In Texas, a 10% VA rating brings a property tax break, 50% adds disabled veteran (DV) license plates and free hunting and fishing, and 60% adds a free driver license and park pass.,,,, At the top of the scale, a veteran awarded 100% disability compensation, with a 100% rating or individual unemployability (TDIU), is exempt from Texas property tax on the total appraised value of the residence homestead.

Two more Texas disabled veteran benefits reach the family. At a 70% rating or TDIU, a veteran's spouse who earns the household's main income gets a hiring preference for Texas state jobs. And when a veteran is rated permanent and total or TDIU, a spouse and each child can receive their own 150 hours of Hazlewood tuition exemption., This page sorts every Texas benefit by the rating that unlocks it. The federal benefits every state shares, and how Texas compares with other states, are on our hub for state benefits by VA rating.

In This Guide

Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits by VA Rating, Tier by Tier

Find your rating in the first column. Each row lists one Texas benefit, the agency that runs it, and the proof that agency asks for. Rows run from the lowest qualifying rating to the highest, and each row also lists its own non-rating conditions in the sections below.

VA rating Texas benefit Who runs it What to bring
Any service-connected rating Hiring preference for Texas state agency jobs; ranked first, with 5 points on top of the 10-point credit where a competitive exam is used The hiring state agency Ask the agency what proof it accepts
10% and up Property tax: a partial exemption from $5,000 (10% to 29%) up to $12,000 (70% to 100%) of a property's value, and a total homestead exemption at 100% compensation with a 100% rating or IU; full rules here Your county appraisal district An exemption application to the appraisal district
50%, or 40% from amputation of a lower extremity DV license plates: $3 for the first set, with fee-free registration on one vehicle TxDMV A VA letter certifying your disability percentage, with Form VTR-615
50% or more, or loss of use of a foot or leg (TPWD's wording) Free Super Combo hunting and all-water fishing package, residents and nonresidents TPWD VA proof stating your rate, or a Texas driver license marked "Disabled Veteran," every year
60% Free driver license or ID card (not a CDL) DPS A signed VA disability letter, or official documents showing honorable discharge, rating and compensation
60% or more, or loss of use of a lower extremity (TPWD's wording) Free State Parklands Passport, plus free entry for one companion who assists you TPWD, at any state park Photo ID plus a DV plate receipt, VA award letter or Texas veteran tax exemption letter
70%, or individual unemployability State-job preference for a spouse who is the household's primary earner The hiring state agency Ask the agency what proof it accepts
100% permanent and total, or individual unemployability 150 Hazlewood tuition-exemption hours each for a spouse and children TVC and the college See TVC's Hazlewood page

Any Service-Connected Rating, Including 10% to 30%

Texas Government Code chapter 657 gives veterans a hiring preference for jobs with Texas state agencies. A veteran with a disability is first in the order of priority, ahead of veterans without one. Chapter 657 of the Texas Government Code defines a veteran with a disability as one the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the veteran's branch of service classifies as disabled with a service-connected disability, and that definition states no minimum rating percentage.

Where a Texas state agency fills a job by competitive exam under a merit system or civil service plan, a preference-eligible applicant who passes gets a 10-point service credit. Under the Texas state-agency hiring preference, a veteran with a disability gets 5 more points on top of the 10-point credit.

At 10% to 30%, the other Texas benefit in this guide that applies is the property tax partial exemption in the table above, which our Texas disabled veteran property tax guide covers in full. For the federal side at any rating, including VA disability compensation itself, see the state benefits by VA rating hub and our guide to VA disability compensation for older veterans. If a condition has worsened since your last decision, asking VA for a higher rating is how you reach the next tier.

At 50% (or 40% From a Leg Amputation): Plates and the Super Combo

Disabled veteran license plates

Under Texas Transportation Code section 504.202, a veteran qualifies for Texas disabled veteran (DV) plates with a service-connected disability of at least 50%, or at least 40% because of the amputation of a lower extremity, and must be receiving compensation from the United States for that disability. Texas DV plates go on vehicles the veteran owns that weigh 18,000 pounds or less, or on a motor home. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) lists the same 50% and 40% thresholds.

The free Super Combo hunting and fishing package

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) gives a qualifying disabled veteran the Super Combo hunting and all-water fishing package for $0. TPWD describes a qualifying veteran as one with a disability rating of 50% or more, or the loss of use of a foot or leg, who is receiving compensation from the U.S. for the disability.

TPWD's free Super Combo package covers a hunting and fishing license plus 5 state endorsements. The Federal Duck Stamp is not included in the Texas Super Combo. Under the state rule, 31 Texas Administrative Code section 53.3, a nonresident disabled veteran is treated as a resident for this package, so a qualifying veteran who lives outside Texas can get it free too.

The Super Combo is not a one-time application. TPWD says you must show official VA proof of disability, or a Texas driver license with the "Disabled Veteran" designation, each year you apply, and the proof must state your rate of disability.

DV Plates: One Vehicle, No Parking Privileges, Limited Tolls

Texas DV plates carry three limits that change what they're worth to a family with more than one car or a veteran who needs close parking.

The fee-free registration covers one vehicle

Texas Transportation Code section 504.202 lets a veteran with DV plates register one vehicle for the veteran's own use without paying any registration-time fee except the plate fee. In Texas, the first set of DV plates costs $3, and an additional set costs nothing. TxDMV's application, Form VTR-615, says additional vehicles may also display DV plates, but registration and local fees apply to them.

A DV plate is not a disabled parking placard

TxDMV says disabled veteran plates without the International Symbol of Access (the wheelchair symbol) do not authorize parking in a disabled parking space. A veteran who wants to use those spaces can apply for a disabled parking placard or a DV plate that shows the symbol, but must meet the separate eligibility rules for a placard or a disabled person plate. TxDMV adds that not every disability that qualifies a veteran for DV plates qualifies for the plate with the symbol.

The toll waiver depends on who runs the road

Texas Transportation Code section 372.053 says that when a toll entity sets up a discount program for electronic toll customers, the program must include free or discounted use for vehicles with DV plates. TxDOT waives tolls for Texas-registered vehicles with DV plates on the TxDOT toll roads it lists, with no sign-up required.

Other Texas toll roads are run by other agencies, such as regional tollway and mobility authorities and counties, and TxDOT says those agencies may require enrollment. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, only TxDOT-managed TEXpress lanes offer the veteran toll discount. TxDOT says veteran discounts are not available on the LBJ TEXpress lanes, the North Tarrant Express (NTE) TEXpress lanes, or the NTE 35W TEXpress lanes.

At 60%: A Free Driver License and a State Park Pass

Free Texas driver license or ID card

Texas Transportation Code section 521.426 waives the fees for a Texas driver license or ID card for a veteran who was honorably discharged, has a service-related disability of at least 60%, and receives compensation from the United States because of it. The Texas disabled veteran license fee exemption does not apply to anyone required to register as a sex offender.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) says the disabled veteran license fee exemption does not cover a commercial driver license (CDL). You prove eligibility for the free Texas license with a signed disability letter from VA, or official documents confirming your honorable discharge, rating and compensation. Once DPS has verified your status, DPS says you can use its online services for fee-exempt license and ID transactions.

The State Parklands Passport, with a companion

TPWD issues a free State Parklands Passport for disabled veterans that waives the state park entrance fee for the veteran and for one person who comes along and provides assistance. TPWD describes the qualifying veteran as having a service-connected disability of 60% or more, or loss of use of a lower extremity; the state rule, 31 Texas Administrative Code section 59.3, words it as "a 60 percent disability rating," and both require that the veteran receive compensation from the United States for the disability.

You get the disabled veteran passport at any Texas state park by showing photo ID plus one of: a Disabled Veterans of Texas license plate receipt, a VA award letter, or a Texas veteran tax exemption letter. TPWD says a State Parklands Passport does not guarantee entry when a park has reached capacity. The companion waiver is specific to the disabled veteran passport; the passport for an honorably discharged veteran without a qualifying disability covers only the veteran.

At 70% or TDIU: Your Spouse's State Job Preference

Texas Government Code chapter 657 extends the Texas state-job preference to a veteran's spouse when two conditions are met: the spouse is the primary source of income for the household, and the veteran has a total disability rating based either on a service-connected rating of at least 70% or on individual unemployability. In chapter 657's order of priority, the primary-earner spouse ranks alongside the spouse of an active-duty service member, after veterans with and without disabilities.

Does TDIU Count as 100% for Texas Disabled Veteran Benefits?

Individual Unemployability (TDIU) lets VA pay a veteran whose rating is below 100% at the same level as a 100% rating. For a veteran granted TDIU, VA says the monthly payment changes but the disability rating stays the same. So whether TDIU "counts as 100%" in Texas depends on how each Texas rule is written.

Of the Texas rules in this guide, three name individual unemployability outright:

The Texas DV plate, Super Combo, driver license and Parklands Passport rules are written around a rating percentage and do not mention TDIU either way.,,,

For how TDIU works, who qualifies and how age and retirement affect it, see our TDIU guide. The state benefits by VA rating hub compares how other states treat TDIU.

Permanent and Total: Hazlewood Hours for a Spouse or Child

"Permanent and total" (P&T) is a VA finding about how long a total disability will last. Under 38 CFR 3.340, a total disability is permanent when the impairment is reasonably certain to continue throughout the person's life.

Hazlewood's 150 hours for dependents

Under the Hazlewood Act, the spouse and the children of a veteran rated 100% permanent and total, or rated for individual unemployability, can each receive their own Hazlewood tuition exemption. The Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) says Hazlewood applicants in this disability category are entitled to 150 credit hours, and that there is no age limit for a child, spouse or dependent who has their own Hazlewood hours.

The Hazlewood dependent rules carry Texas conditions. For a spouse or child to use Hazlewood hours, the veteran must have entered the service in Texas, declared Texas as home of record, or been a Texas resident at entry, and the spouse or child must be classified by the college as a Texas resident for the term. A Hazlewood spouse or child who is a continuing or transfer student must also meet the college's satisfactory academic progress requirement. TVC says Hazlewood does not cover living expenses, books or supply fees.

How Hazlewood works with federal education benefits

Texas Education Code section 54.341(e) sets how Hazlewood works alongside federal education benefits. If a student is entitled to federal education benefits that can be used only for tuition and fees, and those benefits for a term are worth at least as much as the Hazlewood exemption, Hazlewood does not apply that term. If the federal tuition-and-fees benefit is worth less, the student can use Hazlewood and the federal benefit in the same term, up to that term's tuition and fees. TVC gives Chapter 33 as an example of a tuition-and-fees-only federal benefit.

What to Bring to Each Texas Agency

VA's Benefit Summary Letter, which VA.gov says is sometimes called an award letter, is one of the letters VA offers for proving your status when a benefit requires one. You can download it from VA.gov's letters page after signing in with an identity-verified account. Each Texas agency's own proof rule is in the last column of the rating table above.

A Texas driver license marked "Disabled Veteran" works as yearly proof for TPWD's Super Combo. It does not work for property tax: the Texas Comptroller says a driver's license is not satisfactory proof of a disability rating for a property tax exemption, so bring VA's letter to the appraisal district.

For Spouses, Children and Surviving Spouses

The Hazlewood hours, the primary-earner spouse's job preference and the Parklands Passport companion waiver, each covered above, reach the family directly.,, Three rules reach survivors:

  • Surviving spouse: under Texas Government Code chapter 657, a veteran's surviving spouse who has not remarried qualifies for the Texas state-job preference.
  • Surviving spouse's plates: TxDMV says a surviving spouse can't keep the veteran's DV plate, but under Texas Transportation Code section 504.317 the spouse of a veteran who was entitled to DV plates can get a Surviving Spouse of Disabled Veteran plate, $3 for the first set, even if the veteran never had DV plates issued. The statute's fee-free registration covers one vehicle for the spouse's own use, and TxDMV says additional plate sets are free but annual registration fees still apply to them.
  • Spouse and children after a service-related death: Hazlewood hours also reach the spouse and children of a Texas-connected veteran who was killed in action, died in service, is missing in action, or whose death was directly caused by a service-related illness or injury.

If the veteran has died, ask TPWD about licenses and passes. Survivors' property tax rules are in our Texas property tax guide. For a veteran or spouse who needs care, see State Veterans Homes in Texas, VA Aid and Attendance (our Texas guide) and VA benefits for senior care in Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Texas disabled veteran benefits have a yearly or per-term step?

Several Texas disabled veteran benefits in this guide carry one. A Texas DV plate registration under section 504.202 is valid for one year, and TPWD asks for proof of your disability rate each year you apply for the free Super Combo package., Hazlewood for a spouse or child is checked term by term: the college must classify the student as a Texas resident for each term the exemption is claimed, and a continuing or transfer student must meet satisfactory academic progress. For any other benefit, ask the agency that runs it whether it needs renewing.

What does a 40% disabled veteran get in Texas?

A Texas veteran rated 40% qualifies for the state-job hiring preference, which has no minimum rating, and for the Texas property tax partial exemption of up to $7,500 of a property's value at a 30% to 49% rating., At 40%, Texas DV plates require that the rating come from the amputation of a lower extremity. TPWD's free Super Combo and Parklands Passport also accept the loss of use of a foot or leg (a lower extremity) in place of the 50% or 60% rating.,

What does a 70% disabled veteran get in Texas?

A 70% rating meets the rating threshold for Texas DV plates, the free Super Combo package, the free driver license and the Parklands Passport, as long as the veteran meets each benefit's other conditions, such as receiving VA compensation.,,, It also brings the veteran's own state-job preference, the top Texas property tax partial exemption of up to $12,000 of a property's value, and the state-job preference for a spouse who is the household's primary earner., Hazlewood hours for a spouse or child still need a permanent and total rating or TDIU.

What does a 100% disabled veteran get in Texas?

A 100% rating meets the rating threshold for DV plates, the Super Combo, the free driver license, the Parklands Passport and the state-job preference for the veteran and a primary-earner spouse, as long as the veteran meets each benefit's other conditions.,,,, The property tax exemptions at 100% are in our Texas property tax guide. Hazlewood hours for a spouse and children require the rating to be permanent and total (or TDIU), not only 100%.,

Does a surviving spouse keep the Texas 100% disabled veteran property tax exemption?

Under Texas Tax Code section 11.131(c), the surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified for the total homestead exemption keeps a total exemption on the same property if the spouse has not remarried, the property was the spouse's residence homestead when the veteran died, and it remains the spouse's residence homestead. A move to a new home can cap the exemption, which our Texas property tax guide explains.

Do Texas disabled veterans pay sales tax on a vehicle?

Not automatically. The Texas Comptroller says a disabled veteran qualifies for a Texas motor vehicle tax exemption only through the orthopedically handicapped exemption. That exemption requires a vehicle that is or will be modified for the disability and is driven, or used to transport the person, at least 80% of its operating time. Hearing and sight impairments don't count. The buyer gives the dealer or county tax assessor-collector the exemption certificate plus a restricted Texas driver license or a statement from a licensed practitioner that modifications are needed.

Where to Get Free Help in Texas

If your rating letter is wrong or out of date, or you're filing for TDIU or an increase, the Texas Veterans Commission's VA-accredited Benefits Advisors file disability claims and appeals at no charge. Many of Texas's 249 counties also have a Veteran County Service Office that works with TVC and serves veteran residents at no fee. TVC says the most important first step on a new claim is an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966), which sets your date of claim with VA. Texas law has TVC set procedures for prioritizing claims or pointing a veteran to another source of claims help, so TVC may not take every case. You can reach TVC's call center at 1-800-252-8387.

Learn More

VA BenefitsState Benefits for Disabled Veterans by VA RatingState benefits for disabled veterans by VA rating turn on wording. See what each tier unlocks, whether TDIU counts, when P&T is required and what to bring. VA BenefitsYour Guide to the Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption in TexasThe Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption can erase all property tax on your home at a 100% VA rating. Here's who qualifies and how to file in 2026. VA BenefitsVA Individual Unemployability (TDIU)TDIU over 65: VA can't rate you on age, but retiring because of age rather than service-connected conditions won't qualify. How to apply, work and keep it. VA BenefitsState Veterans Homes in TexasTexas runs ten State Veterans Homes: who can apply (spouses and Gold Star parents too), when a 70% rated veteran's nursing home care is free, and how to apply. VA BenefitsVA Benefits You Can Use for Senior Care in TexasVA senior care benefits in Texas cover home care, nursing homes, and Aid and Attendance up to $34,488 a year for a veteran with a spouse. How to apply in 2026. FinancialTexas Retirement Income TaxTexas retirement income tax is zero. No state income tax, so Social Security, pensions, IRA, and 401(k) withdrawals are untaxed. Property tax still applies.

Find personalized help sorting out which Texas benefits your VA rating letter unlocks at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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