If you're a Texas veteran with a service-connected disability, the disabled veteran property tax exemption can erase part or all of the property tax on your home. At a 100% VA disability rating, it removes the entire appraised value of your homestead from taxation.

That's a Texas benefit, run under Texas law and claimed at your county appraisal district, not something you apply for through the VA. This guide walks through exactly who qualifies, how much you save at each disability rating, what happens for a surviving spouse, and how to file.

In This Guide

Do You Qualify for the Texas Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption?

The Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption is built on your service-connected VA disability rating, so eligibility starts with two things: you're a veteran with a disability the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rates as service-connected, and the home you're claiming is your residence homestead, the place you actually live.

From there, the benefit splits into two tracks depending on how the VA rates you.

The first track is the full exemption. Under Texas Tax Code Section 11.131, a veteran who has been awarded 100% disability compensation from the VA because of a 100% service-connected disability rating, or a determination of individual unemployability, is entitled to an exemption from taxation of the total appraised value of their residence homestead. In plain terms, if you're rated 100% and receiving 100% compensation, your home is fully exempt from property tax.

The second track is the partial exemption, under Tax Code Section 11.22, for veterans with a service-connected disability at a lower rating. It works differently: instead of wiping out the whole value, it subtracts a fixed dollar amount from the taxable value of your property, scaled to your rating. The next section lays out those amounts.

One point worth keeping straight from the start. This is the exemption for veterans with a service-connected disability. It's a separate benefit from the age-and-income property tax relief many Texas seniors qualify for, which is based on being 65 or older rather than on a VA rating. If you're not a disabled veteran but you're a senior looking to lower your tax bill, our guide to senior property tax relief in Texas covers that track instead.

How Much Is the Texas Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption Worth?

How much you save depends on which track you're on. A full exemption removes the entire appraised value of your homestead from taxation, so your property tax on that home drops to zero. A partial exemption subtracts a set dollar amount from your property's value before the tax is calculated, and that amount rises with your disability rating.

Here's how the partial exemption scales.

VA disability rating Amount removed from property value
10% to 29% $5,000
30% to 49% $7,500
50% to 69% $10,000
70% to 100% $12,000

Those amounts come from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the Texas Tax Code. Because the partial exemption lowers the value your local taxing units tax rather than the tax itself, the actual dollars you keep depend on your combined local tax rate. The full exemption under Section 11.131 is the larger benefit by far, since it removes the total appraised value rather than a capped slice.

What About a Surviving Spouse?

The exemption doesn't necessarily end when the veteran dies. Under Section 11.131, the unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who qualified, or who would have qualified, is entitled to an exemption of the total appraised value of the same homestead the veteran's exemption applied to. That means a surviving spouse can keep the full property tax exemption on the family home.

There's one firm condition. A surviving spouse does not qualify if he or she has remarried since the veteran's death. If you're a surviving spouse and you haven't remarried, this benefit is likely still yours to claim, and it's worth confirming with your appraisal district so the exemption stays on the property.

How to Apply

You claim the exemption yourself; it isn't applied automatically. The process runs through your county, not the VA.

1
Step 1

Gather your VA rating documentation

You'll want your VA disability rating decision showing your service-connected rating (and, for the full exemption, that you're awarded 100% compensation or individual unemployability).

2
Step 2

Get the right application form

The Texas Comptroller's property tax exemptions page publishes the disabled veteran exemption forms and instructions for both the full and partial exemptions.

3
Step 3

File with your county appraisal district

Submit the completed application to the appraisal district in which the property is located, since that's the office that administers the exemption on your home.

4
Step 4

Watch the deadline

The deadline to apply for an exemption is April 30. If you've recently had a rating change or just moved into a home, file as soon as you can rather than waiting.

If you're not sure which form fits your rating or how to document individual unemployability, the Texas Veterans Commission and your county Veterans Service Officer help Texas veterans with benefits questions at no charge, and you can reach the commission at 1-800-252-8387.

How It Works With Your VA Benefits

A question that comes up often: does claiming this exemption affect your VA pension or your monthly compensation? It helps to see where this benefit sits. Texas describes the exemption as a benefit created and administered under Texas law, separate from the federal VA's disability-compensation and pension programs. It reduces the property tax you owe your local taxing units; it is not a payment or benefit that comes from the VA.

That distinction matters most if you also receive, or are applying for, VA Aid and Attendance, the monthly pension add-on for veterans who need help with daily activities. The VA sets the 2026 Aid and Attendance rates as annual ceilings, and it pays the difference between your income for VA purposes and that ceiling rather than the full amount: up to $29,093 a year for a qualifying veteran, about $2,424 a month, and up to $34,488 a year for a veteran with a spouse, about $2,874 a month. VA publishes these rates as annual maximums, so a monthly amount is the yearly award divided by 12. Aid and Attendance is a needs-based pension with its own rules, including a 2026 net worth limit of $163,699 and a requirement that you need help with activities of daily living. The property tax exemption, by contrast, is a separate state program that turns entirely on your service-connected disability rating and your homestead, so a veteran can pursue both on their own tracks.

If you want the full picture of the federal side, our Texas Aid and Attendance guide covers eligibility, the rates, and how to file, and our overview of VA benefits for senior care in Texas shows how these pieces fit together with VA health care and Texas State Veterans Homes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be 100% disabled to get any property tax break?

No. The full exemption is reserved for a 100% service-connected rating (or individual unemployability paid at 100% compensation), but a lower rating, anywhere from 10% up, still earns a partial exemption that removes a fixed amount of value, scaled by rating band as shown in the table above. Even a modest rating is worth filing for.

Is this the same as the senior property tax exemption?

No. This one is driven by your service-connected VA disability rating, while the age-based homestead relief for homeowners 65 and older is a separate program with its own rules. If both your age and a VA rating could apply to you, ask your county appraisal district which exemption leaves you with the smaller tax bill before you file. Our Texas senior property tax relief guide covers the age-based track.

Can my spouse keep the exemption if I pass away?

Often, yes. An unremarried surviving spouse can carry the full exemption on the same homestead, and under Section 11.131 this can hold even for a veteran who would have qualified, not only one who had already claimed it. Remarriage after the veteran's death ends eligibility. Confirm the transfer with your appraisal district so the exemption stays on the property.

Will this reduce my VA compensation or pension?

The Texas exemption is a separate benefit created and administered under state law, distinct from the VA's disability-compensation and pension programs. It reduces the property tax you owe locally rather than any payment from the VA, which is why veterans commonly hold both. If your VA pension is needs-based and you want certainty about your own case, confirm with a Texas Veterans Commission benefits advisor or your VA representative.

What's the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is April 30, and you file with the county appraisal district where your home is located. If a new rating decision or a move lands after that date, don't assume you've lost the benefit for the year; ask your appraisal district about your filing options as soon as the change happens.

Learn More

VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance in TexasLearn about VA Aid and Attendance benefits in Texas for 2026. Covers eligibility, monthly rates up to $2,874, how to apply, and free help from Texas VSOs. 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 of up to $34,488 a year, or $2,874 a month. How to access each in 2026. FinancialTexas Senior Property Tax ReliefTexas senior property tax relief: the $60,000 school exemption and deferral for homeowners 65 or older or disabled, the over-65 tax freeze, and how to apply. VA BenefitsAid and Attendance for Assisted Living in TexasHow VA Aid and Attendance helps pay for assisted living in Texas: 2026 monthly rates, who qualifies, the medical-expense rule, and how to apply with free help. VA BenefitsAid and Attendance for Nursing Home Care in TexasHow VA Aid and Attendance helps pay for a Texas nursing home in 2026: current rates, the medical-expense deduction, the $90 Medicaid cap, and Texas Medicaid.

Find personalized help claiming the Texas disabled veteran property tax exemption 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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Brevy Care Team

Expert eldercare guidance from Brevy's team of healthcare professionals and researchers.