KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Since July 1, 2026, Kansas veterans rated 100% permanent and total, or paid for individual unemployability, are exempt from state and local sales tax on up to $24,000 a year of purchases. You need a card from the Department of Revenue first.
- Kansas doesn’t tax military retired pay or SBP annuities, but it does tax active-duty pay and TSP withdrawals.
- Veterans paid at the 100% rate get an extra $2,320 personal exemption on their Kansas income tax return, starting with tax year 2025.
- Veterans rated 50% or higher can claim a property tax refund through the Homestead program or the SVR program, which freezes the tax on a home worth up to $350,000.
- A 30% rating gets free hunting and fishing licenses, a 50% rating gets a free Disabled Veteran plate, and children of veterans rated 80% or higher can attend state schools tuition-free.
- Kansas Veteran Benefits by Disability Rating
- Kansas Sales Tax Exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans
- Kansas Income Tax for Veterans and Service Members
- Property Tax Refunds for Disabled Veterans
- Education Benefits
- Employment Benefits
- Driver’s Licenses, Plates and Vehicle Tax
- Hunting, Fishing and Parks
- Kansas Veterans Homes
- Kansas Veterans Cemeteries
- Surviving Spouse and Family Benefits
- VA Health Care in Kansas
- How to Claim Kansas Veteran Benefits, Step by Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas made its biggest change to veteran benefits in years on July 1, 2026, when a sales tax exemption for veterans rated 100% permanent and total took effect. Combined with tax-free military retired pay, property tax refunds at 50% and free hunting and fishing at 30%, it puts Kansas among the stronger states for disabled veterans. A few things catch people out, though: Kansas still taxes active-duty pay and TSP withdrawals, and most benefits need an application before they start. This guide covers each Kansas benefit, who qualifies and how to claim it.
Kansas Veteran Benefits by Disability Rating
Most of Kansas’s benefits for veterans are tied to a VA disability rating. This is what each level unlocks, using the rules covered below:
| Your status | What you get in Kansas |
|---|---|
| Any honorably discharged veteran | Tax-free military retired pay, in-state tuition, state hiring preference, VETERAN designation on your license, free burial in a state veterans cemetery |
| 30% or higher | Free hunting and fishing licenses |
| 50% or higher | Homestead refund or SVR property tax refund (income and home value limits apply); free first Disabled Veteran license plate |
| 80% or higher | Hero’s Scholarship tuition waiver for your spouse and children |
| 100% permanent and total, or individual unemployability | Sales tax exemption on up to $24,000 a year; spouse eligible for state hiring preference |
| Paid at the 100% rate (permanent) | Additional $2,320 Kansas personal exemption |
The 50% and 100% lines carry most of the value. If you’re close to one of them, our VA disability ratings guide explains how VA combines ratings, and our 100% VA disability guide covers permanent and total status and unemployability.
Kansas Sales Tax Exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans
The exemption took effect for purchases on or after July 1, 2026, under a law passed in 2024 (K.S.A. 79-3606h). According to the Kansas Department of Revenue, you qualify if you:
- Live in Kansas
- Have an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions
- Are certified by VA as 100% disabled, or as totally disabled or unemployable (TDIU), and the disability is permanent
What It Covers
The exemption covers both state and local sales tax on up to $24,000 of purchases per calendar year. At a combined rate around 10%, that’s roughly $2,400 a year. Groceries, clothing, appliances, over-the-counter medicine, restaurant meals (not alcohol), home improvement materials you buy yourself, and vehicle repairs and parts all qualify.
It doesn’t cover motor vehicle purchases, rentals or leases, alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, motor fuel, or anything bought for a business, farm or hobby that produces income. Motorized wheelchairs, scooters and electric-assist bicycles may qualify. Purchases over $24,000 in a year are taxable, and the Department can ask for a sworn statement that you stayed under the limit.
How to Get the Card
- Apply online through the Department of Revenue (faster) or mail Form K-97.
- Upload your DD-214 (member copy 4) and a VA award letter or benefit summary letter showing a 100% combined rating or TDIU. A rating decision, claim letter or proof of Chapter 35 eligibility can substitute.
- Allow at least 10 business days. You’ll get an acceptance letter and a wallet-size card that must be renewed every three years.
- Show the original card at checkout. Retailers can’t accept copies.
One card is issued per household. It can list you, your spouse and one household member who shops for you; a caregiver who doesn’t live with you can’t use it. If a store didn’t take the card, ask the retailer for a refund first. If it refuses, you can file a refund claim with the Department (Form ST21-VET) once you have at least $50 in tax to recover, within three years.
A surviving spouse can keep the exemption until remarriage, but only if the veteran qualified and died on or after July 1, 2026.
Kansas Income Tax for Veterans and Service Members
Military Retired Pay and SBP: Exempt
Military retired pay that’s included in your federal adjusted gross income isn’t taxed in Kansas, and neither are Survivor Benefit Plan, RCSBP or RSFPP annuities. Kansas also doesn’t tax Social Security benefits included in federal income. Our military pension calculator shows what your federal retired pay will be.
Active-Duty Pay and TSP: Taxed
This is where Kansas differs from many neighbors. Military pay that’s taxed federally is also taxed by Kansas for residents, and Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals are taxable too, since TSP doesn’t withhold state tax. If you’re deployed to a combat zone, Kansas follows the IRS and extends your deadlines for 180 days after you leave.
A nonresident spouse who is in Kansas only because the service member is stationed there on orders, and who shares the same state of residence elsewhere, doesn’t pay Kansas tax on wages earned in the state.
Extra $2,320 Exemption for 100% Disabled Veterans
Honorably discharged veterans whose permanent service-connected disability VA pays at the 100% rate can claim an additional personal exemption on their Kansas return. It rose from $2,250 to $2,320 for tax year 2025 and later years. VA disability compensation, DIC and military disability retirement for injuries in service aren’t taxable income in the first place.
Property Tax Refunds for Disabled Veterans
Kansas doesn’t exempt a disabled veteran’s home from property tax outright. Instead it pays refunds through two Department of Revenue programs. Both require an honorable or general discharge, a service-connected rating of 50% or more and Kansas residency, and both are open to an unremarried surviving spouse.
| Homestead refund (K-40H) | SVR property tax relief (K-40SVR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit (2025 claims) | $43,389 household income; VA disability isn’t counted | $58,041 household Kansas AGI |
| Home value limit | $350,000 | $350,000 in the base year |
| What you get | A percentage of property tax paid, up to $700 | The increase in your property tax since your base year, which effectively freezes the tax |
| Due | April 15 | April 15 |
For SVR, VA must show the disability began before January 1 of the year being claimed, and the earliest base year allowed is 2021. Which one pays more depends on your income and how much your tax bill has grown since the base year. The Homestead and SVR pages at the Department of Revenue have the details, and you can file both online through Kansas WebFile.
Property Tax Deferral When You Deploy
Service members preparing to mobilize or deploy outside the U.S. for at least six months can defer all or part of the property tax on their home for up to two years. Get the form from your county clerk and file it with the county treasurer.
Education Benefits
Kansas Hero’s Scholarship
Kansas public colleges, universities and technical colleges, plus Washburn, waive tuition and required fees for up to 10 semesters of undergraduate study for the spouse, unremarried surviving spouse and dependent children of resident service members or veterans who:
- Died in the line of duty on state or federal active duty on or after September 11, 2001
- Have a service-connected disability rating of 80% or higher
- Were injured on state or federal active duty on or after September 11, 2001, badly enough that they can no longer perform their duties
Former prisoners of war captured after January 1, 1960 qualify themselves. Apply through the Kansas Board of Regents student aid application (scholars@ksbor.org, 785-430-4300).
Kansas Military Service Scholarship
Kansas residents who served after September 11, 2001 for at least 90 days in an area that qualified for hostile fire pay (or less if wounded there) can get tuition and fees paid at a Kansas public institution for up to four years of undergraduate study. You need an honorable or general discharge, or to still be serving, and to file the FAFSA. Federal aid is applied first, and priority goes to students with the greatest financial need. It works well alongside the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
National Guard Educational Assistance and EMERGE
Kansas National Guard members in good standing can get up to 100% of tuition and fees at accredited Kansas schools, up to 15 credit hours a semester and 180 lifetime undergraduate hours, with a 24-month service commitment after the last semester. Since fall 2025, members can transfer unused hours to a dependent enrolled in DEERS. The EMERGE program pays for master’s and professional degrees in exchange for 48 or 72 more months of service. See our guide to National Guard VA benefits for the federal side.
In-State Tuition and Other Programs
- In-state tuition: veterans eligible for federal education benefits, current service members and their spouses and children pay in-state rates at Kansas public colleges, regardless of how long they’ve lived in Kansas.
- Children of Vietnam veterans: children of a veteran who entered service from Kansas and died of a service-connected disability from Vietnam can attend Kansas public institutions tuition-free for up to 12 semesters.
- Operation Recognition: honorary high school diplomas for veterans who left school to serve in World War II, Korea or Vietnam.
Employment Benefits
Kansas state agencies give veterans’ preference: eligible applicants are guaranteed an interview and consideration, and get preference for promotion and higher retention in layoffs. It doesn’t guarantee a job. For veterans who entered service on or after October 15, 1976, you qualify with an honorable discharge and any one of these:
Want updates when benefit rates change?
Join thousands of service members who get our free weekly briefing.
By subscribing you agree to receive email from USMilitary.org and Military.net. Unsubscribe anytime. We don't sell your email address or give it to anyone for their marketing. Privacy Policy.
- A campaign or expeditionary medal
- A service-connected disability rating, or a release from active duty because of one
- A Purple Heart
- Voluntary retirement in the grade of O-3 or below
The spouse of a veteran rated 100% or unemployable, the unremarried surviving spouse of a service member who died in service or because of it, and the spouse of a POW also qualify. Send a copy of your DD-214 the first time you claim it. State employees in the Guard or Reserve get up to 30 days of paid military leave each October-to-September year, and state employees can buy military service credit with KPERS.
Driver’s Licenses, Plates and Vehicle Tax
- VETERAN designation: available on a Kansas driver’s license or ID with a DD-214 showing an honorable discharge.
- Disabled Veteran plate: no registration fee for the first plate if you’re rated 50% or higher, lost or lost the use of a hand or foot, or have permanent visual impairment in both eyes. The application must be endorsed by the regional VA director first.
- Other plates: 19 military designs, including Medal of Honor, Purple Heart (with optional decals for valor awards), U.S. Veteran (180 days of active duty and an honorable discharge) and Gold Star Mother.
- Vehicle tax for service members: Kansas residents on active or reserve duty are exempt from motor vehicle property tax on two vehicles. Ask your county treasurer.
- Out of state: service members stationed elsewhere and their dependents can renew, replace or extend a Kansas license by mail or email, and get a seven-day grace period on expired registration after a deployment.
Hunting, Fishing and Parks
- Free licenses: honorably discharged resident veterans rated 30% or higher get free hunting and fishing licenses from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Kansas National Guard members get free hunting and fishing licenses and a free state park vehicle permit.
- Stationed in Kansas: nonresident active-duty members can buy all annual licenses, permits and stamps at resident prices.
- Stationed elsewhere: service members who were Kansas residents when they entered service, and family living with them, keep resident pricing (except lifetime licenses).
- PCS refunds: if PCS orders keep you from using a permit, you can get all fees refunded. Fort Riley soldiers also have a military elk draw.
Kansas Veterans Homes
The Kansas Office of Veterans Services runs two homes, each offering assisted living, nursing care and memory care:
| Home | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Veterans’ Home | 1220 World War II Memorial Drive, Winfield | 620-221-9479 |
| Kansas Soldiers’ Home | 714 Sheridan, Unit 128, Fort Dodge | 620-227-2121 |
Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable who need 24-hour nursing care can apply, and spouses, surviving spouses and Gold Star parents can be admitted if space allows. Kansas residency isn’t required, but Kansas residents get preference, and priority goes to veterans without adequate means of support.
Kansas Veterans Cemeteries
Kansas has four state veterans cemeteries. Burial is free for veterans and eligible family members, unless the family chooses not to use the state-provided double-depth liner or needs an oversized casket. Eligibility follows VA national cemetery rules, and there’s no residency requirement.
| Cemetery | Phone |
|---|---|
| Fort Dodge | 620-682-7564 |
| WaKeeney | 785-743-5685 |
| Winfield | 620-705-6300 |
| Fort Riley / Manhattan | 785-717-3050 |
You can apply for a pre-need eligibility determination before it’s needed. Kansas also has five VA national cemeteries.
Surviving Spouse and Family Benefits
- Sales tax: continues until remarriage if the veteran was eligible and died on or after July 1, 2026.
- Property tax: unremarried surviving spouses of disabled veterans can claim the Homestead or SVR refund, and the surviving spouse of a service member killed in the line of duty can claim the Homestead refund.
- Education: the Hero’s Scholarship covers surviving spouses and children in the cases listed above.
- Taxes: SBP annuities and DIC aren’t taxed in Kansas.
- Records: certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates are free when requested through KOVS for a VA claim.
Federal survivor benefits are usually worth more than the state ones. Our guides to VA benefits for surviving spouses and the Survivor Benefit Plan cover them.
VA Health Care in Kansas
Kansas has VA medical centers in Wichita, Topeka and Leavenworth, with clinics across the state; the state veterans homes provide transportation to the Wichita VA. If you haven’t enrolled, apply for VA health care online; our VA health care enrollment guide explains priority groups. If you’re buying near Fort Riley, Fort Leavenworth or McConnell, a VA loan lets you buy with no down payment.
How to Claim Kansas Veteran Benefits, Step by Step
- Get your documents: your DD-214 (member copy 4) and a current VA benefit summary letter showing your rating. The Adjutant General’s archives hold DD-214s for Kansans discharged from 1946 to 1991; for later discharges, call KOVS.
- Talk to a veteran service representative: the Kansas Office of Veterans Services helps with state and federal claims for free (785-296-3976 or 800-513-7731).
- Apply where the benefit is run: the Department of Revenue for the sales tax card and the Homestead and SVR refunds, the Board of Regents for tuition programs, your county treasurer for plates and vehicle tax, and Wildlife and Parks for licenses.
- Recheck after a rating change: 30%, 50%, 80% and 100% each open new Kansas benefits, and none start on their own.
RELATED READING
Oklahoma Veteran Benefits: Complete State Guide →
Kansas’s southern neighbor also has a 100% disabled veteran sales tax exemption, plus a full property tax exemption.
100% VA Disability: Pay, Benefits and How to Qualify →
Permanent and total status and unemployability, the ratings that unlock Kansas’s sales tax exemption.
Compare Kansas with every other state’s taxes, tuition and property tax benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since July 1, 2026, Kansas residents with an honorable or general discharge who are rated 100% permanent and total, or paid for individual unemployability, are exempt from Kansas state and local sales tax on up to $24,000 of purchases a year. Apply to the Department of Revenue online or with Form K-97 for an exemption card, and show the card at checkout. Vehicles, alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, motor fuel and business purchases are excluded.
No. Military retired pay included in federal adjusted gross income is not taxed in Kansas, and neither are SBP, RCSBP or RSFPP annuities. Kansas does tax active-duty pay for residents and TSP withdrawals.
Veterans rated 50% or higher can claim either the Homestead refund (household income of $43,389 or less, home worth $350,000 or less, refund up to $700) or the SVR refund (household Kansas AGI of $58,041 or less, which refunds increases in your property tax since your base year). File by April 15 with the Department of Revenue. Kansas does not fully exempt a disabled veteran’s home from property tax.
The sales tax exemption on up to $24,000 a year, an extra $2,320 Kansas personal exemption, Homestead or SVR property tax refunds, a free Disabled Veteran license plate, free hunting and fishing licenses, the Hero’s Scholarship for a spouse and children, and state hiring preference for a spouse.
Yes, if you have a service-connected rating of 80% or higher, or died or were disabled on active duty after September 11, 2001. The Kansas Hero’s Scholarship waives tuition and required fees for up to 10 semesters of undergraduate study at Kansas public institutions and Washburn for your spouse and dependent children. Apply through the Kansas Board of Regents.
Yes. Honorably discharged Kansas resident veterans with a service-connected rating of 30% or higher get free hunting and fishing licenses from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Kansas National Guard members also get free licenses and a free state park vehicle permit.
Yes, until remarriage, but only if the veteran qualified for the exemption and died on or after July 1, 2026. Surviving spouses of veterans who died earlier are not eligible.
Two veterans homes, the Kansas Veterans’ Home in Winfield and the Kansas Soldiers’ Home in Fort Dodge, and four state veterans cemeteries in Fort Dodge, WaKeeney, Winfield and Fort Riley.
This article is provided by USMilitary.org, an independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with the State of Kansas, the Kansas Office of Veterans Services, VA or any government agency. Benefits and eligibility rules change; confirm current details with the Kansas Office of Veterans Services, the Kansas Department of Revenue or the official Kansas state benefits summary before you apply.