North Dakota Veteran Benefits

If you're a North Dakota military veteran or current servicemember, you could qualify for North Dakota veteran loans and other military benefits. The state provides options for everything from employment help to financial aid to PTSD service dogs, so you'll want to know what's available to you.

Veteran Home Loans

North Dakota hosts current military personnel stationed at the bases shown in this graphic:



In addition to active duty servicemembers, many veterans call the Peace Garden State home. If you hold either title and reside in the state, you may have looked into buying a North Dakota home with a VA loan.

If you qualify, VA loans in North Dakota could help you buy a home much more easily than a conventional loan. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approves certain private lenders to offer these mortgages as long as they fit within certain VA-determined parameters.

VA loans are there to give back to the veterans and servicemembers who have served our country, so they have amazing rates and terms, including:

  • Interest rates that are lower on average than typical mortgages
  • The option to get 100% financing (no down payment)
  • Easier eligibility requirements than non-VA loans, including no minimum credit score
  • No requirement for private mortgage insurance (PMI) payments

The dollar amount you can receive from a VA loan is based on your financial situation, the lender you're working with, and other factors.

VA-approved lenders each have their own ways of determining the amount they'll loan a borrower. Since different lenders offer different terms and interest rates, it's smart to get quotes from a few lenders who are experienced with VA loans.

Low VA Rates focuses exclusively on helping veterans and military personnel, so feel free to call us for a quote at 866-569-8272 or use our easy online quote system to get started.

Veteran Housing Benefits

North Dakota Veterans Home

North Dakota veterans and their spouses can receive skilled nursing care at the North Dakota Veterans Home in Lisbon, which focuses on serving with compassion and respect. To be eligible, an applicant must meet one of these conditions:

  • Be a North Dakota resident

  • Be a veteran who joined the Armed Services from North Dakota

  • Be a veteran of a North Dakota regiment

  • Be a spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran

Other specific eligibility requirements must be met as well. You can contact your Veterans Service Officer for free assistance with applying to the Home.

Property Tax Benefits

North Dakota offers a real estate property tax exemption to veterans who are:

  • Paraplegic or have received VA assistance for a specially adapted house OR

  • Completely and permanently disabled and permanently reliant on a wheelchair for mobility

This exemption can also go to the unremarried surviving spouse of an eligible veteran.

North Dakota also offers a property tax credit to honorably discharged or retired veterans who have a service-related disability of at least 50% or are disabled and rated as unemployable. The credit can also go to the veteran's unremarried surviving spouse.

To apply for a tax benefit, fill out the application form and submit it and the other required documents described on the Tax Information web page to your local tax assessor or tax equalization office.

Veteran Employment & Education Benefits

Education Benefits

Military service can add some obstacles to your educational pathway, which is why North Dakota offers options to support military servicemembers and veterans. These include things like tuition assistance, training opportunities, and free, personalized information and help.

H4 Tag: North Dakota Campus Veterans Centers and Certifying Officials

Many of North Dakota's educational institutions have created campus veterans centers, which you can visit to get help and information on anything that has to do with your educational experience as a veteran.

If your institution is not listed, you can instead look for your institution's State Certifying Officials. These officials help veterans, servicemembers, National Guard members, and their dependents with education benefits. You can find them by clicking on North Dakota on the WEAMS search page, clicking on your institution, and looking under "List of Officials."

North Dakota Non-College Degree Schools

If you are looking for an alternative to a college education, you may want to look at North Dakota's Non-College Degree schools and training institutions that offer veteran-specific programs. Some of these include:

  • Medical Center Training

  • Hair Styling

  • Welding

  • Massage Therapy

  • Industrial Training

For more information, visit the North Dakota VA's web page.

North Dakota Dependent Tuition Waiver

This tuition waiver program allows students who are dependents of certain veterans to attend school without paying tuition or fees. The school the dependent is attending must be a North Dakota college or university, technical school, or vocational school to be part of the program.

Dependents who qualify can be a child, spouse, or surviving spouse of a veteran who is a North Dakota resident and fits one of the following:

  • Was killed in action or because of service-related causes or injuries

  • Was a POW or MIA

  • Is completely disabled because of service-related causes

  • Is deceased because of service-related disabilities

To learn more, you can talk to a staff member in a North Dakota school's financial aid office.

Approved Education Programs

If you've served our country and earned education benefits you want to use, the next step is finding out where you can use them. To find approved North Dakota education programs, go to the WEAMS (Web Enabled Approval Management System) search engine and follow these steps:

  • Choose the type of institutions you'd like to see from the Program Type drop-down menu

  • On the US map, click on "ND"

  • Look through the list of institutions

  • Click on an institution to learn more

The programs at the listed institutions have been approved by the North Dakota State Approving Agency, which is responsible for overseeing the quality of educational programs for veterans in North Dakota.

Free Pre-Educational Training

If you want assistance preparing to begin a college or certification program, the free Veterans Educational Training (VET) is a program you may want to explore. It allows you to take on-campus or online classes to help ease you back into an academic environment, refresh your skills in math, English, computers, etc., and offer support with issues such as enrollment and financial aid.

To be eligible, you must:

  • Be a North Dakota veteran who was not discharged dishonorably

  • Be preparing to enroll in a school or program in North Dakota

  • Have served in the military for at least 181 days or been discharged earlier because of a service-related disability

  • Be a U.S. citizen

Visit North Dakota State University's VET page for more information.

Employment Benefits

Veterans return from their military service with training and experience that can make them very valuable to civilian employers. However, sometimes it can be difficult to break back into the ever-changing world of civilian employment or translate military skills into a language employers can understand. That's why the state offers different options to help veterans get started (or continue) with their careers.

Job Service North Dakota

Job Service North Dakota offers a Veterans' Employment Team that works to assist veterans and their spouses who are looking for work. The team provides services such as:

  • Helping veterans create good resumes

  • Making an individual employment plan for each veteran

  • Helping veterans overcome barriers in their job hunt

  • Giving career and education counseling

  • Advising veterans on job interviews

  • Referring veterans to other helpful services

For more information or to get started, get in touch with the nearest member of the Veterans' Employment Team.

Veterans' Preference in State Employment

According to state law, veterans should receive a hiring preference when applying for positions with North Dakota's government agencies. Spouses of deceased veterans or veterans with disabilities are also required to receive the preference.

Eligible veterans and spouses should receive the following benefits under the preference:

  • If hiring is non-competitive and the veteran is able to perform the duties of the position, the veteran should receive the position

  • If hiring is competitive, the veteran is qualified for the position, and the position includes a hundred-point scale for applicants, the hiring authority should give five points to veteran applicants and ten points to veteran applicants with disabilities

For more information, visit the Army's benefits website and navigate to the section, "What are my North Dakota Military and Veteran Employment Benefits?" If you feel you have not been given the correct preference when applying for a public position, you can appeal and request a hearing.

Other Veteran Benefits

Disabled Veteran License Plates

You may qualify to get Disabled American Veteran (DAV) license plates on up to two vehicles, allowing you to park in North Dakota handicapped zones. The vehicles will also be exempt from excise taxes and annual license fees.

In the event of a veteran's death, their unremarried surviving spouse can choose to keep using one DAV license plate.

To qualify for a DAV license plate, you must have a VA letter certifying your status as 100% disabled for service-connected reasons or giving another reason for your eligibility. Turn in a copy of the letter and an SFN 2872 application to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division.

North Dakota Military License Plates

There are several types of specialty license plates available to North Dakota veterans. You can see the eligibility requirements for each on the ND license plates web page (click any link on the page to learn more). Types include:

  • "Veteran" plus your branch of the military or no branch

  • Disabled American Veteran

  • POW

  • Purple Heart

  • National Guard

  • Gold Star

If you want your plate personalized, you'll have to pay a fee. You can check which personalized license plates are currently available using the Special Letter Plate Search web page. The drop-down menu next to Plate Style includes options for Veteran, Prisoner of War, and other military designs.

Driver's License Veteran Indicator

If you're an eligible veteran, you can get a veteran indicator on your North Dakota driver's license. This indicator may help you receive discounts at retailers or other benefits reserved for veterans. To apply, take your military discharge document to a Veterans Service Officer, who will verify your veteran status and complete the required form you'll need to take to the DMV.

It's free to add the veteran indicator as long as you do so during your regular license renewal. If it's outside of the time of your renewal, you can pay the fee to get a duplicate driver's license with the veteran indicator on it.

North Dakota Assistance Grants

Veterans and their spouses or surviving spouses may qualify for a PWTF Hardship Assistance Grant for financial hardships. The grant covers approved unmet needs of those who have served our country, such as medical bills or treatments, vision or hearing needs, specialized dental work, and housing deposits, among others. To be eligible, you must:

  • Be under certain income and asset limits

  • Be a veteran or eligible dependent of a veteran

  • Have been a resident of North Dakota for at least a year before applying

  • Be able to turn in supporting medical and financial records

Call your nearest Veterans Service Officer for help with a grant application.

Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD

If you are a North Dakota veteran with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you can apply for a grant to get a PTSD service dog. PTSD-related issues may be greatly aided with the help of a PTSD service dog. These dogs are trained in-state and have special skills to help veterans with PTSD, such as:

  • Waking the veteran from distressing nightmares

  • Helping interrupt anxiety attacks

  • Retrieving medications at scheduled times

  • Getting help from another person or using an emergency alert

  • Leading the veteran to a building exit during a crisis

To qualify for a PTSD service dog grant, you must:

  • Be a resident of North Dakota

  • Be a veteran with a PTSD diagnosis

  • Currently participate in therapy or counseling

  • Get a physician's recommendation for a PTSD service dog

Download the application to get started. You can also visit the North Dakota Service Dogs for America website or read the brochure for veterans for more information.

State Loans for Veterans

You may be eligible to get a loan from the North Dakota Veterans Aid Fund if you:

  • Have been a North Dakota resident for a year or longer

  • Are a wartime veteran, a peacetime veteran, or a member of the Guard with active duty experience OR an unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran

  • Are able to pay the loan's projected monthly payments

Half of the interest you pay on the loan can be refunded to you as long as you keep your end of the loan agreement. Contact a Veterans Service Officer to learn more about the interest rates, terms, and benefits of these loans.

National Guard Relief and Assistance

If you're a member of the North Dakota National Guard, you and your family may qualify to receive two forms of assistance through the North Dakota National Guard Foundation:

  • Emergency Relief Fund (ERF): The ERF gives financial assistance to qualifying families in emergency situations, such as accidents, natural disasters, fires, thefts, and illnesses.

  • Tragedy Assistance Program (TAPS): For families who have lost someone who was serving in the military, TAPS helps family members travel to Washington, D.C. for the annual TAPS program. TAPs is a non-profit that provides expeditions, seminars, events, and other supportive services to surviving family members.

For more information, you can call or email the contact person listed on the North Dakota National Guard Foundation web page.

ND Cares Behavioral Health Resources and Other Services

Veterans and servicemembers and their families and survivors can visit the ND Cares website to connect with North Dakota behavioral health providers, crisis support, health and housing assistance, and other resources. The website's services are broken into three categories:

Annual State Park Permit for Disabled Veterans and POWs

You could be eligible for a free annual permit to North Dakota state parks if you are:

  • A North Dakota resident

  • A military veteran with a service-connected disability of at least 50% OR a former POW

If you have a service-connected disability of less than 50% and are not a former POW, you likely aren't eligible for the free permit, but you can get a discounted annual permit.

You'll need to provide either of the following:

  • A Disabled American Veteran or Prisoner of War license plate

  • A Report of Benefit letter from the VA

Find out more by contacting North Dakota Parks and Recreation.

H3 Tag: Discounted Hunting and Fishing Licenses

Hunting and fishing license discounts are available to some veterans. Eligibility for either license depends on your disability rating and resident status:

  • Hunting License: You may be eligible for a discounted combined game, small game, habitat stamp, and furbearer license if you're a North Dakota resident veteran with a 100% service-related disability rating (or a total of 100% with an extra-schedular rating).

  • Fishing License: If you're a North Dakota resident veteran with a service-related disability of at least 50% (which can include an extra-schedular rating for unemployability), you may also be eligible for a discounted fishing license.

For either type of license, you can contact the North Dakota Fish and Game Department office to apply. You'll need to submit an application and a recent copy of your VA disability letter.

North Dakota Veterans Cemetery-Mandan

North Dakota's Veterans Cemetery Foundation provides in-ground burial spaces for veterans' remains, as well as excellent ongoing maintenance of the grounds and facilities. It is located in the Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, which is a place with deep military roots.

Contact the cemetery to learn more.

Veteran Benefits Assistance

The North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs can help you and your family get the benefits you've earned. You can work with the department directly or a Veterans Service Officer (VSO), who can represent you to the VA and other agencies and help you find and apply for benefits. VSO's services are free of charge, and since they specialize in helping veterans meet their unique needs, it can be very beneficial to meet with one near you.

Women Veterans

The NDVA has a Women Veterans website with links and resources there specifically to meet the needs of women veterans in North Dakota. Included on the site are resources like:

  • Center for Women Veterans

  • Women Veterans Registry Card

  • Health Care Services Information

  • A North Dakota Women Veterans Newsletter

About Low VA Rates

Low VA Rates went into business to fulfill the mission of bringing VA loan benefits to servicemembers and veterans, and we've been doing so for over ten years. We'd love to use our experience helping veterans buy homes, consolidate debt, refinance, etc. to help you with your unique mortgage needs.

As a company licensed to do VA loans in North Dakota, we are excited to work with you. Get started by using our easy online application or call us toll-free at 866-569-8272 to get a quote on North Dakota veteran loans.