Veteran taxes by state
Florida veteran taxes
How Florida treats military retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan annuities in its income tax, and its property tax and vehicle registration relief for disabled veterans — from the state’s own pages.
On this page5 sections
- Military retired pay
- No income tax
- SBP annuities
- No income tax
- Property tax
- Exemption or credit
- Vehicle registration
- Fee waiver or discount
Military retired pay in Florida
No income taxSource 1
Florida has no personal income tax, so military retired pay is not taxed by the state. The Department of Revenue states that Florida does not impose a personal income tax (Section 5, Florida Constitution).
Survivor Benefit Plan annuities
No income taxSource 1
Florida has no personal income tax, so Survivor Benefit Plan annuities are not taxed by the state.
Property tax relief for disabled veterans
Exemption or creditSources 2, 3, 4, 5
Under Fla. Stat. § 196.081, the homestead of a veteran who was honorably discharged with a service-connected total and permanent disability, certified by a letter from the U.S. Government or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is exempt from taxation if the veteran is a permanent resident of Florida on January 1 of the tax year. Florida also grants a $5,000 exemption to honorably discharged resident ex-servicemembers disabled 10 percent or more by misfortune or while serving during a period of wartime service (§ 196.24) and a homestead tax discount for veterans age 65 or older with a combat-related permanent disability (§ 196.082). Applications go to the county property appraiser.
- Total and permanent service-connected disability (§ 196.081): full exemption of the homestead from ad valorem taxes; the Department of Revenue says a similar exemption is available to disabled veterans confined to wheelchairs (§ 196.091).
- $5,000 exemption (§ 196.24): property to the value of $5,000 of a resident ex-servicemember discharged under honorable conditions and disabled 10 percent or more by misfortune or while serving during a period of wartime service; not limited to homestead property.
- Combat-related disability discount (§ 196.082): veterans age 65 or older, partially or totally permanently disabled, honorably discharged; the discount on homestead tax is a percentage equal to the VA service-connected disability percentage; apply by March 1.
Surviving spouse
- The § 196.081 exemption and the § 196.082 discount carry over to the spouse who holds title to the homestead and permanently resides there, until the spouse remarries or sells or disposes of the property (on a sale, up to the amount on the most recent tax roll may move to a new primary residence if the spouse does not remarry).
- The unremarried surviving spouse also keeps the § 196.24 $5,000 exemption.
- The homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died from service-connected causes while on active duty is also exempt (§ 196.081(4)).
Vehicle registration for disabled veterans
Fee waiver or discountSource 6
Under Fla. Stat. § 320.084, one free disabled veteran license plate is issued for a motor vehicle owned or leased by an honorably discharged disabled veteran who has lived in Florida continuously for the preceding 5 years or has established a Florida domicile, and who has a VA service-connected 100-percent disability rating for compensation, a service-connected 100 percent rating with military disability retirement pay, or a vehicle first acquired with VA financial assistance for the purchase of an automobile. A service charge under s. 320.04 and an additional 50 cents on each plate and validation sticker still apply.
- Plate: permanent disabled veteran plate in red, white and blue; a front plate showing only the letters DV is available on request; registration is renewed annually or biennially with a certified statement of continued eligibility.
- A qualifying veteran may choose a military plate or a specialty plate with the initials DV instead, paying that plate’s fees except those waived under subsections (1) and (4).
Sources
Each source was read on October 28, 2026 on the state’s own site, the normal way. The numbers in the sections above point here.
- Do I have to file a personal income tax return in Florida?
- Property Tax Benefits for Active Duty Military and Veterans (PT-109)
- 196.081 Exemption for certain permanently and totally disabled veterans and for surviving spouses of veterans; exemption for surviving spouses of first responders who die in the line of duty.
- 196.24 Exemption for disabled ex-servicemember or surviving spouse; evidence of disability.
- 196.082 Discounts for disabled veterans; surviving spouse carryover.
- 320.084 Free motor vehicle license plate to certain disabled veterans.