Indiana Benefits Guide for Disabled Veterans

No, Indiana does not offer free vehicle registration for veterans. Standard registration fees still apply even for veterans with disability plates. However, the Disabled Hoosier Veteran plate waives the additional group and administrative plate fees, so veterans only pay the base registration cost.

Veterans who qualify for property tax deductions but do not own property can apply their unused deduction toward a Vehicle Excise Tax credit of up to $70 per vehicle on up to two vehicles.

Disabled Veteran License Plates in Indiana

Indiana offers several military and veteran license plates. The most relevant for disabled veterans is the Disabled Hoosier Veteran plate, which is issued free of additional plate fees. To qualify, a veteran must meet one of these criteria:

• 50% or higher service-connected disability with at least 60% of that disability attributable to a mobility impairment
• A physical condition that precludes walking without pain or difficulty
• Loss of sight in both eyes or permanent visual impairment qualifying for service-connected compensation
• Permanent loss or loss of use of one or both feet or hands

Other available plates include the Hoosier Veteran plate ($15), the Purple Heart plate (free), the Ex-POW plate (free, surviving spouse eligible), and the Gold Star Family plate (no additional fee). Find out more.

Do Disabled Veterans Get Tuition Assistance in Indiana?

Yes, but the benefit goes to their children, not the veteran directly. Indiana’s Tuition and Fee Exemption program covers tuition and regularly assessed fees at Indiana public colleges and universities for the biological or legally adopted children of disabled veterans. This benefit can be combined with federal GI Bill education benefits and VA disability compensation.

To qualify, the veteran must have a service-connected disability rating from the VA (any percentage), must have served during a war or received a campaign/service medal, and must have either entered the Armed Forces from an Indiana address or lived in Indiana for at least five years.

The amount of coverage depends on when the veteran enlisted:

• Veterans who enlisted before July 1, 2011: up to 100% of tuition and fees
• Veterans who enlisted on or after July 1, 2011: coverage equals 20% plus the veteran’s disability rating (for example, an 80% rating provides 100% tuition coverage)

The exemption covers up to 124 semester credit hours and students have eight academic years to use the benefit. Eligible schools include all campuses of Indiana University, Purdue University, Indiana State University, Ball State University, Ivy Tech Community College, University of Southern Indiana, Vincennes University, and Western Governors University.

Do Disabled Veterans Children Get Free College in Indiana?

Yes, depending on the veteran’s enlistment date and disability rating. Children of veterans who enlisted before July 1, 2011, can receive full tuition coverage at any Indiana state-supported institution regardless of the disability percentage. For veterans who enlisted after that date, the coverage is partial unless the disability rating is 80% or higher (which would provide 100% coverage or more).

Children must be biological or adopted before age 18 (stepchildren are not eligible), must apply before turning 33, and must complete the FAFSA each academic year. Applications are submitted through ScholarTrack.

Purple Heart recipients also receive a separate benefit: 100% of tuition and fees for the veteran themselves, covering up to 124 credit hours for any certificate, undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree at an Indiana public institution.

Indiana State Veterans Hiring Preference

Indiana gives veterans a boost when applying for state government positions. Under IC 5-9-3-2, eligible veterans receive preference points equal to 10% of the total possible examination score added to their passing grade. To qualify, veterans must have an honorable discharge and at least 181 days of active duty service.

WorkOne Veterans Employment Services

Veterans are prioritized at all WorkOne Centers statewide, moving to the front of the line for employment services. Each office has a dedicated veteran’s representative. Two federally funded specialist roles serve veterans at these centers:

• DVOP Specialists (Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program) provide individualized case management and job placement for veterans with significant barriers to employment, including service-connected disabilities
• LVER Staff (Local Veterans’ Employment Representative) advocate with employers, facilitate job referrals, and coordinate counseling and training services

Veteran-Owned Business Support

The Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business (IVOSB) program certifies businesses that are at least 51% veteran-owned and controlled. The state’s goal is to award 3% of state contracts to IVOSBs. On solicitations under $75,000, certified veteran-owned businesses qualify for a 15% price preference. Certification is free.

Indiana also offers a free vendor/peddler license to honorably discharged veterans for any county in the state, and veterans with military truck-driving experience may waive the CDL skills test if they apply within one year of discharge. Find out more.

Next Level Veterans Program

Veterans hired through the state’s Next Level Veterans program by a partner corporation receive $5,000 in relocation assistance to move to Indiana. This program helps veterans transition into civilian careers with established Indiana employers.

Spending time outdoors can be an important part of recovery and well-being for veterans dealing with physical or mental health challenges. Indiana offers several ways for disabled veterans to enjoy the state’s natural resources at a reduced cost.

Do Disabled Veterans Get into Indiana State Parks for Free?

No, but disabled veterans who qualify for the Disabled Hoosier Veteran license plate can purchase the Golden Hoosier Passport at a 50% discount. The standard annual entrance pass costs $50, so eligible veterans pay only $25 for unlimited admission to all Indiana state-owned parks, recreation areas, reservoirs, and forests. The passport is not valid at historic sites, museums, or memorials.

To qualify for the discounted passport, veterans must meet the same disability criteria as the Disabled Hoosier Veteran plate: 50% or higher service-connected disability with at least 60% attributable to a mobility impairment, loss of sight in both eyes, permanent loss of a hand or foot, or a condition that precludes walking without pain or difficulty. The discounted passport can be purchased at any DNR facility.

Do Disabled Veterans Get a Free Fishing and Hunting License in Indiana?

Not entirely free, but Indiana offers a deeply discounted DAV hunting and fishing license to any resident veteran with a service-connected disability at any rating. There is no minimum disability percentage required.

• Annual DAV license: $2.75, covers small game hunting and fishing
• 10-year DAV license: $27.50, same coverage for 10 seasons

The first purchase can be made in person at a DNR property or by mail through the Indiana DNR Customer Service Center. Renewals can be done online. The DAV license does not include deer hunting, wild turkey hunting, Game Bird Stamp, Waterfowl Stamp, or Trout and Salmon Stamp, which must be purchased separately at regular prices.

Catastrophically Disabled Veteran Free Hunting Days

Indiana resident veterans classified as catastrophically disabled may hunt without any license or state stamp on four designated free hunting days per year. Find out more.

For medical care, prescriptions, mental health services, and outpatient treatment, veterans in Indiana can access the VA Indiana Health Care System, which operates medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics throughout the state.

The Indiana Veterans’ Home

The Indiana Veterans’ Home (IVH) in West Lafayette provides long-term skilled nursing care for veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents. The facility has 212 certified beds and offers 24/7 nursing care, memory care for veterans with Alzheimer’s or dementia, short-term rehabilitation (physical, occupational, and speech therapy), and on-site pharmacy, podiatry, optometry, and dentistry services.

Eligibility requires an honorable discharge and at least 12 months of Indiana residency prior to application. Spouses must have been married to an eligible veteran for at least five years. The home accepts Medicare, Medicaid, private pay, and private insurance.

Veterans with a 70% to 100% service-connected disability rating may receive free nursing care through the VA Higher Per Diem Program. Find out more about the Indiana Veterans’ Home.

Indiana operates one state veterans cemetery and is served by several national cemeteries. These facilities provide burial options for eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children at no cost for the gravesite, headstone, and opening/closing services.

Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery

The Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Madison offers in-ground casket burial, in-ground cremated remains, and columbarium niches for cremated remains. Any Indiana veteran eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery qualifies, along with eligible spouses and dependent children. Find out more.

• Indiana Veterans Memorial Cemetery – 1415 North Gate Road, Madison, IN 47250 | Phone: (812) 273-9220
• Marion National Cemetery – 1700 East 38th Street, Marion, IN 46953 | Phone: (765) 674-0284
• Crown Hill National Cemetery Annex – 725 West 42nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208 | Phone: (317) 916-5460 (cremated remains only)
• New Albany National Cemetery – 1943 Ekin Avenue, New Albany, IN 47150 | Phone: (502) 893-3852 (cremated remains only)

Surviving spouses and dependents of Indiana veterans are eligible for death and burial benefits, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and accrued benefits.

If a veteran was 100% service-connected disabled at the time of death, the surviving spouse may retain the property tax deductions as long as they were married to the veteran at the time of death. Learn more about getting survivor benefits.

In addition to Indiana’s specific benefits, disabled veterans also get a wide range of federal VA disability benefits, including:

• Monthly tax-free compensation payments based on disability rating (calculate it here)
• Medical care, including mental health services and counseling
• Special compensation, Aid & Attendance and other financial benefits
• Home loans and housing benefits
• Vocational rehabilitation and employment services
• Survivor benefits
• Federal hiring preference

Eligibility for some of these benefits depends on the disability rating percentage. Use the links below to see what federal benefits disabled veterans can get with a rating of 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, etc.

• 50% VA disability benefits
• 60% VA disability benefits
• 70% VA disability benefits
• 80% VA disability benefits
• 90% VA disability benefits

100% Disabled Veteran Benefits

Indiana veterans with a 100% disability rating receive the highest level of federal VA benefits, including:

• Full monthly VA compensation
• Full VA healthcare coverage
• Dental care
• Adaptive equipment grants

See all federal benefits for a 100% disabled Indiana veteran →

100% Disabled Veteran Benefits for Spouse and Dependents

Spouses and family members of 100% disabled veterans may also be able to get several benefits:

• CHAMPVA healthcare  
• DIC eligibility  
• Education benefits  
• Continued property tax deductions  
• Access to Indiana state resources

Veterans who served at military bases in Indiana and developed disabilities may be eligible for compensation and VA benefits. Several Indiana bases have documented histories of toxic exposure, including contamination from Agent Orange, PFAS chemicals, burn pits, solvents, and other environmental hazards.

Indiana Military Bases with Known Toxins

• Grissom Air Reserve Base (Peru, IN)
• Camp Atterbury (Edinburgh, IN)
• Shelbyville Army Aviation Support Facility
• Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane (Crane, IN) 
• Fort Benjamin Harrison (Indianapolis, IN) 
• Jefferson Proving Ground (Madison, IN) 
• Newport Chemical Depot (Newport, IN) 

If you served at a base in a different state, you can find yours using the Military Base Toxic Exposure Map.

Getting through the VA disability claims process can be challenging, but several local and national resources are available to help guide you. These resources include local veteran organizations, state-sponsored VA services, and experienced disability attorneys.

Free Guide for Getting VA Disability Benefits

Attorney Matthew Hill has written THE book on how to get VA disability compensation and benefits. And it’s yours free of charge. We also offer a free ebook for easy, immediate access.

Legal Resources for Disabled Veterans

• Indiana Department of Veterans’ Affairs Benefits 
• Find Your County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO)  

Attorneys Specialized in VA Disability Law

Our VA-accredited lawyers proudly represent Indiana veterans who were denied or underrated by the VA, with no upfront costs. Contact us for a free evaluation – even if we don’t take your case, we’ll point you in the right direction!