This guide to Utah veteran benefits covers both state programs run through the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) and partners, and federal VA benefits (health care, disability compensation, GI Bill®, VA home loans). This guide focuses on Utah-specific benefits veterans and eligible family members use most often—homebuyer grant support, property tax relief, education waivers, employment preference, veterans homes, recreation, and where to get free local help—updated for 2026.
Programs, dollar amounts, and eligibility rules change. Always confirm with the official agency linked below, a UDVMA Veterans Service Officer, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs before you apply.
Utah Veteran Benefits: Population & Overview
The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) connects Utah veterans and military members to federal and state benefits: claims assistance, education, employment, housing, recreation, legal aid, burial, and business resources. Trained, accredited VSOs serve statewide. Use current VA NCVAS / VetPop tables for population planning figures—do not rely on commercial “friendliest state” rankings.
UDVMA publishes an official 2026 Utah Veterans Benefits Guide (PDF). Federal VA benefits are separate: enroll and file through VA.gov.
UDVMA contact: 550 Foothill Drive, Suite 105, Salt Lake City, UT 84113 · 801-326-2372 / toll-free 800-894-9497 · [email protected] · veterans.utah.gov
If Utah was your home of record at release, UDVMA may hold a copy of your DD-214 (name, date of birth, and last four of SSN typically required to request).
Major Utah state programs at a glance
- Veteran First-Time Homebuyer Grant — $2,500 toward a first-time Utah purchase (subject to annual funding)
- Disabled Veteran property tax exemption — scales with disability percentage (high maximum taxable value)
- Military retirement tax credit — 4.55% of federally taxable military retired pay
- Purple Heart tuition waiver, Veterans Tuition Gap Program, and Guard STA/STW education aid
- State hiring preference (5% / 10%) and VEOP noncompetitive career path
- Four Utah Veterans Homes
- Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park (Bluffdale)
Utah Veteran Medical & Healthcare Benefits
VA health care (federal)
Most clinical care for veterans is through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Utah is in VISN 19 (Rocky Mountain Network) via the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System—VAMC, multiple outpatient clinics, and Vet Centers. Eligibility is federal; UDVMA VSOs help with enrollment claims free of charge.
- Check eligibility and apply: VA health care eligibility · How to apply (10-10EZ)
- VA Salt Lake City Health Care: va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care
- Find clinics statewide: VA facility locator
- Main VA line: 800-698-2411
- UDVMA healthcare navigation: veterans.utah.gov/healthcare
Utah Veterans Homes (state long-term care)
Utah operates four Veterans Homes offering long-term care, rehab, and memory care (some sites also offer hospice or respite). These are state facilities—different from VA medical centers.
- William E. Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home — 700 South Foothill Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84113 · 801-584-1900
- George E. Wahlen Ogden Veterans Home — 1102 North 1200 West, Ogden, UT 84404 · 801-334-4300
- Mervyn Sharpe Bennion Central Utah Veterans Home — 1551 North Main Street, Payson, UT 84651 · 801-465-5400
- Southern Utah Veterans Home — 160 North 200 East, Ivins, UT 84738 · 435-634-5220
Eligibility (general themes): Utah resident needing nursing home care; active duty greater than 180 consecutive days or reserve component service or service-connected injury/disability regardless of 180 days; honorable discharge; spouses and surviving spouses of eligible veterans may qualify. Confirm current admissions rules with each Home or UDVMA.
Directory: Utah Veterans Homes
Mental health & crisis
- Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 then press 1, text 838255
- Governor’s Challenge suicide prevention resources via UDVMA
- SafeUT support for Utah National Guard members and families; Live On Utah statewide prevention resources
Utah Veteran Housing Benefits
Housing is a high-value part of the Utah veteran benefits landscape—especially the state first-time homebuyer grant, property tax exemptions, and federal VA loan options.
Utah Veteran First-Time Homebuyer Grant
UDVMA’s First-Time Homebuyer Grant provides $2,500 toward a first-time home purchase in Utah for eligible veterans and service members. Funding is subject to legislative appropriation and can close mid-year when funds are depleted.
Core eligibility themes (confirm on the official program page):
- Separated within the last 5 years, or current active duty / Reserve / Guard
- Eligible for a VA Home Loan Certificate of Eligibility
- First-time homebuyer in Utah (owning out of state does not disqualify)
- Dual military/veteran couples: one grant only
- Primary residence within 30 days of closing
When the program is open, packages typically go to UDVMA at least 10 business days before closing, with lender docs to Utah Housing Corporation at least 5 business days before closing. Questions: 801-326-2372 · [email protected] · program page: First-Time Homebuyer Grant
As of the 2026-07-23 research snapshot, UDVMA reported the FY2026 grant closed with funds depleted, with a hoped reopen around August 3, 2026. Always verify current open/closed status on the official page before applying.
Disabled Veteran and Survivors Property Tax Exemption
Utah’s disabled veteran property tax exemption can reduce taxable value on the primary residence. Eligibility generally requires ≥10% service-connected disability; the exemption scales with disability percentage (100% receives the full authorized amount). MyArmyBenefits materials have cited a statutory maximum on the order of $521,620—verify the current annual maximum with the Property Tax Division before filing. Surviving spouses and minor orphans of service members killed in action or who died in the line of duty may receive a full primary residence plus non-business personal property exemption under program rules.
File with your county auditor/treasurer. Overview: Property Tax Division — tax relief
Active / Reserve duty property tax exemption
A full exemption on the primary residence may apply when a service member is stationed outside Utah for 200 days in a continuous 365-day period beginning the prior year, is owner of record on January 1, and applies by September 1 with orders. Reapply yearly.
Federal VA home loan guaranty
Eligible veterans can use the federal VA home loan program through private lenders. Certificate of Eligibility: How to request a COE.
Homeless veterans
- National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: 877-424-3838 (24/7)
- VA homeless programs overview
- UDVMA housing navigation: Benefits & services
Utah Veteran Education Benefits
Education support is a core Utah veteran benefits category for Guard members, Purple Heart recipients, veterans closing a degree gap, and military survivors.
Utah National Guard education
- State Tuition Assistance (STA): up to $7,000 per fiscal year after federal FTA limits (or if FTA-ineligible); grade-average and post-completion service obligation rules apply (commonly 2 years undergraduate / 3 years graduate): Guard STA
- State Tuition Waiver (STW): full-time (12–18 credits) tuition waiver at Utah public colleges for a first associate or bachelor’s degree; application window typically January 1–April 30 with multiple eligibility gates: Guard STW
Purple Heart Tuition Waiver
Utah resident Purple Heart recipients may receive a tuition waiver at USHE schools through the master’s level with proof of award. Confirm campus process via UDVMA education resources: UDVMA Education
Veterans Tuition Gap Program
Up to one year of tuition/fees (and related costs per program rules) for veterans who have exhausted VA education benefits and are in the final year of a bachelor’s degree.
Scott B. Lundell Military Survivors Tuition Waiver
Undergraduate tuition for surviving spouses and dependents of a Utah resident service member who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001. Fees, books, and housing are generally not included.
In-state tuition
- Nonresident service members and families stationed in Utah
- Honorably discharged veterans (within 12 months, using VA benefits, with intent to reside)
- Prior Utah residents; Utah National Guard and Utah-based Reserve members
Other education notes
- Veterans Upward Bound at Weber State — free prep/support for eligible veterans: Veterans Upward Bound
- Honorary high school diplomas for WWII/Korea/Vietnam wartime veterans who left school for service
- Federal education benefits: About GI Bill benefits
Utah Veteran Benefits for Employment & Tax
Military retirement tax credit
Utah provides a nonrefundable income tax credit equal to 4.55% (0.0455) of federally taxable military retired pay. A similar 0.0455 credit structure applies to certain survivor benefit / SBP-type annuities included in federal AGI. Always use current Tax Commission instructions for the year you file.
Utah Income Tax — Military retirement credit · Pub 57 — Military personnel
State hiring preference & VEOP
- Veterans hiring preference on state initial hires: 5 points / 5% for veterans; 10 points / 10% for disabled veterans or Purple Heart recipients; spouses and surviving spouses receive the same points as the veteran
- VEOP — noncompetitive path into designated career-service jobs with a 6-month OJT exam period: VEOP careers
- ASAP for qualified disabled applicants (including VA documentation)
- Paid military leave: 15 days with full pay for reserve component state employees
Details: DHRM — Veterans hiring pathways
Workforce & entrepreneurship
- Department of Workforce Services veteran priority of service, MOS crosswalks, and credentialing support: DWS veterans
- Veterans Business Resource Center and STRIVE entrepreneurship training; veteran-owned business registry
- DOPL military fee waivers and spouse license portability (confirm with your licensing board)
- Federal USERRA and OPM veterans’ preference also apply
Utah Other Veteran Benefits
Driver license / ID and plates
- “VETERAN” indicator on driver license (age 21+) or ID (any age) with honorable discharge proof: Driver License Division — military/veteran
- License may remain valid until 90 days after discharge for service members (and family) stationed outside Utah
- Veterans specialty plates with contribution to UDVMA programs (see DMV / 2026 benefits guide)
Parks & recreation
Free admission to Utah state parks is available for eligible veterans (confirm current eligibility tiers on recreation pages or the 2026 benefits guide). Discounted hunting and fishing licenses are commonly available for certain service-connected disability levels—verify the current DWR schedule before purchasing.
U.S. military veterans and Gold Star families can get a free Military Lifetime Pass for entrance/day-use on many federal lands. This does not replace Utah State Parks privileges.
Burial — Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park
Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park, 17111 South Camp Williams Road, Bluffdale, UT 84065 · 801-254-9036. Veterans generally have no cost for plot, opening/closing, marker, and perpetual care; spouse and dependent fees apply. Eligibility mirrors VA national cemetery rules.
UDVMA — Veterans Cemetery · federal eligibility: VA burial eligibility
Federal disability compensation
Monthly tax-free compensation for service-connected disabilities is federal: VA disability · How to file. UDVMA VSOs or an accredited representative can help at no charge for basic claims assistance: VA claims assistance
How to Apply for Utah Veteran Benefits
- UDVMA VSOs (free claims help) — schedule via claims assistance or regional offices · 801-326-2372 · Claims assistance · Regional offices
- First-Time Homebuyer Grant — when funded, work with UDVMA and Utah Housing Corporation via your lender · FTHB grant
- Property tax exemptions — county auditor/treasurer + Property Tax Division forms · Tax relief
- Education — campus School Certifying Official + Guard education office for STA/STW · UDVMA Education
- Veterans Homes / Cemetery — contact the facility · Homes · Cemetery
- Employment — statejobsutah.gov / VEOP / DWS veterans
- 2026 Benefits Guide — consolidated checklist: benefitBook_2026.pdf
- Federal VA — va.gov · 800-698-2411
- Crisis support — Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255
- Accredited representative — Find VA-accredited help
Official Resources & Contacts
Use these official links to verify and claim Utah veteran benefits. Prefer .gov sources over third-party summaries.
| Resource | Link / contact |
|---|---|
| UDVMA (state) | veterans.utah.gov · 801-326-2372 / 800-894-9497 |
| Benefits & services | Benefits & services |
| HQ address | 550 Foothill Drive, Suite 105, Salt Lake City, UT 84113 · [email protected] |
| Claims assistance | VA claims assistance |
| Regional offices | Regional offices |
| First-Time Homebuyer Grant | FTHB grant |
| Education | UDVMA Education |
| Veterans Homes | Veterans Homes |
| Veterans Cemetery | Bluffdale cemetery · 801-254-9036 |
| 2026 Benefits Guide PDF | benefitBook_2026.pdf |
| Property tax relief | propertytax.utah.gov |
| Military retirement tax credit | incometax.utah.gov |
| DWS veterans employment | jobs.utah.gov |
| Driver License Division | dld.utah.gov |
| VA Salt Lake City Health Care | va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care |
| Veterans Crisis Line | 988 then 1 · text 838255 |
| VA.gov | va.gov · 800-698-2411 |
| Homeless veterans hotline | 877-424-3838 |
Proud Veteran provides general information for veterans and families. We do not determine eligibility, provide legal or tax advice, or replace UDVMA, county assessors, the Tax Commission, Driver License Division, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Verify every benefit with the linked official sources before you apply.
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