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Rhode Island benefits for Veterans and families, each checked against an official Rhode Island source and linked to it. Federal VA benefits work the same everywhere, and the Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services (Department of Human Services) can help you apply for them at no cost.
18 benefits from official sourcesLast verified
Rhode Island Office of Veterans Services (Department of Human Services)
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
RI Office of Veterans Services (Dept. of Human Services); RIVets intake
In effect
State veterans agency in Warwick. Use the RIVets intake form for help with benefits eligibility, claims, discharge papers and case management.
Who qualifies
RI veterans and families.
Amount or details
560 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick RI 02886; (401) 921-2119.
Veterans' property tax exemption (RIGL 44-3-4), set town by town
In effect
The base statutory veterans' exemption is $1,000 of assessed value. Many towns have their own amounts, and totally disabled veterans get separate, larger amounts. The state publishes a list of exemptions by city and town.
Who qualifies
Wartime or qualifying-conflict service (including the Cold War, 1947-1991, per the statute) with a discharge other than dishonorable, or the unmarried widow(er). Separate provisions for veterans totally disabled through service-connected disability.
Amount or details
Base $1,000; town amounts vary (for example, Burrillville $4,000 and Newport $4,000 under the statute).
Military service pensions fully exempt from RI income tax
In effect
Starting with tax year 2023, military service pensions are fully exempt from RI personal income tax under RIGL 44-30-12(c)(11). The same income can't also be claimed under the pension and annuity modification.
Who qualifies
Taxpayers receiving military service pension benefits that are included in federal AGI.
Amount or details
100% of the military pension included in federal AGI.
How to apply
Claim the modification on RI Schedule M with the RI-1040.
Disabled Veteran plates: no registration or license fee (RIGL 31-6-8)
In effect
Eligible disabled veterans pay no fee for annual registration or for a license to operate the vehicle. They get 'Disabled Veteran' plates for one vehicle of 12,000 lbs GVWR or less.
Who qualifies
100% combined service-connected rating, individual unemployability, specified wartime limb loss or loss of use, or a federal VA-granted vehicle. Also age 75+ with a 70% combined rating (added by P.L. 2026 ch. 248).
Amount or details
No charge for the plates or registration; one set per veteran.
How to apply
Submit the TR-1 Application for Registration, a DD-214, and the VA Regional Office certification of 100% disability to the DMV.
“shall be exempt from the payment of any fee for the annual registration”
Veteran, POW, Purple Heart, National Guard and Gold Star plates
In effect
Plates are available with Veteran, POW, Purple Heart, National Guard and Gold Star Parent designations. A Veteran plate carries a sticker naming the branch of service.
Who qualifies
Honorable discharge (DD-214); other plates have their own proof requirements.
In-state tuition at URI, RIC and CCRI for military and GI Bill users
In effect
Active-duty members and their dependents, and RI residents using transferred GI Bill benefits or the Fry Scholarship, pay in-state tuition at the three public institutions.
Who qualifies
Active duty for more than 30 days (with spouse and dependents), or GI Bill/Fry eligible and living in RI.
Amount or details
In-state tuition rate.
How to apply
Provide a GI Bill certificate of eligibility and an RI mailing address. Contact: 401-736-1164.
State civil service hiring preference (RIGL 36-4-19)
In effect
Veterans get 5 points on competitive civil service entrance exams and disabled veterans get 10. The points apply only after a passing score.
Who qualifies
Discharge other than dishonorable with 30+ days of active duty (or a service-connected discharge), or a Guard/Reserve retiree with 20+ years. Disabled veterans need wartime service and a VA rating.
Amount or details
+5 / +10 points.
How to apply
Claim the preference when applying for state jobs.
RI Military Family Relief Fund, one-time grant up to $5,000
In effect
One-time financial or casualty grant for RI Guard, Reserve, or active-duty members with RI as home of record, and their families. Grants require board approval.
Who qualifies
Member in good standing with an RI unit, or active duty with RI home of record (or immediate family), with a casualty or an emergency financial need. At least one year of satisfactory service.
Amount or details
Up to $5,000 per military or immediate family member.
How to apply
Contact the Family Assistance Center Specialist at 401-275-1241.
Free permanent fishing or hunting/fishing license for 100% disabled veterans
In effect
Veterans with a current 100% disability get a permanent fishing or combination hunting/fishing license at no cost. (Standard resident fees: $24 fishing, $43 combination.) Residents 65 and older also get a free permanent license.
Who qualifies
Veterans with a current 100% disability rating.
Amount or details
No cost; permanent.
How to apply
Apply in person or by mail at DEM Boating Registration and Licensing, 235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908.
Rebuilt in 2017. Offers skilled nursing, memory care (32 rooms), and on-site medical and therapy services. Residents contribute based on their means, typically 80% of adjusted net income.
Who qualifies
Honorable discharge, 90 days of active wartime service, and RI residency for 2 consecutive years or enlistment from RI.
State veterans cemetery on 280 acres. Veteran burial is free; spouses and dependents may pay fees. Offers in-ground casket, in-ground cremation and columbarium sites.
Who qualifies
Honorable service with a campaign medal, or 2+ years of peacetime active duty, or 20+ years Guard/Reserve, or 6+ years in the RI Guard/Reserve (deaths after 3/15/2022), with conditions.
Amount or details
Free for veterans. 301 South County Trail, Exeter RI 02822; 401-268-3088.
2026: Rhode Island Orange Heart Medal for toxic exposure (H7094, P.L. 2026 ch. 212)
In effect
Creates a state medal for current or former RI residents with documented exposure to herbicides, burn pits or other hazards and a service-connected illness linked to that exposure.
Who qualifies
Current or former RI resident; active service on or after 12/6/1941; honorable or general discharge.
Amount or details
Medal, with oak leaf clusters for additional conditions.
Middletown may now offer a veterans' tax credit or exemption regardless of service dates (effective on passage, 5/6/2026). Exeter: disabled veterans' exemption (enacted 6/10/2026). Tiverton: veterans' tax credit extended to unmarried widow(er)s (enacted 6/23/2026).
Who qualifies
Residents of those towns.
Amount or details
Exeter: $5,000 exemption starting with the December 31, 2026 assessment (ch. 052). Middletown: set by ordinance. Tiverton: credit of $200 or more under the statute.
No state VSO directory found on vets.ri.gov; vsoFinderUrl points to the RIVets intake form (state case management). Accredited VSOs can be found via the VA OGC accreditation search (not reviewed).
DMV Plate Fee Table amounts for non-DV veteran plates not reviewed.
No state veterans bonus program and no general state financial assistance program found on vets.ri.gov (lists mostly federal/nonprofit resources). Not marked none_offered because absence isn't confirmed by an official statement.
The Military Family Relief Fund page says the fund 'is not a State Agency or Federal entity'; it is listed on the official OVS site.
Many vets.ri.gov benefit pages were last updated 2021-2023; statute or agency pages were used where possible.
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.