Montana Benefits Guide for Disabled Veterans

Montana veterans experiencing homelessness or housing instability can access several programs through the VA Montana Health Care System. Services are available at six regional offices across the state in Fort Harrison, Billings, Butte/Bozeman, Great Falls, Kalispell, and Missoula.

Programs available through the VA Montana system include food and shelter assistance, transitional and permanent housing support, job training, case management, and community referrals. Veterans experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness can contact any of the regional offices to connect with available services. Find out more.

No. Under MCA 61-3-460, qualifying disabled veterans in Montana are exempt from all motor vehicle registration fees and the veterans’ cemetery fee on up to two non-commercial vehicles. Montana does not have a state sales tax, so there is no vehicle sales tax for anyone.

To qualify for the registration fee waiver, a veteran must be rated 100% service-connected disabled by the VA (or paid at the 100% rate), OR be a Purple Heart recipient rated 50% or higher.

Unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who died from a service-connected disability also qualify for the registration fee waiver. Apply at your local county treasurer’s motor vehicle office with your VA disability letter and DD-214.

Disabled Veteran License Plates in Montana

Montana offers several military license plate options for veterans. The most relevant for disabled veterans is the DV (Disabled Veteran) plate, available to veterans who are 100% service-connected disabled or Purple Heart recipients rated 50% or higher.

DV plates also provide disabled/handicap parking privileges. Veterans who qualify under MCA 61-3-460 receive up to two sets of plates with all fees waived.

Other plate types include the Purple Heart Disabled Veteran plate (DV plate with a Purple Heart combat wounded decal) and Purple Heart Veteran plates for Purple Heart recipients who do not meet the disability threshold. General veteran plates are available to any honorably discharged veteran. Find out more.

Do Veterans Get Tuition Assistance in Montana?

Montana offers an Honorably Discharged Veteran Tuition Waiver through the Montana University System (MUS) that covers in-state tuition at all MUS campuses. This waiver is not disability-based. It is available to any honorably discharged veteran who is a Montana resident and has exhausted or had their federal VA education benefits expire (Title 38 or Title 10).

The waiver covers tuition only (not fees) and is applied as a last-dollar benefit after all other grants and scholarships. Eligible schools include the University of Montana, Montana State University, MSU Billings, MSU Northern, Great Falls College MSU, UM Western, Montana Tech, Helena College, and other MUS campuses. Applications must be submitted with a DD-214 and a VA letter confirming benefits are exhausted by the third week of the first semester.

Does Montana Waive Tuition for Children of Disabled Veterans?

Montana offers a War Orphans Tuition Waiver for children of veterans who died from service-connected causes, but it does not provide a general tuition waiver for children of living disabled veterans.

To qualify, the child must be age 25 or younger, and the veteran parent must have been a Montana resident at entry into service and must have been killed in action or died as a result of a combat-related injury, disease, or disability during an eligible conflict (WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan).

The War Orphans waiver covers undergraduate tuition only and cannot be combined with other MUS tuition waivers. For questions, contact the Commissioner of Higher Education at (406) 449-9124. Find out more about Montana veteran tuition waivers.

Montana State Veterans Hiring Preference

Montana’s Veterans’ Employment Preference Act (MCA 39-29-101 through 39-29-112) gives veterans a competitive edge when applying for state government positions. Under this law:

• Veterans receive 5 percentage points added to their examination score
• Disabled veterans (and eligible spouses) receive 10 percentage points added to their score
• Eligible veterans also receive retention preference during reductions in force

To qualify, veterans must have been separated under honorable conditions and served more than 180 consecutive days of active federal military duty. Montana Army or Air National Guard members with at least six years of service (last three in Montana) are also eligible. Purple Heart recipients qualify regardless of length of service.

Montana Workforce Services, through its American Job Centers, provides veteran employment assistance statewide. DVOP specialists (Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program) offer individualized case management for veterans with service-connected disabilities, and LVER staff (Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives) advocate with employers and coordinate job referrals.

Do Disabled Veterans Get into Montana State Parks for Free?

Montana residents who pay the $9 state parks fee as part of their annual vehicle registration enjoy no additional day-use entrance fee at any state park. This means disabled veterans who are Montana residents and have paid the registration fee already have free day-use admission to all Montana state parks. Non-residents and those who did not pay the fee are subject to an $8 per vehicle day-use charge.

Do Disabled Veterans Get Camping Discounts in Montana?

Yes. Montana resident veterans receive 50% off camping fees at all Montana state parks. Electrical hookup fees are excluded from the discount. To qualify, veterans must show proof of service: a DD-214, VA ID card, or a Montana driver’s license with a veteran designation. This benefit is available to all veterans, not just those with a disability rating. Find out more.

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

Montana offers several hunting and fishing benefits for veterans depending on military service and disability status:

Purple Heart Recipients

Montana resident Purple Heart recipients may hunt game birds (excluding wild turkeys) and fish with only a Wildlife Conservation License ($8) and a Resident Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Pass ($2). No additional license is required for these activities. Big game hunting still requires standard licenses.

Combat-Disabled Veterans: Half-Price Deer and Antelope

Veterans with certain combat-connected injuries may qualify for half-price deer and antelope licenses. Up to 50 licenses are issued each year through a special application process managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Disabled Veteran Donation Program (70%+)

Purple Heart recipients with a disability rating of 70% or higher may receive donated hunting licenses reissued through nonprofit organizations that provide rehabilitation services. Recipients must hunt through a participating nonprofit.

Returning Service Members

Montana residents who served at least two months outside the state in a qualifying contingency operation are entitled to a free Conservation License and a Class AAA combination sports license (which covers fishing, upland game birds, deer, and elk) upon payment of the base hunting license fee and a $2 AIS Prevention Pass. This benefit lasts for five years after return from service.

Find out more about Montana military hunting and fishing licenses →

For outpatient medical care, prescriptions, mental health services, and specialty treatment, Montana veterans access the federal VA Montana Health Care System, which operates the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center and 17 community-based outpatient clinics across the state.

Montana also offers the HELP Plan (Medicaid expansion) as a state healthcare option for low-income veterans who may lack full VA coverage. Eligible veterans with income under approximately $16,000 per year (individual) can enroll in HELP even while receiving VA care. The plan covers medical, behavioral health, dental, vision, and prescription drugs through a statewide provider network.

Montana State Veterans Homes

Montana operates three state veterans homes providing skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care for veterans, eligible spouses, and Gold Star parents. Eligibility generally requires an honorable discharge and age 55 or older (with exceptions for veterans who are disabled or unable to work).

Veterans with a 70% to 100% service-connected disability rating may have their care costs significantly reduced or fully covered through the VA Higher Per Diem Program, which provides a federal subsidy to the facility on the veteran’s behalf.

• Montana Veterans Home – 400 Veterans Drive, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 | Phone: (406) 892-3256
• Eastern Montana Veterans Home – 2000 Montana Avenue, Glendive, MT 59330 | Phone: (406) 345-8855
• Southwest Montana Veterans Home – 65 Veterans Circle, Butte, MT 59701 | Phone: (406) 792-3100

Montana operates three state veterans cemeteries and is served by one national veterans cemetery. These facilities provide burial options for eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children. Montana’s state cemeteries also offer a pre-registration program so veterans and spouses can verify eligibility in advance, removing the burden of locating records at time of need. Find out more.

• Montana State Veterans Cemetery – 3550 Heroes Road, Fort Harrison, MT 59636 | Phone: (406) 324-4793
• Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery – P.O. Box 1741, Miles City, MT 59301 | Phone: (406) 721-2945
• Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery – 1911 Tower Street, Missoula, MT 59804 | Phone: (406) 721-2995
• Yellowstone National Cemetery – 55 Buffalo Trail Road, Laurel, MT 59044 | Phone: (406) 647-2746

Surviving spouses and dependents of Montana veterans are eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), accrued benefits, and death and burial benefits. If a veteran was 100% service-connected disabled at the time of death, the unmarried surviving spouse may retain the property tax reduction (at reduced income thresholds).

The surviving spouse also qualifies for free vehicle registration on up to two vehicles if the veteran died from a service-connected cause. Learn more about getting survivor benefits.

In addition to Montana’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

Montana 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 Montana 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 reduction  
• Access to Montana state resources

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

Montana Military Bases with Known Toxins

• Malmstrom Air Force Base (Great Falls, MT)
• Fort William Henry Harrison (Helena, MT) 
• Limestone Hills Training Area

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

• Montana Department of Military Affairs – Veterans Affairs Division  
• VA Montana Health Care System 

Attorneys Specialized in VA Disability Law

Our VA-accredited lawyers proudly represent Montana 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!