U.S. Virgin Islands Benefits Guide for Disabled Veterans

Property Tax Exemptions and Housing Benefits

Do Disabled Veterans Pay Property Taxes in the Virgin Islands?

Disabled veterans pay no real property tax in the U.S. Virgin Islands if they are rated permanently and totally disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the territorial Homestead Tax Exemption framework, a veteran with a VA-determined permanent and total service-connected disability is fully exempt from all real property taxes levied by the Tax Assessor against the veteran’s homestead.

Veterans who are not rated permanent and total disabled can still claim the standard Veterans Homestead Tax Exemption under Title 33 of the V.I. Code. The exemption applies to a veteran’s primary home and is also available to the widowed spouse of an eligible veteran. To use either benefit, request a signed Veteran Tax Exemption Eligibility Form from the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs.

Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority Home and Land Program

Eligible Virgin Islands veterans can apply for a home or land loan through the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (VIHFA) under Title 21 V.I. Code Chapter 16. When funds are available, the VIHFA Executive Director issues a loan commitment to purchase land or housing. A maximum loan of $220,000 at a 3.5% rate is available to qualifying veterans through the program.

Eligibility is limited to Virgin Islands veterans (defined as veterans who were domiciliaries of the Virgin Islands at entry to service, or who were domiciliaries who entered service in another jurisdiction while temporarily residing there).

Before approaching VIHFA, request a signed Veteran Housing Finance Authority Eligibility Form from the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs.

Transportation Benefits

Do Veterans Get Free Car Registration in the Virgin Islands?

No. While veterans receive free veteran license plates, the registration fees charged by the Virgin Islands Bureau of Motor Vehicles still apply. Each veteran can receive up to two free veteran license plates, but only one disabled veteran plate per eligible veteran.

How to Get Disabled Veteran License Plates in the Virgin Islands

The Disabled Veteran license plate is reserved for veterans rated permanent and total disabled based on military service, as documented on the VA Benefit Summary Letter obtained from the Veterans Benefits Administration (1-800-827-1000).

Application Steps

• Bring your VA Benefit Summary Letter (showing permanent and total disability) and proof of vehicle ownership to the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs.
• Receive your Veteran Eligibility Form – Vehicle Registration from the Director of Veterans Affairs or their representative.
• Take the form to the VI Bureau of Motor Vehicles to register the plate. The plate itself is free; standard BMV registration fees apply.

Gold Star Families are also authorized to receive a Gold Star Plate at no cost (two plates per family). If a veteran plate is stolen, a police report must be filed and presented to OVA before a replacement is issued. See VI OVA Policy Letter #1 on Veterans License Plates.

Veteran Designation on Driver’s License

Veterans can request a Veteran designation on a driver’s license or state ID issued by the VI Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The designation includes VI National Guard retirees with 20 or more years of service. It makes verifying veteran status at retailers and service providers simpler: no need to produce a DD-214 each time.

Education Benefits

Do Virgin Islands Disabled Veterans Get Free Tuition?

Yes. Under Title 17, Chapter 33, Section 471 of the Virgin Islands Code (as amended by Act No. 6783), Virgin Islands veterans may attend the University of the Virgin Islands with tuition waived. Veterans are also entitled to attend UVI’s Community Engagement & Lifelong Learning (CELL) program and academic or career-and-technical courses conducted by the V.I. Department of Education without fee or charge.

Eligibility is limited to Virgin Islands veterans as defined by the OVA (domiciliaries of the Virgin Islands at entry to service). After enrolling at UVI or UVI CELL, the veteran must report to the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs to verify eligibility before using the waiver. Only the Director of the Office of Veterans Affairs is authorized to approve the tuition waiver. Note that tuition is free, but fees are paid by the veteran. See VI OVA Policy Letter #2 on Free Tuition.

Do Disabled Veterans’ Dependents Get Tuition Assistance?

No. The Virgin Islands does not have a dedicated tuition waiver for dependents of disabled veterans. UVI’s free-tuition benefit under Title 17 is for the veteran personally. The UVI Veterans Handbook explains how federal education benefits are processed at UVI.

Dependents of veterans rated 100% P&T, or of veterans who died from a service-connected condition, may use federal VA Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA, Chapter 35) or Fry Scholarship benefits at UVI.

Employment Benefits

Virgin Islands Veterans Hiring Preference

The Virgin Islands offers a strong point-based veterans preference on local civil service examinations: 10 points are added to a veteran’s passing score, and 15 points are added for a disabled veteran.

The territory defines a disabled veteran as a veteran with a service-connected disability currently rated at 0% or more, meaning any documented service-connected condition qualifies. The widow or spouse of a disabled veteran is entitled to the same 15-point preference. See the VI OVA Summary of Local Benefits.

V.I. Department of Labor Veteran Employment Services

The Virgin Islands Department of Labor delivers federal Jobs for Veterans State Grant (JVSG) services through its Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) specialists. Veterans receive priority of service for employment and training programs, plus individualized help.

The help offered includes career counseling, job referrals, résumé and cover letter assistance, eligibility screening for specialized programs, and military-to-civilian transition resources. Contact St. Thomas (340-776-3700) or St. Croix (340-773-1994). Find out more about VIDOL Services for Veterans.

Annual Veterans Taxi Medallion Auction

Under Title 20, Section 407(c) of the V.I. Code, the territory holds an Annual Veterans Taxi Medallion Auction every December, open only to Virgin Islands veterans of the U.S. Armed Services (defined as domiciliaries at entry to service; other veterans residing in USVI do not qualify).

Two medallions per island are auctioned. Minimum bids are $20,000 on St. Thomas and St. John and $8,000 on St. Croix.

Winners place a 10% nonrefundable deposit by money order or certified check the day of the auction, with the balance due within 10 business days. A medallion won at this auction cannot be transferred for three years, and any later transfer must be to another eligible veteran.

Health Care Benefits

Direct VA medical care for veterans living in USVI is delivered through the VA Caribbean Healthcare Network (which includes the San Juan VA Medical Center in Puerto Rico), with Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) on St. Thomas and St. Croix. Two local benefits are provided: a free ambulance service and medical travel reimbursement.

Medical Travel

Veterans traveling within the VA Caribbean Healthcare Network to the closest VA medical facility receive 100% reimbursement of flight arrangements for a non-service-connected appointment that was scheduled by the local CBOC.

A family member or attendant flight is reimbursed if the attending physician states the need in writing; veterans 70 and older are automatically authorized a travel companion regardless of a written note.

Veterans traveling outside the VA Caribbean Healthcare Network may be reimbursed up to $250, provided the veteran is rated 40% or less service-connected, is receiving care at a VA Hospital or VA Medical Center (not a CBOC), and has obtained prior approval from the Director of the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs. Travel attendants are not reimbursed under this off-network track.

Free Emergency Ambulance Service

All veterans residing in the U.S. Virgin Islands receive free emergency ambulance service. Unlike most stateside ambulance benefits, this applies whether or not the medical issue is service-connected.

U.S. Virgin Islands Vet Center

The U.S. Virgin Islands Vet Center at 9164 Estate Thomas, Suite 1, St. Thomas, VI 00802 provides confidential, no-cost counseling in a non-medical setting. It’s open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with non-traditional hours by appointment and telehealth options. Services include:

• Individual and group counseling for PTSD, depression, and military sexual trauma
• Couples and family counseling
• Transition assistance
• Substance abuse referrals
• Bereavement support

Burial and Survivor Benefits

All veterans residing in the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for a free burial plot in a local cemetery that has a designated section for veterans (the territory doesn’t have a veterans cemetery). A spouse or minor child (and, under certain conditions, an unmarried adult child) may also be buried alongside the veteran.

For veterans who were Virgin Islands domiciliaries at entry to service, the V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs reimburses up to $5,000 for burial expenses.

Eligible veterans may also be buried at any VA national cemetery stateside, with the standard federal burial allowance and headstone at no cost.

Widowed spouses and dependents of U.S. Virgin Islands veterans are also eligible for survivor benefits, including DIC. If the veteran was 100 percent disabled at the time of death, the widow(er) can retain the Veterans Homestead Tax Exemption on the family home.

Federal Benefits

In addition to the Virgin Islands’ 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
• Education benefits through the GI Bill
• 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

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 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:

• Continued property tax exemption
• CHAMPVA healthcare
• Education benefits
• DIC eligibility

Benefits for Toxic Exposure

Veterans who served at a toxic military base and developed related medical conditions may be eligible for VA compensation and benefits, including those covered by the PACT Act and the Agent Orange and burn pit presumptive lists.

U.S. Virgin Islands Military Sites with Known Hazards

• Former Fort Segarra (St. Thomas) – World War II coastal defense post on Water Island
• Camp Acosta (St. Thomas) – Former Army training area
• Benedict Field (St. Croix) – Former WWII-era Army airfield, now Henry E. Rohlsen Airport
• Bourne Field / former Marine Corps Air Facility (St. Thomas) – Former WWII Marine Corps air station, now Cyril E. King Airport
• Buck Island Underwater (St. Thomas) – Former military munitions area off the small Buck Island near St. Thomas
• JFHQ Virgin Islands Army National Guard (Christiansted) – Active National Guard facility on the DoD’s hazardous sites inventory

If you served stateside, check the Military Base Toxic Exposure Map for documented contamination and potential health effects, or contact us for a free evaluation of your claim.

Getting VA Disability in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Free Guide to 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 and Advocacy Resources

• V.I. Office of Veterans Affairs – Director Patrick Farrell; St. Croix (340) 773-8387; St. Thomas (340) 774-8387.
• VA Caribbean Healthcare Network – Virgin Islands clinics – Community-based outpatient clinics on St. Thomas and St. Croix.

Attorneys Specialized in VA Disability Law

Our VA-accredited lawyers can represent disabled veterans in the U.S. Virgin Islands 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!