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North Carolina is home to 675,487 veterans as of the end of 2025, and 286,519 of them receive VA disability compensation, with ratings of 70% or higher being the most common. To meet the needs of its increasing disabled veteran population, North Carolina offers a strong set of state and county-level benefits that go beyond what the federal VA provides. These state programs are especially valuable for veterans with higher disability ratings, helping reduce financial strain and improve quality of life.

North Carolina’s state benefits for veterans include property tax exemptions, tuition waivers at state colleges, priority employment services, transportation privileges, as well as discounted hunting and fishing licenses.

Hill & Ponton’s disabled veterans guide helps North Carolina’s veterans (and veterans’ families) understand which federal and state benefits they may qualify for, and how to access the support they’re entitled to.

Disabled Veterans Tax Exemptions

Do Disabled Veterans Pay Property Taxes in North Carolina?

The North Carolina Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion allows the first $45,000 of the appraised value of a permanent residence to be excluded from taxation. This applies to veterans who are 100% permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected condition, as determined by the VA, or who receive benefits for specially adapted housing under 38 U.S.C. 2101. Surviving spouses may also qualify. Veterans must apply through their local county tax office by June 1, and an approved application carries forward to later years. Learn more.

Is Military Retirement Pay Taxed in North Carolina?

North Carolina lets military retirees deduct their retirement pay from state taxable income under N.C.G.S. 105-153.5(b)(5a). The deduction is available to retirees who served at least 20 years or were medically retired under 10 U.S.C. Chapter 61. A Survivor Benefit Plan annuity is also deductible if the retiree met the same test.

Transportation Benefits

Do Disabled Veterans Get Free Car Registration in North Carolina?

Veterans rated 100% service-connected, or paid at the 100% rate for individual unemployability, get a free Disabled Veteran license plate and registration; a permanent and total rating is not required. Under N.C.G.S. 20-79.7 the plate is free of charge at every yearly renewal, and free registration applies to vehicles with a registered weight of 6,000 pounds or less. This benefit requires submission of VA disability documentation and is valid as long as the veteran maintains qualifying status.

How to Get Disabled Veteran Plates in North Carolina

100% disabled veterans (including through Individual Unemployability) can get a free “Disabled Veteran” plate through the NC Division of Motor Vehicles. Veterans with a less than 100% disability (even a 0% rating) are eligible for a “Partially Disabled Veteran” at no additional cost than the regular license plate. Veterans must provide a completed DMV Form MVR-33A and official documentation from the VA verifying their disability status. Learn more.

Education Benefits

Do Disabled Veterans’ Dependents Get Free College in North Carolina?

North Carolina offers the North Carolina Scholarship for Children of Wartime Veterans, which provides up to 8 academic semesters of free tuition and fees at approved North Carolina colleges and universities. To qualify, the veteran must be rated 100% for a wartime service-connected disability, be deceased, or be a former POW or MIA.

The scholarship is also available to families of veterans rated 20% or more, Purple Heart recipients, and veterans who served in a combat zone or earned a campaign badge, with those two classes each limited to 100 awards a year. The child must be under 25 at the time of application. Applications are administered through the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Learn more.

Employment Benefits

North Carolina law mandates that qualified veterans and certain family members receive extra consideration in the recruitment process for state jobs, meaning that veterans seeking jobs receive preference in hiring for state employment opportunities. Eligible veterans include those who served during a period of war or received certain campaign medals, and those with service-connected disabilities. National Guard members are included.

Veterans can access free support services through NCWorks: career assessments, labor-market information, job fairs and workshops, resume and cover-letter assistance, interview preparation, the use of computers and free internet, and help applying for federal employment and training programs for which veterans receive priority. Learn more.

Recreation Benefits

Do Disabled Veterans Get Free Access to North Carolina State Parks?

A veteran with any service-connected disability rating, with no minimum percentage, gets the North Carolina State Parks Annual Pass free of charge; the public pays $100 for it. Entry to most NC state parks is already free for everyone, so the pass covers the fee-based extras, swim passes, boat rentals, boat launches, and day-use vehicle admission at the reservoir parks. Benefits apply per day at the parks that charge those fees, and the pass expires at the end of the calendar year. How to apply.

Veterans camp for $6 less per night at tent, trailer, RV, and camper-cabin sites in North Carolina state parks, with no disability rating required. Vehicle entry at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake, and Kerr Lake is $5 instead of $10 with a veteran in the car. Learn more.

Can Disabled Veterans Get a Free Fishing and Hunting License in North Carolina?

North Carolina veterans with a service connected disability rating of 50% or more can get a lifetime license for resident disabled veterans from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission for a one-time $15 fee, covering statewide hunting and inland fishing. The fuller Sportsman versions are available at higher set fees.

The license remains valid for life as long as the veteran’s disability rating remains at 50% or greater. Additionally, any legally blind resident can receive a free license for statewide fishing in all public waters including Public Mountain Trout Waters and trout waters on game lands. See how to apply for a hunting and fishing license.

Healthcare Benefits

North Carolina provides disabled veterans with healthcare coverage and treatment of their conditions through VA medical centers and clinics throughout the state:

  • Charles George VA Medical Center: 1100 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC 28805; Phone: (828) 298-7911
  • Durham VA Medical Center: 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC 27705; Phone: (919) 286-0411
  • Fayetteville VA Medical Center: 2300 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301; Phone: (910) 488-2120
  • Wilmington VA Clinic: 1705 Gardner Road, Wilmington, NC 28405; Phone: (910) 343-5300
  • W.G. “Bill” Hefner VA Medical Center: 1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144; Phone: (704) 638-9000
  • Brunswick County CBOC: 18 Doctors Circle, Suite 2, Supply, NC 28462; Phone: (910) 754-6141
  • Goldsboro CBOC: 2610 Hospital Road, Goldsboro, NC 27534; Phone: (919) 731-4809
  • Hamlet CBOC: 100 Jefferson Street, Hamlet, NC 28345; Phone: (910) 582-3536
  • Jacksonville CBOC: 4006 Henderson Drive, Jacksonville, NC 28546; Phone: (910) 353-6406
  • Robeson County CBOC: 139 Three Hunts Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372; Phone: (910) 272-3220
  • Lee County VA Clinic: 3112 Tramway Road, Sanford, NC 27330; Phone: (919) 775-6160

North Carolina Veterans Homes

The state operates four skilled nursing care facilities for eligible veterans: Black Mountain, Kernersville, Kinston, and Salisbury. The Kernersville home opened October 31, 2023, with 120 beds. These homes provide long-term care, rehabilitation, and support services for veterans who have an honorable discharge and are state residents. Find out more.

Burial and Survivor Benefits

Veterans who received an honorable discharge can be buried at one of the state’s four veterans cemeteries at no cost, and there is no residency requirement:

  • Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery (Jacksonville)
  • Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery (Goldsboro)
  • Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery (Spring Lake)
  • Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery (Black Mountain)

Services include a grave site, marker, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care; the family pays for the grave liner or burial vault. Surviving spouses and eligible dependents may also qualify, and a fee applies to their interment. Veterans should apply through the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Find out more.

In addition, federal burial benefits are available for eligible veterans and their families, including burial in a VA national cemetery, government-issued headstones or markers, a U.S. flag for the casket, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. If the veteran’s death is service-connected, the VA may reimburse up to $2,000 in burial expenses. Learn more about burial and survivor benefits.

Federal Benefits Available to North Carolina Veterans

Besides North Carolina’s specific benefits, disabled veterans also get a wide range of federal VA disability benefits, including:

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

100% Disabled Veteran Benefits

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 North Carolina 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 exemption
  • Access to North Carolina state resources

Benefits for Toxic Exposure

Veterans who served at contaminated military bases or who were exposed to Agent Orange, burn pits, or other environmental hazards may qualify for additional VA benefits. Bases in or near North Carolina with known toxic exposure issues include:

If you served at a base in a different state, check its history of toxic contamination and potential health effects using the Military Base Toxic Exposure Map or get in touch with us for a free evaluation of your claim.

Getting VA Disability in North Carolina

Getting through the VA disability claims process can be tricky, but there are local and national resources to help guide you. These resources include local veteran groups, state-supported VA services, and experienced disability attorneys.

Free Guide to Claiming and Winning Benefits

Attorney Matthew Hill has written THE book on how to get VA disability compensation and benefits. And it’s yours free of charge.

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North Carolina State Legal Aid and Resources

Help from Experienced Lawyers

Our VA-accredited lawyers proudly represent North Carolina 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!