Wyoming State Veterans Benefits

Today, we bring you the State Veterans Benefits for Wyoming.  This information was gather from the Wyoming Veterans Commission web site.

Wyoming Driver License Veteran Designation

Property Tax Exemption

  • Apply at your County Assessor’s Office between January 1 and the fourth Monday in May each year.
  • A recent change to the law allows for a streamlined renewal process. Once you provide documentation to establish your initial eligibility, you may call the County Assessor’s Office during this time period and renew your exemption.
  • Eligibility
    • Veterans must be residents of Wyoming three or more years prior to claiming the tax exemption
    • have a DD Form 214 or equivalent from their branch of service.
    • Additionally, one of the following must apply:
      • Served in the Armed Forces during:
        • World War II (Dec. 7, 1941 – Dec. 31, 1946)
        • Korean War (June 27, 1950 – Jan. 31, 1955)
        • Vietnam War (Feb. 28, 1961 – May 7, 1975)
        • Must have served overseas during an armed conflict and received an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or equivalent; or
        • Be a disabled Veteran with a compensable service-connected disability as certified by VA or a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. VA or DoD agency disability letter required.
        • Be the surviving spouse of a qualifying Veteran who resides in Wyoming and did not remarry.
  • The exemption applies to taxes on a Veteran’s primary residence lowering the assessed value by $3,000. The $800 cap was removed in 2007. Veterans who reached the previous cap have new eligibility and they should reapply for this important benefit.
  • Applying exemption to vehicles
    • If the exemption is not used on property, it may be applied to a vehicle’s licensing fee (not sales tax). More than one vehicle may qualify, but the total exemption shall not exceed $90.
    • The vehicle(s) must be titled to the Veteran before qualifying. Leased vehicles do not qualify.

Hunting, Fishing, and Parks

  • Free Fishing License
    • 50% disabled Veteran, resident of Wyoming for not less than one year and submit a letter from the VBA Regional Office certifying the 50% level of service connected disability compensation of the applicant.
  • Free Bird, Small Game, and Fishing Licenses
    • 100% disabled Veteran, resident of Wyoming for not less than one year and submit a letter from the VBA Regional Office certifying the 100% level of service connected disability of the applicant.
  • Free Hunting and Fishing While on Leave
    • Any Wyoming resident who is on active duty in the U.S. Military deployed to a combat zone, who is home on leave, and will return to a combat zone.
  • Special Limited Fishing Permit for Hospitalized Veterans
    • In coordination with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, a free license can be issued by any VA Hospital within Wyoming, Wyoming Department of Health, or Wyoming Department of Family Services to a resident of the Veterans’ Home.
    • Veteran must fish under direct control of the institution.
  • Active Duty in Wyoming
    • Any active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces who has been stationed in Wyoming for 90 days shall qualify as a resident so long as the active duty member remains stationed in Wyoming.
  • Donated Big Game Licenses for Disabled Veterans
    • Any person may donate a big game license for reissuance, free of charge, to a disabled Veteran. The disabled Veteran must be selected and sponsored by a nonprofit charitable organization providing hunting opportunities for disabled Veterans in order to receive the donated license.
  • To learn more visit http://wgfd.wyo.gov.

Free Lifetime State Park Pass

  • Wyoming State Parks & Cultural Resources (SPCR) offers a 50% Disabled Veteran Annual Day Use and Camping Lifetime Permit.
  • You must be a resident of Wyoming and submit a letter from the VA Regional Office certifying the 50% level of service connected disability and an application from SPCR.
  • The application is available from State Parks. For more information, call 307-777-6323 or visit http://wyoparks.state.wy.us/Permits/Index.aspx.

Wyoming Military Related License Plates

Applications for the Veteran license plate and Gold Star plate shall be made directly to the Wyoming Veterans Commission or online at:

http://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates.html.

 

Prisoner of War (POW) License Plate

Gold Star Family License Plate

Purple Heart Recipient (PH) License Plate

Disabled Veteran (DV) License Plate

  • One set of license plates shall be issued to disabled Veterans who provide an affidavit from the VA stating they receive 50 percent or more service-connected disability compensation from the VA.
  • Disabled Veterans are exempt from registration fees for one vehicle, other than a commercial vehicle, motorcycle, multipurpose vehicle, bus or motor home.
  • Veteran may either choose the DV License plate as their free plate; or Veteran may choose any other military related plate for which they qualify as their free plate,
  • http://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates/Disabled_Vet.html

Pearl Harbor Survivor (PHS) License Plate

National Guard (NG) License Plate

Veteran License Plate

Wyoming Veteran License Stickers

  • Available for purchase from the Wyoming Veterans Commission.
  • Costs are $11.50 for auto and trucks and $11.00 for motorcycles. No stickers for trailers.
  • Only one set of license plate stickers may be displayed on any one vehicle or motorcycle.
  • Surviving spouses may continue to purchase stickers if they were previously purchased by the Veteran.
  • Proceeds go to the Wyoming Veterans Commission Trust Fund.
  • Wyoming Veteran License Stickers Available
    • World War II
    • Korean War
    • Vietnam War
    • Gulf War
    • Noble Eagle
    • Enduring Freedom
    • Iraqi Freedom
    • War on Terror
    • VETERAN
  • For more information and to request applications, call 1-800-833-5987.

Education

  • Free Tuition for War Veterans and Surviving Dependents
    • Wyoming provides 10 free semesters of tuition and fees for overseas combat Veterans at the Wyoming community colleges or the University of Wyoming.
    • Surviving spouses and dependent children are also eligible for this benefit if the military member died in combat.
    • For more information, contact the Veterans Representative at the institution or visit http://www.communitycolleges.wy.edu/veterans-tuition-benefit.aspx.

Wyoming National Guard (WY NG) Educational Assistance Plan (EAP)

  • WY NG members may receive 100% of tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Wyoming, the seven community colleges, and the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy.
  • Members may receive partial payment of tuition at private colleges and institutions for programs offered within Wyoming.
  • Army Guard members call 307-772-5169
  • Air Guard members call 307-772-6325 or 307-772-6150
  • For more information, call 307-777-8160 or visit https://wyomilitary.wyo.gov.

University of Wyoming Veterans Services Center

  • The center was created by the Division of Student Affairs to assist returning Veterans access the resources the University has compiled to help veterans make a smooth transition from military service to the University of Wyoming.
  • For more information, call 307-766-6908 or visit http://www.uwyo.edu/vetservices/.

As always, if there are any benefits we may have missed, please let us know, and we will add it to the list.

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