota Education Benefits
Veterans Educational Training (VET)
Accessible to honorably discharged veterans from North Dakota, the VET program is a tuition-free initiative supported by the state, designed to equip individuals for certification programs or pursue a two- or four-year college degree. The program offers refresher courses along with instruction in English, computer skills, mathematics, and study techniques.
Dependent Tuition Waiver
The waiver is accessible to dependents of resident veterans who lost their lives in action, succumbed to wounds or other service-related causes, or were rendered totally disabled due to service-connected reasons. Dependents are entitled to attend any state school in North Dakota without incurring tuition or fees. However, they must complete a degree or certificate program within 45 months or 10 semesters.
National Guard Tuition Waiver Program
If you maintain good standing as a member of the North Dakota National Guard, you may be eligible to have up to 35% of your tuition expenses waived at select institutions within the state.
North Dakota Veteran Recreation Benefits
ND State Park Fees For Disabled Veterans
North Dakota veterans with a VA disability rating of 50% or higher, as well as former prisoners of war (POWs), qualify for a complimentary annual permit.
Alternatively, other North Dakota veterans with service-related disabilities can obtain an annual permit for a fee of $20.
Disabled Veteran Game License
Resident 100% disabled veterans in North Dakota have the option to obtain a bundled license for general game, habitat stamp, small game, and fur-bearer for a total of $3. Additionally, there’s an extra $1 fee for acquiring the resident certificate.
Disabled Veteran Fishing License
North Dakota residents with a disability rating of 50% or higher are eligible for a fishing license priced at $5, along with a $1 fee for the certificate purchase.
Active-Duty Hunting & Fishing
North Dakota residents serving on active duty are permitted to hunt and fish without requiring a license while on leave.
North Dakota Veterans Cemetery
The North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, situated close to Mandan, provides burial eligibility for both veterans and their spouses. While veterans are interred at no cost, a nominal fee applies for the burial of spouses. Residency in North Dakota is not a requirement for eligibility.
