Texas Veteran Benefits 2026: Property Tax Exemptions and Military Retired Pay Tax

The state benefits Texas gives veterans and their surviving spouses: property tax exemptions, how the state taxes military retired pay, and other benefits, each with who qualifies, the amount, how to apply and the official source.

Texas gives disabled veterans a partial property tax exemption of $5,000 to $12,000 on any one property, based on VA rating. A veteran rated 100% disabled or individually unemployable pays no property tax on the homestead, and that exemption passes to an unremarried surviving spouse. Texas has no personal income tax, so military retired pay is not taxed by the state. Other benefits include $0-registration Disabled Veteran plates and 10 Texas State Veterans Homes, where eligible veterans with a 70% or higher service-connected rating may live for free. (sources)

Official sources Checked against official sources on November 4, 2026. This page lists only benefits confirmed on an official state or federal page; counties and cities may offer more.

Property tax exemptions
Military retired pay tax
Other veteran benefits
Common questions

Property tax exemptions for veterans in Texas

Texas property tax benefits for veterans and surviving spouses (checked November 4, 2026)
Benefit	Who qualifies	Amount	How to apply	Source
Disabled veteran partial exemption (Tax Code §11.22)	Veteran with a VA (or service branch) service-connected disability rating of 10% or more; applies to the residence homestead or any one other property the veteran owns	Reduces taxable value by up to: 10-29% rating $5,000; 30-49% $7,500; 50-69% $10,000; 70-100% $12,000 (Comptroller publication 96-1740, January 2026)	File Form 50-135 (Disabled Veteran's or Survivor's Exemption Application) with the county appraisal district by the general deadline (April 30). A late application may be filed up to 5 years after the delinquency date. A DPS driver's license or ID is not accepted as proof of rating.	Texas Comptroller
Disabled veteran $12,000 exemption for age 65+, blindness or loss of limb use (Tax Code §11.22)	Disabled veteran who is age 65 or older with a disability rating of at least 10%, or who is totally blind in one or both eyes, or who has lost use of one or more limbs	$12,000 off the property's assessed value	Form 50-135, filed with the county appraisal district	Texas Comptroller
Surviving spouse/children partial exemption (Tax Code §11.22)	Unmarried surviving spouse, or children under 18, of a deceased disabled veteran. Also the surviving spouse of a service member who died on active duty.	Partial exemption on one property. For the surviving spouse of a member who died on active duty: $5,000.	Form 50-135, filed with the county appraisal district	Texas Comptroller
100% disabled veteran residence homestead exemption (Tax Code §11.131)	Veteran awarded 100% VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability with a 100% rating or individual unemployability; must own and live in the home (residence homestead)	Full exemption: 100% of the homestead's appraised value	Form 50-114 (Application for Residence Homestead Exemption), filed with the county appraisal district. A late application may be filed up to 5 years after the filing deadline.	Texas Comptroller
Surviving spouse of 100% disabled veteran (Tax Code §11.131)	Unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified (or would have qualified) for the §11.131 exemption; the property was the spouse's homestead when the veteran died and remains their homestead	Full exemption. If the spouse moves, the same dollar amount carries to the new homestead.	Form 50-114, filed with the county appraisal district. A surviving spouse's late application may be filed up to 2 years after the filing deadline.	Texas Comptroller
Donated residence homestead of a partially disabled veteran (Tax Code §11.132)	Disabled veteran rated below 100% whose homestead was donated by a charitable organization, either at no cost or for no more than 50% of its good-faith market value. Extends to an unremarried surviving spouse.	Exemption equal to the veteran's disability rating percentage of the homestead's value	Form 50-114, filed with the county appraisal district. Late filing allowed up to 5 years after the delinquency date (veteran) or 2 years (surviving spouse).	Texas Comptroller
Surviving spouse of armed services member killed in line of duty (Tax Code §11.133)	Surviving spouse of a U.S. armed services member killed or fatally injured in the line of duty who has not remarried since the death	Full exemption: 100% of the residence homestead's value	Form 50-114, filed with the county appraisal district. A late application may be filed up to 2 years after the filing deadline.	Texas Comptroller
Surviving spouse of certain qualifying veterans (PACT Act conditions) (Tax Code §11.136)	Unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died from a condition or disease presumed service-connected under the federal PACT Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-168), whatever the veteran's rating at death	Full exemption: 100% of the residence homestead's value	Form 50-114 (Residence Homestead Exemption Application), filed with the county appraisal district	Texas Comptroller
Homestead tax deferral for disabled veterans (Tax Code §33.06)	Disabled veteran qualified under §11.22, or the unmarried surviving spouse or a surviving child under 18, who owns and occupies the home as a residence homestead	Collection of homestead taxes is deferred while the home remains the residence homestead. The tax lien stays, and interest accrues at 5% a year during the deferral.	File Form 50-126 (Tax Deferral Affidavit) with the county appraisal district	Texas Comptroller

Is military retired pay taxed in Texas?

Texas state income tax on military retired pay (checked November 4, 2026)
Treatment	Amount or limit	Source
Not taxed. Texas has no personal income tax, so military retired pay, SBP annuities and VA disability pay are not subject to state income tax.	Full exclusion (no state personal income tax)	comptroller.texas.gov

For the dollars this treatment adds to (or saves on) a retiree’s state tax in 2026, see the military retirement tax by state study; for the pension itself, the military retirement pay calculator.

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Other Texas veteran benefits

Vehicles and license plates

Texas: vehicles and license plates for veterans
Benefit	Who qualifies	Amount	Source
Disabled Veteran (DV) specialty license plates	Veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or more, or 40% or more due to amputation of a lower extremity (Form VTR-615)	$3 annual specialty plate fee for the first set, with no annual registration or local fees for that one vehicle. Additional vehicles may display DV plates but registration and local fees apply. Personalization is $40 a year. DV plates also park free at government-operated parking meters.	txdmv.gov
Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran license plates	Unmarried, eligible surviving spouse of a disabled veteran (one vehicle; Form VTR-425)	$3 for the first set of plates. Additional sets are free, but annual registration and other fees apply.	txdmv.gov

State veterans homes

Texas: state veterans homes for veterans
Benefit	Who qualifies	Amount	Source
Texas State Veterans Homes (Veterans Land Board): long-term skilled nursing and memory care at 10 homes (Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floresville, Fort Worth, Houston, McAllen, Temple, Tyler)	Eligible Texas veterans, their spouses and Gold Star parents	Affordable long-term care, with much of the cost subsidized by the VA. Eligible veterans with a 70% or higher service-connected disability may live at the home for free.	glo.texas.gov

Common questions

Does Texas have a property tax exemption for disabled veterans?

Texas lists 9 veteran property tax benefits. The main one: 100% disabled veteran residence homestead exemption (Tax Code §11.131). Who qualifies: Veteran awarded 100% VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability with a 100% rating or individual unemployability; must own and live in the home (residence homestead). Amount: Full exemption: 100% of the homestead's appraised value (Texas Comptroller - Texas Property Tax Exemptions (96-1740, January 2026)).

How do I apply for the Texas veteran property tax exemption?

Form 50-114 (Application for Residence Homestead Exemption), filed with the county appraisal district. A late application may be filed up to 5 years after the filing deadline. (Texas Comptroller - Texas Property Tax Exemptions (96-1740, January 2026)).

Does Texas tax military retirement pay?

Not taxed. Texas has no personal income tax, so military retired pay, SBP annuities and VA disability pay are not subject to state income tax. Amount or limit: Full exclusion (no state personal income tax) (comptroller.texas.gov).

What other benefits do veterans get in Texas?

Disabled Veteran (DV) specialty license plates (txdmv.gov); Surviving Spouse of a Disabled Veteran license plates (txdmv.gov); Texas State Veterans Homes (Veterans Land Board): long-term skilled nursing and memory care at 10 homes (Amarillo, Big Spring, Bonham, El Paso, Floresville, Fort Worth, Houston, McAllen, Temple, Tyler) (glo.texas.gov). Who qualifies and the amounts are in the tables above.

Sources

Every row above is copied from the official page linked beside it. Benefits change with new laws and local decisions, so confirm the amount and the deadline with the office that runs the program before you apply. QuantCalc is calculation software, not legal, tax or benefits advice. Last updated November 4, 2026.

Texas senior property tax relief → Texas state income tax for retirees → Veteran benefits in every state → Military retirement tax by state 2026 → Military retirement pay calculator → 2026 VA disability rates → Military retiree and VA COLA 2027 → VA loan limits 2026 →