Many military members want to know whether Virginia exempts a disabled veteran from property tax. They are concerned that a tax figure may shape their Virginia home loan review. This guide explains what lenders may look for so you can move forward with confidence.
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Do Disabled Veterans Pay Property Tax in Virginia?
SHORT ANSWER
Virginia exempts a 100% service-connected, permanent and totally disabled veteran from local real estate tax on their primary residence. The exemption covers the home and up to 1 acre of land. The exemption carries no income test and no asset test, and a veteran has to apply for it. Smart Loan Savings Educational Content
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| Virginia Veteran Exemption Factor | Virginia Rule |
|---|---|
| Virginia veteran property tax exemption | The full local real estate tax |
| Virginia veteran exemption rating | 100%, permanent and total |
| Virginia veterans rated below 100% | Qualify if paid at the 100% rate |
| Virginia veteran exemption acreage | Up to 1 acre |
| Income limit for the Virginia veteran exemption | None |
| Asset limit for the Virginia veteran exemption | None |
| When the Virginia veteran exemption starts | On the date of the rating |
| Where a Virginia veteran files for the exemption | The locality’s Commissioner of the Revenue |
| Proof of rating a Virginia veteran files | Summary of Benefits letter |
| Surviving spouse and the Virginia veteran exemption | Keeps it if not remarried |
| Date of death a Virginia surviving spouse needs | On or after January 1, 2011 |
| Surviving spouse moving within Virginia | Keeps the exemption |
| Reapplying for the Virginia veteran exemption | Not required unless something changes |
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| Virginia Veteran Exemption Deep Dive | Underwriting Impact on Your Virginia Home Loan Profile |
|---|---|
| The Tax Goes to Zero, Not Down | Virginia exempts a qualifying veteran’s home from local real estate tax entirely. The exemption is not a discount, and it is not a deferral. The tax goes to zero. The exemption comes from the Virginia Constitution. The exemption covers the dwelling that is the primary residence, plus up to 1 acre of land. Some localities exempt more than 1 acre. The exemption carries no income test and no asset test. The Virginia Mortgage Guide covers the other local factors that shape a home loan file in the state. |
| Rated Below 100% and Still Eligible | A veteran rated below 100% can qualify. Many veterans assume otherwise. That assumption costs some of them years of exemption they were entitled to. The rule looks at 2 things. The Department of Veterans Affairs has to rate the disability as permanent and total. The veteran has to be paid at the 100% rate. A rating below 100% paid at the 100% rate for individual unemployability meets both. Virginia’s Attorney General confirmed that reading of the rule. |
| How the Exemption Reaches Your Payment | Property tax is a line inside your monthly mortgage payment. Your servicer collects it and pays the county for you through an escrow account. An approved exemption takes that line to zero. On a $500,000 Northern Virginia home, local real estate tax can run several thousand dollars a year. A qualifying veteran’s monthly payment drops by that amount divided across 12 months. A lower housing payment also means the same income supports a larger loan. |
| When the Rating Arrives After You Buy | The start date depends on when the rating arrives. A veteran who already owns a qualified primary residence when the 100% rating is issued gets the exemption from the rating date. That matters on a file underwritten before the rating came through. The tax figure your loan was qualified on may no longer apply. One caution applies to refunds. A locality owes no interest on taxes you paid before you filed the application. |
| What a Surviving Spouse Keeps | A surviving spouse keeps the exemption. The veteran’s death has to have occurred on or after January 1, 2011. The spouse cannot remarry. The spouse has to occupy the property as their primary residence. Virginia removed the moving restriction in 2019. A surviving spouse may now move to a different Virginia home and take the exemption along. A first-time applicant whose primary residence differs from the veteran’s also qualifies under that change. VA Home Loans Explained covers how the loan itself works, and this page covers only the Virginia tax side. |
| Nobody Files It For You | The exemption is not automatic. Nobody files the application for you. You file an affidavit or written statement with your locality’s Commissioner of the Revenue. Bring the Summary of Benefits letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs showing the rating. A surviving spouse also brings the death certificate and proof of marriage. Once the locality approves it, many localities do not make you reapply each year unless something material changes. How much of the home you legally own also sets how much of the exemption you get. |
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| What Lenders Check | How the Virginia Veteran Exemption Affects Your Loan File |
|---|---|
| The Property Tax Figure on Your File | The tax amount built into your monthly payment comes from the county record for that home. An approved exemption takes that figure to zero. Raise the exemption with your loan officer early. The county record will not show it before you apply. |
| Timing of Your Rating and Your Purchase | A rating that arrives after closing changes the tax going forward, not the figure your loan was qualified on. A rating already in hand at application is a different file than one still pending. |
| Occupancy You Certify | The exemption applies only to the home you occupy as your primary residence. A second home or a rental does not qualify, so the occupancy on your loan and the exemption have to match. |
| How Much of the Home You Own | Legal ownership sets how much exemption applies. A veteran who owns the home jointly with a spouse is covered. A partial ownership interest with someone else can produce a partial exemption. |
| Surviving Spouse Documentation | A surviving spouse files with the death certificate and proof of marriage alongside the veteran’s rating documentation. The spouse has to keep living in the home until the application is approved. |
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| People Also Ask | Why These Questions Matter |
|---|---|
| Can a Virginia veteran rated below 100% get the exemption? | A Virginia veteran rated below 100% qualifies when the Department of Veterans Affairs rates the disability permanent and total and pays at the 100% rate for individual unemployability. Virginia’s Attorney General confirmed that a rating paid at the 100% rate qualifies, and localities apply it that way. |
| Does a surviving spouse keep the Virginia veteran exemption? | A surviving spouse keeps the Virginia exemption when the spouse has not remarried and occupies the home as a primary residence. A date-of-death requirement also applies, and a surviving spouse may move to another Virginia home and keep the exemption in place. |
| When does the Virginia veteran exemption begin? | A veteran who already owns a qualified primary residence when the 100% rating is issued receives the exemption starting on the date of that rating. A locality owes no interest on taxes paid before the application was filed. |
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| Sources Used on This Page |
| Code of Virginia — § 58.1-3219.5 exemption for disabled veterans | § 58.1-3219.6 application and affidavit | § 58.1-3219.7 rules and appeals | § 58.1-3210 et seq. local relief acreage | Constitution of Virginia, Article X, Section 6-A | Virginia Department of Veterans Services — Tax Exemptions | Commissioner of the Revenue guidance, Fairfax County, City of Virginia Beach, City of Newport News, City of Chesapeake, City of Norfolk, City of Hampton, Warren County, and Franklin County |
| Disclaimer |
| Virginia sets this exemption by constitutional amendment and state law, and each county, city, or town administers it. Acreage covered beyond 1 acre varies by locality. Application requirements and forms are set locally. This page is provided for educational purposes only. Smart Loan Savings Educational Content |