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Missouri benefits for Veterans and families, each checked against an official Missouri source and linked to it. Federal VA benefits work the same everywhere, and the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) can help you apply for them at no cost.
13 benefits from official sources1 not yet finalizedLast verified
How to read the labels:In effect confirmed on an official page. Not yet finalized announced or passed but not in force yet. Unverified — confirm with the agency we couldn't confirm it on an official page, so ask the agency.
Help from your state veterans office
Missouri Veterans Commission and Veterans Service Officer Locator
In effect
MVC is the state agency, created under 42.007 RSMo, that helps veterans and dependents get state and federal benefits. Its Veterans Service Officer Locator is a map tool for finding free claims help.
Who qualifies
Missouri veterans, dependents and legal representatives.
Amount or details
573-751-3779; movets@mvc.dps.mo.gov; 205 Jefferson St, 12th Floor, Jefferson City.
“Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) is a state agency established by Missouri Statute (42.007 RSMo.) to aid all Veterans, their dependents, and legal representatives”
Property tax exemption for former POWs with total service-connected disability
In effect
The Missouri Constitution exempts the homestead of any Missouri citizen who is a former POW with a total service-connected disability from property tax. County assessors handle it, not DOR.
Who qualifies
Missouri citizen who is a former prisoner of war with a total service-connected disability.
Amount or details
Full exemption on the homestead.
How to apply
Contact your county assessor.
Note
Missouri has no general property tax exemption for disabled veterans. A 2026 proposed constitutional amendment is not on the November 3, 2026 ballot (see gaps).
“The Missouri Constitution exempts from property taxes all real property used as a homestead by any Missouri citizen who is a former prisoner of war with a total service-connected disability.”
Property Tax Credit (circuit breaker) for 100% service-connected disabled veterans
In effect
Veterans who are 100% disabled from military service can claim the Property Tax Credit. It is worth up to $750 for renters and $1,100 for owners, and VA payments aren't counted as household income.
Who qualifies
100% disabled veterans (service-connected), subject to household income limits.
Amount or details
Up to $750 for renters and $1,100 for owners. The amount depends on taxes or rent paid and income.
How to apply
File Form MO-PTC with a VA letter stating the disability is 100% from military service.
“If a Veteran is 100% disabled as a result of military service, they are not required to include their veteran payments and benefits on the Property Tax Credit form.”
“Your total military retirement benefits reported on federal Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, Line 5b may be subtracted from your federal adjusted gross income.”
Free Disabled Veteran license plates; 40+ military plates; Military Award Placard
In effect
Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating can get one free set of Disabled Veteran plates. More than 40 military specialty plates are available, and a free Military Award Placard lets certain medal recipients park free at meters and on public college lots.
Who qualifies
Disabled Veteran plates: VA service-connected disability rating. Placard: recipients of listed medals such as the Purple Heart, Silver Star or Bronze Star, or former POWs.
Amount or details
First set of DV plates free; more sets at registration cost. Placard is free.
How to apply
Apply at a license office or through DOR. Use Form 4601 for the placard.
“You may obtain one free set of Disabled Veteran license plates but may also obtain additional Disabled Veteran license plates at a registration cost.”
Missouri Returning Heroes Act: $50 per credit hour for combat veterans
In effect
Public colleges can charge honorably discharged combat veterans no more than $50 per undergraduate credit hour, within 10 years of discharge. Graduate tuition is capped at 30% of cost, within 20 years.
Who qualifies
Honorably discharged combat veterans, including Guard and Reserve members with more than 30 days of combat service, at Missouri public institutions.
Amount or details
$50 per credit hour for undergraduates. Graduate tuition is capped at 30% of tuition and fees.
How to apply
Apply through the school's veterans or financial aid office with proof of combat service.
In state merit-system exams, veterans, disabled veterans, surviving spouses and spouses of disabled veterans get preference. They are appointed over other candidates when all other job-related factors are equal.
Who qualifies
Veterans, disabled veterans, surviving spouses, and spouses of disabled veterans.
Amount or details
Preference in exams and appointment (tie-breaker).
How to apply
Claim veteran status when you apply for a state merit position.
HB 2593 (2026): 3-point bid preference for veteran-owned businesses and Guard protections
In effect
Signed by Governor Kehoe, effective August 28, 2026. State and local agencies must give honorably discharged veteran-owned Missouri businesses a three-point bonus on contract bids. The law also widens Military Family Relief Fund grants and extends SCRA protections to Guard members on state duty.
Who qualifies
Honorably discharged veteran-owned enterprises doing business in Missouri. Missouri National Guard members.
Amount or details
3-point bid preference; 3% state contracting goal.
How to apply
Certify as a veteran-owned business with the Office of Administration when bidding.
Effective
Note
Signed in 2026 and effective August 28, 2026 per the Senate bill page.
MDC: permit-free small-game hunting for 60%+ disabled veterans; Hero Hunts
In effect
Honorably discharged veterans rated 60% or higher, and former POWs, can hunt without a permit, except for bear, deer, elk and turkey. They can also buy permits at resident prices. State Parks hosts free Hero Hunt deer hunts in November and December 2026.
Who qualifies
Honorably discharged veterans (resident or nonresident) rated 60% or higher, or former POWs. Hero Hunts are open to Missouri-resident veterans and service members, chosen by drawing.
Amount or details
Permit-free hunting (no trapping) except bear, deer, elk and turkey. Hero Hunts include lodging, meals, a guide and deer tags.
How to apply
Carry a VA certified statement of eligibility. Apply for Hero Hunts through Missouri State Parks.
“Any honorably discharged resident or nonresident veteran having a service-related disability of 60% or greater or who was a prisoner of war during military service may hunt (but not trap) wildlife”
Seven Missouri Veterans Homes (1,238 beds); 2026 rate $2,773/month
In effect
MVC runs skilled nursing homes in Cameron, Mount Vernon, St. James, St. Louis, Warrensburg, Cape Girardeau and Mexico. The 2026 monthly rate is $2,773.
Who qualifies
Meets VA criteria for veteran status, lived in Missouri for 180 consecutive days, needs 24-hour skilled nursing care, and has no sex-offender registration or Class A/B felony.
Amount or details
$2,773 per month (2026); 1,238 beds.
How to apply
Apply through MVC's Veterans Homes page or call 573-522-4227.
MVC runs veterans cemeteries in Springfield, Higginsville, Bloomfield, Ft. Leonard Wood and Jacksonville. Eligibility matches national cemeteries, and burial services are free for veterans, spouses and eligible children.
Who qualifies
Same as national cemetery eligibility. Divorced former spouses aren't eligible.
Amount or details
No charge for opening and closing, liner, headstone or niche cover, honors, or perpetual care.
How to apply
Contact the nearest cemetery director. Pre-registration is available.
SB 974 (2026), limits on paid VA-claim help, did not pass
Not yet finalized
Not final yet: The Senate page lists its status as 'Hearing Conducted H Veterans and Armed Forces'. It isn't on the 2026 truly-agreed list, so it effectively died when the session ended. Similar language may come back in 2027.
SB 974 would have banned referral fees and up-front fees for help with VA claims and capped contingency fees at five times the monthly increase. It passed the Senate but stopped after a House committee hearing.
“Such compensation shall be purely contingent upon an increase in benefits and shall not exceed five times the amount of the monthly increase in benefits.”
We only publish what we could confirm on an official Missouri source. These are the open questions from our latest review. Ask the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) about anything here.
MO DOR Military Reference Guide is revised January 2025; later DOR changes not checked page-by-page.
MVC State Veterans Benefits Guide PDF has duplicated/overlaid text layer and was not quoted; HTML portal and DOR/MDC pages used instead.
VSO Locator is an ArcGIS app (redirect from mvc.dps.mo.gov/service/serviceofficer/) and not text-verifiable.
2026 proposals for a disabled veteran property tax exemption amendment and HB 2672 (DV personal property tax credit) were not found on the 2026 truly-agreed list; Ballotpedia (lookup only) says the amendment is not on the 11/3/2026 ballot. Not independently confirmed on an official page.
Missouri State Parks: only a 2025 Veterans Day free-camping promo found; no standing veteran park discount verified.
Individual veterans home phone numbers not captured (MVC homes line 573-522-4227 from portal not quoted).
This state page was last reviewed against official sources on November 1, 2026. Our watcher re-checks those pages automatically and flags any item whose quoted wording disappears.