Texas military retirement pay tax
Texas has no state income tax. Military retirement pay is not taxed by the state.
Texas disabled veteran license plate
Eligibility: 50%+ SC disability, OR 40%+ due to lower-extremity amputation, certified by the VA.
How to apply: Form VTR-615 at DPS/county tax office. $3 annual fee for the first plate set, free for additional sets. NOTE: the fee waiver is not automatic — you must ask for it.
Agency: TxDMV (plates); TxDOT plus multiple REGIONAL toll authorities (tolls)
Registration, parking, and toll notes
Discounted/waived registration; expanded parking privileges.
Real and significant, but FRAGMENTED across authorities: (1) TxDOT-owned roads (SH 130, SH 45 N/SE, Loop 1 in Austin; Grand Parkway/SH 249/SH 288 in Houston; TEXpress Lanes in DFW) — full waiver, no enrollment needed, automatic with a qualifying plate. (2) HCTRA (Harris County/Houston) — separate "Veteran Discount Tolling Program," free/reduced tolls, requires linking your EZ TAG to the specialty plate. (3) Other regional authorities (Fort Bend County TRA, Central Texas RMA, Northeast Texas RMA) each run their OWN separate program — check with the specific authority for your area.
Texas property tax benefits
100% SC or TDIU = full homestead exemption (all property tax). <100% = partial exemption, $5,000-$12,000 off assessed value depending on rating.
Texas education benefits
Hazlewood can exempt up to 150 credit hours of tuition and specified fees at Texas public colleges for eligible veterans and family members. Texas-entry, service, residency and school requirements apply. Legacy uses a veteran's unused hours for one eligible child at a time; the TVC hours database is not the application.
Texas recreation benefits
September 2026 review: compensated veterans with a 50%+ disability rating or loss of use of a foot/leg may obtain free Super Combo item 502 in person each year; the Federal Duck Stamp is not included. Park passports are separate: honorable discharge supports personal entry; 60%+ service-connected disability or lower-extremity loss supports entry with one companion.
Educational disclaimer
VetOps is not VA, a VSO, DMV, DOT, a tax advisor, or a government agency. This guide is educational only, does not provide legal, financial, or tax advice, and does not guarantee benefits or tax outcomes.