New York is home to more than 750,000 veterans. The Empire State offers a layered system of property tax exemptions that vary by county, a Veterans Tuition Award worth up to $5,605 per year at public colleges, absolute civil service hiring preference for disabled veterans, and additional benefits specific to New York City. Here is your complete 2025 guide.
With more than 750,000 veterans, New York has one of the largest veteran communities in the nation. Veterans are distributed across the state — from the dense urban concentration in New York City and its suburbs to rural communities in the North Country and Western New York near Fort Drum. The New York State Division of Veterans' Services (DVS) coordinates the state's veteran benefit programs and provides claims assistance through service offices statewide.
New York's veteran benefits system is notably complex, especially on property taxes. Unlike states that have a uniform statewide exemption, New York's property tax exemptions operate at the county and municipal level — meaning the benefit available to you depends in part on where you live. Understanding this structure is essential to claiming everything you're entitled to.
New York offers two primary property tax exemption programs for veterans, and understanding how they differ — and how they interact — can mean thousands of dollars in annual savings. Critically, both programs are opt-in at the county and municipal level: your county or municipality must pass a local law adopting the exemption before residents can claim it. Most counties in New York have adopted at least one of these programs, but benefits vary significantly by location.
The Alternative Veterans Exemption, authorized under New York Real Property Tax Law § 458-a, is available to veterans who served during a recognized period of war. The exemption provides a percentage reduction in the assessed value of the veteran's primary residence:
| Service Category | Maximum Exemption | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wartime service (peacetime theater) | 15% of assessed value | Honorably discharged veterans who served during a qualifying wartime period |
| Combat zone service | 25% of assessed value | Veterans who served in a designated combat zone during wartime |
| Service-connected disability | Additional 50% of SC disability rating × assessed value | Applied on top of the wartime or combat exemption |
A veteran with a 50% service-connected disability rating who served in a combat zone could receive: the 25% combat exemption plus an additional 50% × 50% = 25% disability exemption, for a combined 50% reduction in assessed value. At a $400,000 assessed value, that is a $200,000 reduction. At an effective tax rate of 1.5%, that saves $3,000 per year.
For veterans with a 100% service-connected disability, the combined exemption can reach up to 65% of assessed value — a very significant annual tax savings in New York's high-property-value markets.
Important: the actual cap on the Alternative Veterans Exemption is set by each county or municipality — some localities cap the dollar amount of the exemption, particularly in high-value markets. Check with your local assessor's office for the specific limits in your jurisdiction.
The Cold War Veterans Exemption, authorized under New York Real Property Tax Law § 458-b, covers veterans whose service fell between September 2, 1945, and December 26, 1991 (the Cold War period) but who do not qualify for the Alternative Veterans Exemption. This includes many veterans who served during peacetime after World War II but before the Persian Gulf conflict.
Source: New York Real Property Tax Law §§ 458-a, 458-b; NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, 2025
Your VA disability percentage directly impacts New York's property tax exemption. Use our calculator to see where you stand.
Calculate Your Rating →The New York State Veterans Tuition Award (VTA) is one of the most generous state education benefits in the northeastern United States. Administered by the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), the VTA provides a tuition award to eligible veterans attending New York State institutions of higher education.
For full-time enrollment. Part-time students receive a pro-rated award. Award covers tuition charges at any State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) campus.
For full-time enrollment at accredited private colleges and universities in New York State. Particularly valuable at schools with high tuition rates when combined with GI Bill benefits.
The VTA is designed to stack with federal GI Bill benefits rather than replace them. For Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients, the VTA can cover gaps in tuition that the federal benefit does not fully address — particularly at private institutions or at SUNY schools where tuition exceeds federal limits.
To qualify for the Veterans Tuition Award, a veteran must:
National Guard members who served on active duty under federal orders during qualifying periods may also be eligible.
Source: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC), Veterans Tuition Award Program, 2025
The New York State Division of Veterans' Services (DVS) is the state agency responsible for connecting veterans with the benefits and services they have earned. DVS operates through a network of county veterans service agencies and state-run offices throughout New York.
DVS provides free, accredited VA claims assistance through service officers located in every county. These professionals can help veterans and survivors with:
To find your nearest DVS office, visit the DVS county directory at veterans.ny.gov or call the DVS statewide hotline.
DVS operates a peer-to-peer support program connecting veterans with trained veteran peers who understand the transition experience from the inside. This program is particularly valuable for veterans struggling with PTSD, isolation, or the adjustment to civilian life. Peer supporters are not clinical therapists but serve as connectors to both community resources and professional mental health services.
New York operates several Veterans Homes providing skilled nursing and residential care to eligible veterans. These facilities offer a supportive environment with staff experienced in veteran-specific health challenges including combat trauma, TBI, and age-related conditions common among the veteran population. Admission requires wartime service or a service-connected condition; contact DVS for current eligibility details and facility locations.
The Calverton National Cemetery in Riverhead, New York (Long Island) is a federally administered national cemetery managed in close coordination with New York State. It provides burial at no cost to eligible veterans and certain eligible family members. To pre-register for burial benefits, contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office or the DVS.
New York State provides robust employment protections for veterans seeking state government positions, with a preference structure that goes beyond most states.
New York's civil service veterans preference is particularly strong for disabled veterans. Under New York Civil Service Law, disabled veterans (those with a service-connected disability of any rating) receive absolute preference — meaning they are placed at the top of the eligible list for state civil service positions, ahead of all non-disabled veteran and non-veteran candidates, when they achieve a passing score.
For non-disabled veterans, a 5-point addition to their civil service exam score is provided. The disabled veteran's absolute preference is one of the strongest civil service protections of any state in the nation.
The NYS Hire-A-Vet campaign, coordinated by the NYS Department of Labor, connects veteran job seekers with private-sector employers across New York State. The program provides:
Veterans receive priority service at all NYS Department of Labor One-Stop Career Centers, meaning reduced wait times and dedicated veteran employment specialists.
Use our state benefits finder to explore the full range of New York employment programs available at your specific disability rating.
New York City's large veteran population — concentrated particularly in Staten Island, the Bronx, and Brooklyn — has led the city to develop a robust set of local veteran benefits that layer on top of state and federal programs. Veterans living within the five boroughs have access to several NYC-specific programs:
In addition to New York State's Alternative Veterans Exemption, New York City offers an additional veteran property tax abatement for qualifying veterans. Eligible NYC homeowners receive a direct reduction in their tax bill rather than just their assessed value — which can provide greater savings in the city's complex property tax system. Contact the NYC Department of Finance for current abatement amounts and eligibility requirements, as these are set locally and subject to annual adjustment.
Eligible veterans in New York City can access a reduced-fare MetroCard, reducing the cost of subway and bus travel throughout the five boroughs. This benefit is available to veterans with service-connected disabilities who meet income and disability thresholds. Apply through the MTA's reduced-fare program with documentation of your VA disability rating.
The Mayor's Office of Veterans' Affairs (MOVA) coordinates veteran services across all five boroughs, operating veteran services hubs in each borough. MOVA provides navigation assistance, emergency benefit connections, housing support, legal aid referrals, and mental health linkages — all at no cost to veterans. MOVA is particularly active in connecting homeless or at-risk veterans to permanent housing through NYC-specific HUD-VASH and rapid rehousing programs.
Use our free state benefits tool to see your complete NY benefit picture based on your rating and county.
Find Your Benefits →Beyond the Veterans Homes and Calverton National Cemetery described above, New York offers several other resources for veteran care and burial:
Most counties do, but the exemption must be adopted at the local level. A small number of municipalities have not adopted it, and the cap amounts vary significantly. Always verify with your local assessor whether the exemption is available in your specific municipality and what the local cap is.
Yes. The VTA is specifically designed to complement the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The VTA can cover tuition costs not fully addressed by the GI Bill — particularly at private NYS institutions or SUNY schools with tuition levels that exceed the federal cap. Apply for both to maximize your education benefits.
Absolute preference means that a disabled veteran who achieves a passing score on a civil service exam is placed at the top of the eligible hiring list, ahead of all other qualified candidates — regardless of how those other candidates scored. It is one of the strongest civil service protections in the country for disabled veterans.
Yes. NYC property tax abatements and exemptions are administered by the NYC Department of Finance, separate from the state programs. You may need to file applications with both the state (through the local assessor) and the city (through the NYC Department of Finance) to receive all benefits you qualify for.
Visit veterans.ny.gov or call the DVS statewide hotline. County-level service officers are listed on the DVS website by county, and most county veterans service agencies also have their own contact pages through county government websites.