New Hampshire

New Hampshire Veteran Benefits

If you're stationed in the New Hampshire or are a veteran living here, you could qualify for state military benefits. These benefits can help you find employment, housing, educational opportunities, and more.

Veteran Home Loans

Are you a New Hampshire veteran, or are you stationed in the Granite State with the Air Force or Navy? Instead of renting, you might be able to purchase your own home or condo. You could even find a home close to one of the state's military bases for convenient access.

Current servicemembers and veterans can qualify for VA loans in New Hampshire. These types of home loans can make buying a home simpler and faster than if you buy one using a traditional mortgage because of benefits such as:

No requirement to save up a down payment for a house
Lower interest rates than many other mortgage types, leading to lower expenses
No requirement to have a good credit score
No private mortgage insurance (PMI) payments

Even if you have no down payment and a difficult credit history, a good lender can work with you. Low VA Rates has helped many veterans and military personnel in that exact situation.

Private lenders issue VA loans, even though the VA sets up the guidelines and guarantees for them. Each private lender has different rates and processes, so you should get quotes from several and decide which makes the most sense for your situation.

A key to a good VA loan experience is finding a lender that really understands VA loans and the issues facing veterans and servicemembers. At Low VA Rates, we decided years ago to specialize in helping veterans. We've explored VA loans more than many other lenders have, so we can serve those who've served us.

Veteran Housing Benefits

New Hampshire Veterans Home

The New Hampshire Veterans Home is surrounded by natural beauty in the White Mountains. It's a dignified and caring place for New Hampshire veterans to get the medical care they need. To be eligible for admission, you must:

Be a veteran with at least 90 days of active duty wartime service
Have been a resident of New Hampshire for at least a year right before you apply
Have an honorable discharge from the US Armed Forces or the Reserves or Guard
Have medical conditions that the home can treat
Not be a danger to yourself or others

To apply to the New Hampshire Veterans Home, you can fill out the forms in the admissions packet and send them to the address listed at the bottom of every page in the packet.

Property Tax Credit for Wartime Veterans & Surviving Spouses

You can get a property tax credit if you're a wartime veteran or the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran. To be eligible for this credit, you must:

Have an honorable discharge from the military or have been released from the military because of a service-related disability
Have served for at least 90 days on active duty in a qualifying war or armed conflict (which can include Title 10 training if you're a member of the Reserves or Guard)
Be a resident of New Hampshire

Unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who were killed during active duty can qualify for a different (larger) property tax credit.

Property Tax Credit for Disabled Veterans & Surviving Spouses

Disabled veterans living in homes that have not been specially adapted can also qualify for a property tax credit. The amount can range from $700 to $2000. To be eligible, you must:

Be a veteran with a permanent and complete service-related disability, a double amputation, or paraplegic or be an unremarried surviving spouse of a deceased veteran
Live in the property as your primary residence

To find out if you can get this tax credit, you can contact your county tax assessor.

Property Tax Exemption on Specially Adapted Homesteads

You may be completely exempt from paying real estate property tax if you and your home meet the following qualifications:

You are a veteran with a permanent and total service-related disability, including blindness, paraplegia, or double amputation
You own a specially adapted property that you bought with VA assistance (or that you bought using the money you earned selling a previous property that you bought with VA assistance)

If you're the surviving spouse of a veteran who was eligible, you may also be eligible. Check with your county tax assessor to learn more.

Veteran Employment & Education Benefits

Education Benefits

New Hampshire prioritizes the educational needs of its veterans and their families. This is done through free tuition opportunities, priority access to training, and other education benefits.

Veterans Education Services

In New Hampshire, their State Approving Agency (SAA) is sometimes called the Veterans State Approvals agency. They are responsible for regulating all in-state programs where servicemembers can use their education benefits.

If you're considering a New Hampshire institution of learning, you can check to make sure it has GI Bill-approved programs by using the VA's Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS):

After clicking on the WEAMS link, select "NH" on or below the map
Locate the institution you're interested in
Click on it to learn more about the programs available

If you don't see an institution on the list that you're curious about, you can check with a New Hampshire State Office of Veterans Services to verify if it offers approved programs.

Veterans Priority for Training Opportunities

You can get priority access to certain training programs that receive government funding, based on New Hampshire law. To be eligible for this priority, you must:

Have served on active duty with the US military OR have served on active duty with a reserve component during wartime or in an official campaign or expedition
Have an honorable discharge OR have a release because of a service-related disability
Meet the requirements for the training program

You can apply for this benefit with the training provider by turning in proof of your service, such as a DD-214 form, before your training program begins.

Free Tuition for Children of Missing or Captured Servicemembers

The children of certain servicemembers can get free tuition at New Hampshire community colleges. To qualify, their servicemember parent must have been:

Reported as MIA or as a POW
Serving in the US military after February 28, 1961
A resident of New Hampshire

The student can continue to be eligible as long as the servicemember is still MIA or a POW. You can contact you nearest State Office of Veterans Services to find out how to apply for this benefit.

Free Tuition for Children of Deceased Servicemembers

Children of certain deceased veterans can qualify for free tuition at public universities and colleges in New Hampshire. The student may also qualify for a scholarship to help with yearly expenses, such as room and board, books, and other supplies for up to four years.

The veteran must have died while serving in the US military during wartime OR have been a wartime veteran who died because of a service-related disability.

To learn how to apply for this benefit, you can contact a State Office of Veterans Services.

Employment Benefits

There are many employers in New Hampshire who are looking to hire veterans. However, sometimes it can seem difficult for you to know how your experience in the military translates into a civilian career. New Hampshire's employment benefits and services simplify this process so you can find the work you need.

Priority Access to Employment Security Resources

If you're looking for work, you can go to a New Hampshire Employment Security office to get help. If you tell the staff you're a veteran or a qualified spouse, you'll be granted priority assistance to all of their services and programs, including:

Career counseling
Help with job searches
Resume writing
Trainings & workshops
Labor market research
Job referrals & placement
Referrals to other resources

To be an eligible veteran, you must have:

Served on active duty in the US Armed Forces or full-time federal duty as a member of the Guard or Reserves (does not include training or state mobilization)
Been released or discharged under non-dishonorable conditions

In order to be considered eligible, spouses must one of the following conditions:

Be the surviving spouse of a veteran who died because of a service-related disability
Be the spouse of a servicemember who is MIA or a POW at the time you apply for these services
Be the spouse of a veteran who has a complete and permanent service-related disability
Be the spouse of a veteran who died while he or she had a complete and permanent service-related disability

Veterans Hiring Preference

Veterans can receive a hiring preference when they apply for jobs with:

The New Hampshire State Office of Veterans Services
The New Hampshire Liquor Commission
The New Hampshire Veterans Home
State and local public works positions
Other public positions

Preference is also extended to unremarried surviving spouses of deceased veterans and to the spouses of disabled veterans if they apply for state or local public positions.

Reemployment Benefits for Veterans

If you left a public position in New Hampshire to perform active duty military service, you may be protected by a reemployment benefit. To be eligible for this benefit, you should apply to get your job back within 90 days after your discharge from your military service.

Peddler's License Fee Exemption

If you're a veteran with a service-related disability, or the widow of a deceased veteran who was disabled, New Hampshire offers an exemption that would allow you to receive a free peddler's license.

Other Veteran Benefits

New Hampshire offers a variety of other benefits to veterans as thanks for their service. From financial relief services and bonuses to free services like state park admissions and hunting and fishing privileges, these benefits are designed to make your life better and more convenient.

War Bonuses

New Hampshire pays bonuses to resident veterans who served a qualifying number of days in certain wartime periods, including:

The Vietnam War
The Persian Gulf War
The Global War on Terrorism

To be eligible, you must:

Have been a New Hampshire resident when you joined the military
Have received an honorable discharge
Have not received a bonus for the same wartime period from another state

You can view the application forms online, or you can contact your closest State Office of Veterans Services to learn more.

Relief Benefits

If you're in a difficult financial situation, you may be able to get financial support from your city or town. You could qualify for this benefit if you:

Are a veteran of wartime service
Have an honorable discharge
Are unable to support yourself right now

This benefit can also support the spouses, surviving spouses, and minor children of veterans. To find out how to apply for this benefit, you should talk to someone at your nearest State Office of Veterans Services.

Veterans License Plates

You can get a specialty veteran license plate if you're a veteran of the US military with an honorable discharge, which you will need to provide documentation of. To learn more about how to apply, you can contact the DMV.

License Plate Fee Exemptions for Veterans

You can get a free specialty license plate if you:

Own a vehicle from the VA and are an amputee or paraplegic with a permanent service-related disability rated at 100%
Are rated by the VA as completely blind because of a service-related disability
Were a prisoner of war (POW)

Other veterans can also receive specialty plates with a small registration fee if they:

Have a walking disability
Are a survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor
Received a Purple Heart

Parking Benefits for Disabled Veterans

If you received a free disabled veteran license plate for being blind, paraplegic, or an amputee, you can get free parking in any town or city in New Hampshire. However, in order for this benefit to apply, the owner of the vehicle must be in direct control of it at the time.

Free Driver's Licenses for Disabled Veterans

If you're a disabled veteran, you may be able to get a free driver's license. To qualify, you must fit one of these requirements:

You are a paraplegic or amputee who has been given a motor vehicle by the VA
You have been rated by the VA as having a service-related disability that is both total and permanent

You can apply for your free license at your local DMV office.

Veteran Indicator on Your Driver's License

If you served in the military and were discharged honorably, you can have a indicator of your veteran status added to your driver's license. There is no additional cost to have this indicator added, but you will still need to pay the regular licensing fee.

To apply, you will need to fill out the license application form, making sure to check the box saying you wish to add the Veteran Indicator under the "OPTIONAL" section of the form. When you turn this form in at your local DMV office, you will need to also bring proof of your honorable discharge status.

Free State Park Admission

Would you like to visit a New Hampshire state park? You might qualify for free day-use admission if you have a service-related disability that's been rated by the VA or you are in the New Hampshire National Guard.

If you have a disability, you can get free admission by either:

Having a New Hampshire disabled veteran license plate
Providing a letter from the VA stating that you have a service-related disability

To get a letter from the VA, you can call the VA at 800-827-1000 to ask them for a "state park letter."

Current and retired members of the New Hampshire National Guard can get free admission if they are a resident of New Hampshire and are in the E1–E6 pay grades.

Fishing & Hunting Licenses

You may qualify to get a free hunting and fishing license in New Hampshire. Please note that while the license is free, you may be charged a one-time administrative fee of $10. This license is perpetual and does not need to be renewed.

Be a veteran with an honorable discharge
Be a New Hampshire resident
Have a complete and permanent service-related disability

Veterans who don't have a 100% disability rating may also qualify for a 50% discount on their fishing and hunting license, as long as they are at least 80% disabled.

Finally, residents of New Hampshire's veterans' home, as well as patients at the VA Medical Center in Manchester, may also qualify for a free fishing permit if they meet certain conditions.

If you qualify for either a free or reduce-free hunting or fishing license, employees at your local Office of Veterans Services can help you apply.

Burial for Indigent Veterans

If a wartime veteran dies and his or her family doesn't have enough money to pay for their funeral expenses, the town or city where they died will pay for their burial.

To be eligible, the veteran must be a New Hampshire resident with active duty wartime experience of at least 90 days and a discharge that was not dishonorable.

New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery

Veterans can be interred at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery if they have:

An honorable discharge or separation
Active duty experience beyond training

Members of the National Guard or Reserves, as well as dependents of a veteran, may also be qualified if they meet specific conditions.

For a member of the Guard or Reserves to be eligible, they must fit at least one of the following criteria:

They qualified for retired pay or would have qualified at age 60
They served a period of federal active duty that wasn't just for training
They meet any other condition listed in the most current National Cemetery Administration (NCA) directive

Dependents that may be eligible for interment include:

Non-veteran spouses of eligible veterans
Unmarried minor children of eligible veterans
Unmarried adult children who are full-time students or incapable of supporting themselves

You're encouraged to pre-apply for a space at the cemetery using this pre-application form. Pre-application can make interment simpler once it's necessary.

Veteran Benefits Assistance

If you need help getting your benefits, you can meet with staff members at the New Hampshire State Office of Veterans. They can help you and your dependents apply for state veteran benefits, as well as any federal benefits may be interested in.

You can schedule an appointment with your nearest representative by using the contact information online.

Military Records

If you need help getting your military records in order to apply for benefits, you can request a certified copy through your nearest veterans service office.

About Low VA Rates

Low VA Rates decided years ago that we'd focus our efforts on helping veterans and servicemembers access their VA loan benefits. When it comes to New Hampshire veteran loans, we have the experience you need. After all, we've helped tens of thousands of servicemembers just like you get into a home with no money down.

If you need a quote on VA loans in New Hampshire, you can call one of our experienced loan officers at 866-569-8272. Or you can also use our simple online application process.