Florida offers a wide range of benefits for veterans, service members, and their families, including support with education, employment, housing, and more. The information provided here is only a general overview to help you explore additional resources that may be available in your state.
Each program listed includes a brief description and a direct link to the official source for more information and how to apply. Please note that we are not experts on these individual programs — this guide is intended to help point you in the right direction.
For the most accurate and up-to-date details, we recommend visiting the official program websites or contacting the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs directly.
Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of at least 10% from the VA may be eligible for a property tax exemption of up to $5,000 in assessed value, and surviving spouses may continue to receive the discount as long as they do not remarry.
Veterans with a service-connected, permanent and total disability rating from the VA, or those confined to a wheelchair who received a specially adapted housing grant from the VA, may be eligible for a full property tax exemption on their homesteads.
Veterans aged 65 or older with a combat-related, service-connected disability rating from the VA are eligible to receive a discount on the assessed value of their homesteads, equal to the percentage of their disability rating.
A service member in the U.S. Armed Forces may qualify for a property tax exemption if they were deployed outside the U.S. in support of a military operation designated by the Florida Legislature during the previous calendar year, with the exemption percentage matching the proportion of the year they were deployed.
The surviving spouse of a resident service member who died from service-connected causes while serving active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces may be exempt from taxes on their homestead.
Exemption from local business taxes and fees imposed under Florida Business Tax Statutes, Chapter 205 may be for eligible veterans, their spouse or surviving spouse, and spouses of service members who are stationed in Florida.
Florida veterans receive preference in state employment for hiring, promotions after deployment, and reemployment, with disabled veterans who received an honorable discharge and wartime veterans receiving preference at every stage—even when no examination is given.
For more information, call 727-518-3202, ext. 5511, or email veteranspreference@fdva.state.fl.us
Florida state employers may waive postsecondary education requirements for a position if the applicant is otherwise qualified.
This applies to members of the Florida National Guard, U.S. Armed Forces Reserves, and honorably discharged veterans.
This program supports veteran employment, especially for those facing barriers to work. At CareerSource Florida Centers, Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists and Local Veterans Employment Representatives offer priority workforce services to veterans and their spouses. These representatives also work directly with employers to advocate for and expand job opportunities for veterans.
On this website, veterans and their families have access to information, resources, and tools to help them achieve their employment goals. Services include job matching, employment support, and the ability to search for Florida jobs based on Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).
This program provides education and resources to veterans, service members (active and reserve), and their spouses to help them succeed in business. Eligible participants can access training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and the tools needed to start or grow a business.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity runs the state’s Reemployment Assistance program, which provides temporary, partial income to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. This employer-funded program also supports various employment services.
Some benefits include:
Applicants who hold a valid professional license from another state can receive an equivalent license in Florida
Renewal exemptions
Fee waivers
Credit for military training and experience toward licensing requirements
Expedited license processing
Benefits available under these licensing agencies
A state program designed to deliver priority workforce services for an active duty service member’s family and activated reserve component service members through local CareerSource Centers
Services provided under the MFEAP include:
Job search and placement assistance
Career planning and counseling
Case management
Resume assistance
Assessment and testing services
Interviewing skills training
Referral to educational and training programs
Job fairs
Job clubs
Information on reemployment assistance
Exemption from basic recruit law enforcement training for an applicant who has served in the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for at least five years.
This program supports current and former service members and their spouses in transitioning into K–12 teaching careers. It offers a temporary teaching certificate, allowing them to teach for up to five years while they complete the full certification requirements.
This program provides hotel accommodations for required employment-related travel, including verifiable job interviews, training for a job or certification, and pre-employment testing like physicals or drug tests. Eligible participants can receive up to 100,000 Hilton Honors points for these activities and must have a Hilton Honors account to get the points.
Higher education benefits for veterans, service members, and dependents. Those eligible can participate in one benefit at a time and may choose the benefit that best suits their educational needs.
Florida Congressman C.W. Bill Young, Veteran Tuition Waiver Program
Florida state universities, colleges, charter technical career centers, and career centers waive out-of-state tuition fees for honorably discharged veterans who served in the active or reserve U.S. Armed Forces. To qualify, veterans must live in Florida while enrolled.
Priority Course Registration
FCS institutions offer priority registration to veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents when they are using VA educational benefits.
Residency for Tuition Purposes for Service Members and and Their Dependents
Florida grants in-state residency for tuition purposes to active duty service members and their dependents who live in Florida or attend a public college within 50 miles of a military base. Active, drilling members of the Florida National Guard also qualify. Additionally, FCS institutions, school district career centers, and charter technical career centers waive out-of-state tuition and fees for active duty service members living or stationed outside of Florida.
Academic Credit for Service Members and Veterans for Military Education and Training
Current service members and honorably discharged Veterans can earn college credit for training and education they received while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Disabled veterans enrolled in a postsecondary program who receive GI Bill education benefits but aren’t at the 100% eligibility tier can receive a fee waiver. The waiver covers the difference between what the GI Bill pays and the full tuition and fees charged by the school.
Florida offers a tuition waiver of up to 120 credit hours for the surviving spouse and children of service members killed in the line of duty. The waiver can be used toward a career certificate, undergraduate, or postgraduate degree, and applies to full-time or part-time study at a state career center, Florida College System institution, or state university.
Florida offers a state tuition assistance program for Florida National Guard members aged 17 or older. It covers 100% of tuition at public colleges and universities at the resident rate, and up to the highest public rate for accredited private schools. Approved book and instructional material costs may also be reimbursed.
Can be used for:
Vocational or technical, industry schools
Certificates and academic degree programs (associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees)
Professional licenses and industry certification exams
For more information, please call 904-823-0339, 904-823-0223 or 904-823-0352, or email ng.fl.flarng.list.edd-office@army.mil
Scholarships are available for the dependent children and spouses of veterans who either died from a service-connected disability or are 100% permanently and totally disabled. Children of service members who are Missing in Action or Prisoners of War may also qualify for tuition benefits.
Florida offers tuition waivers for military veterans who received a Purple Heart or a higher-precedence combat decoration. The waiver covers tuition for up to 110% of the required credit hours for a degree or certificate program. It does not cover other expenses like textbooks, housing, or food, but additional financial aid may be available through the college’s financial aid office.
The Florida Department of Education will award a standard high school diploma to honorably discharged Veterans who did not complete high school graduation requirements due to entering the U.S. Armed Forces.
Removes barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents.
The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs operates eight skilled nursing facilities and one assisted living facility for eligible veterans. These facilities are fully licensed and inspected by the VA and the Agency for Health Care Administration, and they provide 24/7 care under the supervision of registered and licensed nurses.
Location: 751 SE Sycamore Terrace, Lake City, FL 32025
Phone Number: (386) 758-0600
Location: 1920 Mason Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32117
Phone Number: (386) 274-3460
Location: 6919 Parkway Boulevard, Land O’ Lakes, FL 34639
Phone Number: (813) 558-5000
Location: 8401 West Cypress Drive, Pembroke Pines, FL 33025
Phone Number: (954) 985-4824
Location: 21281 Grayton Terrace, Port Charlotte, FL 33954
Phone Number: (941) 613-0919
Location: 4650 State Road 16, St. Augustine, FL 32092
Phone Number: (904) 940-2193
Location: 13000 SW Tradition Parkway, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
Phone Number: (772) 241-6132
Location: 5255 Raymond Street, Orlando, FL 32814
Phone Number: (407) 741-4614
Florida offers a veteran designation on driver licenses/ID cards. Replacement licenses are free only when adding the ‘Veteran’ designation. Veterans with a 100% service-connected, total and permanent rating are eligible for a no-fee license or ID. Homeless veterans, their spouse, and children may receive a free Florida ID card.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) offers 41 distinctive license plate designs to honor the service and sacrifice of service members, Veterans, retired service members and eligible family members
Honorably discharged Veterans who have an ID card issued by the VA indicating they have a 100% total and permanent service-connected disability rating from the VA are eligible.
Homeless Veterans, their spouse and children may be eligible for a free Florida ID card
This permit provides toll exemptions for individuals with severe and permanent upper limb mobility or dexterity impairments that substantially impair their ability to deposit coins in toll baskets.
Service members stationed outside of Florida—and their spouses and children living with them—may be eligible to get an extension on their Florida Class E driver’s license. The extension remains valid until 90 days after discharge from active duty, the family returns to live in Florida, or they receive a new driver’s license or ID from Florida or another state.
Florida National Guard service members currently serving may be eligible for one tax-free license plate registration or renewal each year; however, any additional fees for specialty plates beyond the standard or Florida National Guard design will still apply.
Florida offers a CDL skills test waiver for service members and recently discharged veterans based on their military training and experience. To qualify, applicants must have held a military license for at least two years operating a vehicle similar to the commercial class they’re applying for. The waiver covers only the skills test, not the written knowledge test. Former service members must have been honorably discharged within one year of applying.
Florida offers a free five-year license to eligible resident disabled. Veterans must have a 100% service-connected, total and permanent disability rating from the VA or a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to qualify.
Florida offers the annual Florida Military Gold Sportsman’s License to eligible service members and retired service members at a reduced cost. To qualify, applicants must be either nonresident active duty service members stationed in Florida, Florida resident service members, or Florida resident retired service members who served in an active or reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Nonresident active duty U.S. Armed Forces service members stationed in Florida can purchase hunting and fishing licenses at resident prices. Their spouse and dependent children living in the same household are also eligible. To qualify, applicants must present military orders assigning them to Florida when buying the license.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers a Military/Disabled Veteran Event License Exemption Permit to organizations hosting recreational hunting or fishing events for disabled veterans, service members, and their immediate family members. Participants in these events are exempt from Florida’s recreational hunting and fishing license and permit requirements.
Florida State Parks offer discounted Annual Entrance Passes to service members, veterans, veterans with service-connected disabilities, and surviving spouses of service members killed in combat.
Annual Entrance Pass Discounts:
25% discount for honorably discharged Veterans and active and reserve component service members
Free Lifetime Military Entrance Passes for honorably discharged Veterans who have service-connected disabilities
Free Lifetime Military Entrance Passes for surviving spouses and the parents of service members who were killed in combat
Florida’s Operation Outdoor Freedom provides free recreational and rehabilitative opportunities for eligible veterans on state forests, agricultural land, and private property throughout the state. To qualify, veterans must be Florida residents who have received an honorable discharge and either have a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more from the VA or be a Purple Heart recipient.
For more information, please call 863-224-7013 or 863-221-6146
Wartime Veterans who have a 50% or greater service-connected disability rating from the VA are eligible for an exemption of the commission fee.
The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs issues a disabled veteran ID card to resident veterans with a 100% service-connected, total and permanent disability rating from the VA. This card serves as proof of eligibility for most state benefits, except for homestead property tax exemptions.
For application information, please call 727-319-7440
Florida National Guard service members who are at least 62 years old and have completed 30 good years of service may be eligible for additional state retirement pay, equal to half the base pay for their grade and time in service. Those who are at least 60 but under 62 and otherwise eligible may choose to retire early and receive a reduced benefit.
For more information, please contact the Florida National Guard Retirement Services Office at 904-823-0329, or 904-823-0364 extension 5
Provides down payment and closing cost assistance, along with lower first mortgage rates, to eligible service members, veterans, and surviving spouses buying a home in Florida. The program is open to those purchasing a primary residence in Florida who meet income and loan limits, qualify for a first mortgage, and complete a homebuyer education course.
Economic Assistance – Financial Assistance in the event of an accident, injury, illness or due to National Guard Service
Scholarships – Available for the children of current Florida National Guard service members and former service members who retired with 20 years of service
Books 2 School Bash – School supplies and activities for the dependents of service members
For more information, please call 904-501-3478, or email flngfoundation@gmail.com
Florida (Joint Enlistment Enhancement Program) JEEP offers a monetary incentive to current and retired Florida National Guard service members who help enlist new recruits. To qualify, the service member must provide a lead to a recruiter that results in a successful enlistment.
Florida’s Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) honors Gold Star Families by providing SOS Support Coordinators who offer long-term assistance. These coordinators help survivors navigate state and federal benefits, connect them with local resources and entitlements, provide estate and financial guidance, and link them to support groups and mental health services.
Florida resident disabled veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating from the VA or their branch of service—and who are receiving disability retirement pay—may qualify for an exemption from county and municipal building permit or license fees when making improvements to make their homes safe or habitable.
The Hope Florida Program helps veterans achieve economic self-sufficiency through personalized support and connections to resources, made possible by partnerships with private businesses, faith-based groups, nonprofits, and government agencies.
For more information, please call 833-GET-HOPE (833-438-4673), or email HopeNavigators@fdva.fl.gov
