NORTH DAKOTA STATE VETERAN BENEFITS
We endeavor to keep this information current, but it is subject to change without notice.
NORTH DAKOTA EDUCATION BENEFITS
Veterans Educational Training (VET)
VET is a special state program designed to prepare eligible North Dakota veterans to enter and succeed in a certification program or a two-year or four-year degree program. VET free for resident veterans who have been honorably discharged, and focuses on refresher training, English, math, study skills and computer use.
Dependent Tuition Waiver
Dependents of North Dakota resident military personnel who died in action or later from their wounds or service-connected disabilities are eligible for a tuition waiver. Likewise, the dependents of veterans who are/were determined by the VA to be completely disabled as a result their military service are also eligible to attend any state school without paying tuition or fees. The tuition waiver continues while the dependent earns the desired certificate or degree within a limited period of time. Depending on the school, the time allotted to earn the degree is 10 semesters or 45 months.
NORTH DAKOTA EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
North Dakota resident veterans seeking to get hired in the public sector at the state level can have 5 points added to their state scores. Veterans with service-connected disabilities receive 10 extra preference points.
NORTH DAKOTA VETERAN FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Income Taxes
The Peace Garden State does not tax pay for National Guard & Reserve forces that are federally mobilized.
Hardship Grant
The State recognizes that veterans can be subject to financial shortfalls and emergency needs. They have set aside money so they can issue hardship grants to help veterans, their spouses and surviving spouses (who have not remarried) cope. Money can be used dental work, glasses, transportation for medical treatment, or other approved basic needs. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs oversees this emergency fund.
PTSD Grant
Suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Provided you are a state resident Veteran, you have an official diagnosis of PTSD and are in active counseling or therapy, North Dakota can give you a grant to help you purchase a PTSD service dog. To qualify, your doctor must endorse you needing a PTSD service dog.
Property Tax Deduction
North Dakota allows honorably discharged veterans who have been rated by the VA at least a 50% disability rating to take a $6,750 reduction off their home’s value for property tax purposes. The law also gives 100% disabled paraplegic Veterans or those who are permanently confined to wheelchairs an $120,000 exemption off the value of his or her home for property taxes.
These two money-saving deductions extend to surviving spouses as well, provided they remain unmarried.
NORTH DAKOTA VETERAN RECREATION BENEFITS
State Park Fees
Former North Dakota POWs and veterans with VA disability ratings of 50% or more can enjoy free state park assess with an annual permit. Other North Dakota residents who are veterans with service-connected disabilities of any amount can buy an annual permit for $20.
Fish and Game Licenses
North Dakota offers its totally disabled resident veterans a combo permit they can use for general game, small game, furbearers with habitat stamp all for less than $5, including the buck to buy a resident certificate, and they’ll get change back. Those who want to fish can fish for $5.00 plus another buck to buy the resident certificate. Veterans need only be 50% disabled with a service-connected disability for this deal.
State residents on active duty can hunt and fish without purchasing a license when they are leave.
NORTH DAKOTA VETERANS HOME
The Veterans Home in Lisbon runs on a pod design where each of their 12 households focus on removing traces of any ‘institutional’ atmosphere. Each ‘pod’ has four households of 12 to 14 residents each. Basic care ‘pods’ can meet the needs of 98 residents and their ‘skilled nursing pod’ takes care of 52 residents for a total of 149. Fees are income and asset based.
A spouse or surviving spouse can be admitted too, as long as the honorably discharged veteran meets at ONE of these additional qualifications:
- Entered the military as a North Dakota resident
- Be a North Dakota resident for 30 days or more
- Must have served in a North Dakota unit
NORTH DAKOTA VETERANS CEMETERY
The North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery near Mandan accepts veterans with other than dishonorable discharges. They do not charge for interning the veteran, but they do assess a small fee for the spouse. Unlike for some state cemeteries, North Dakota residency is not required. However, proof of military service via a copy of your DD214 or a similar document is required.
You can find more information regarding these benefits and other programs at the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs website.