Oklahoma

Oklahoma Veteran Benefits

As a servicemember or veteran in Oklahoma, you have access to a great lineup of benefits. You can get help with education, employment, housing, and other needs. Some of the benefits you're entitled to may not be as well-known as others, so check out the list below.

VA Home Loans

If you're stationed in Oklahoma, you might be interested in buying a house near one of the following military bases:



Whether you're assigned to one of the bases above or you're a veteran living in Oklahoma, you may have considered buying a house (or refinancing your current mortgage). The path to your homeownership and financial goals could be shorter than you think—if you tap into your VA loan benefits.

Because of the VA's guaranty on VA loans, lenders are able to offer mortgages with some major advantages over other loan types. VA loans:

  • Have lower interest rates than the average conventional mortgage
  • Don't require a minimum credit score
  • Can cover 100% of the price of your home
  • Don't include private mortgage insurance (PMI) payments

You can check if you're eligible for VA loans in Oklahoma by contacting a VA-approved lender like Low VA Rates.

Each private lender that issues loans using the VA's guidelines has their own terms and rates. It's a good idea to get quotes from a few lenders and compare them to find what works best for your situation.

The amount you can get as an individual borrower—as well as your interest rate and other loan details—depends on different factors as well, like your financial situation. You can get a quick quote from Low VA Rates through our easy online application or by calling us toll-free at 866-569-8272.

Veteran Housing Benefits

Oklahoma Veteran Centers

Oklahoma operates seven veteran care centers. These homes provide services such as nursing care, Alzheimer's and dementia resident care, social activities and games, physical therapy, outings, pharmacy and rehabilitation services, social workers, and more.

The seven centers are located in the following locations:

To be eligible, a veteran must be VA-certified to receive per diem payment and:

  • Have served in the military for 90 days or longer, with at least one day of active duty (unless discharged earlier because of a service-related disability)
  • Be disabled by disease, age, or something else

To reside at a nursing care center, you also have to require skilled nursing care. Spouses and surviving spouses of veterans may be eligible for admission after eligible veterans have been accepted.

When you apply, you'll need:

  • A copy of your release or discharge papers
  • A letter showing your VA disability rating
  • Documentation of your ex-POW status, if applicable

Housing Assistance for Homelessness

If you are facing homelessness in Oklahoma, there are several organizations and programs that can help. The Homeless Alliance is an organization that helps veterans in the Oklahoma City area deal with long-term homelessness. It offers a day shelter that veterans can enter with a companion animal, health care, access to computers, legal help, and other services.

The Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program gives grants to organizations that help veterans and their families who are homeless or in danger of eviction. Services include case management, limited payments of bills, health care, child care, legal aid, and more.

Eligibility depends on veterans being below a certain income level, having at least one day of active duty service, and not having a dishonorable discharge. There are three Oklahoma locations:

Other VA resources for veterans at risk of or facing homelessness in Oklahoma include aid with things like:

  • Housing help
  • Employment guidance
  • Health care
  • Justice and re-entry services

For more information or to find local assistance, speak with your local Veteran Services Representative (VSR). For immediate help, call the Oklahoma VA crisis line at 1-800-273-8255 or the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans.

Property Tax Benefits

You can get a disabled veteran exemption from your property taxes on the full fair cash value of your homestead.

You may qualify for this exemption if you are:

  • An honorably discharged veteran of the US military or Oklahoma National Guard with a service-related, permanent disability the VA has rated at 100%, OR the surviving spouse of an eligible veteran
  • Eligible for homestead tax exemption on the property you are applying for
  • A resident of Oklahoma

You'll need the original letter (sent by the ODVA to eligible veterans) with a raised seal that verifies your eligibility for this exemption and your disability status. The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs or the VA can help you get this letter if you don't currently have it. When you have the letter, you can apply for this exemption through your county tax office using form OTC 998.

Veteran Education & Employment Benefits

Education Benefits

If you are looking to move forward with your education or professional training, there are many approved programs in Oklahoma where you can use your military education benefits. There are also campuses that have centers and organizations specifically for assisting veterans.

State Approving Agency

Oklahoma's State Accrediting Agency (SAA) works to help every veteran, reservist, and other eligible person access high-quality educational programs where they can use their education benefits. The SAA examines, approves, and reviews testing for certification and licensing as well as programs at more than 700 Oklahoma training facilities and education institutions.

To see a list of approved programs and institutions, you can use the Web Enabled Approval Management System (WEAMS):

  • Go to the WEAMS website
  • Click on "OK" (for Oklahoma) on the map or in the list of abbreviations below the map
  • Look through the list of organizations and click on any of them to see more information, including contact details

Student Veterans Centers

Some of Oklahoma's major institutions of higher education have on-campus veterans' centers that work to address the needs of their student veterans and current servicemembers. These can be very helpful to servicemembers and their dependents as they navigate the use of their earned benefits and work to integrate into student life.

These centers work to do things like guide undergraduate and graduate students to community support services, help with enrollment certification, work through educational benefit requirements, and offer career and academic counseling.

Some Oklahoma universities that offer these centers include:

Additionally, Student Veterans of America is a non-profit organization that offers support to veterans returning from military service and beginning a path of education. Find a chapter near you.

Contact your university or the institution you plan on attending for more information about the veteran support they offer.

Veterans Upward Bound for Postsecondary Preparation

Veterans Upward Bound projects helps veterans prepare for their education in a university, college, or vocational/technical program. Services include things like:

  • Tutoring and instruction in academic topics
  • Counseling for financial aid and academic support
  • Education on available programs, events, and veteran opportunities
  • Help with applications for financial aid or program entrance

Programs in Oklahoma include:

Contact the program to find out more about what they offer.

National Guard Tuition Waiver

Oklahoma National Guard members may qualify to have their full tuition waived in the state. You may be eligible if you:

  • Are an Oklahoma resident (defined by the college/university you're enrolled in) and have a high school diploma/GED
  • Are enlisting in the Oklahoma Army National Guard
  • Have enough time on your National Guard contract to finish the school semester
  • Have not already received a baccalaureate or graduate degree
  • Meet standards for admission and retention at the institution

You'll need to take 3-18 credit hours per semester at an accredited, in-state university and keep a GPA of at least 2.0. The waiver only applies to courses that help you progress toward your degree.

Heroes Promise Scholarship

Through the Heroes Promise program, Oklahoma offers a scholarship for children of U.S. Armed Forces veterans who died during service or from a service-caused injury. The program was created because of House Bill 1343 and began in 2011.

You may be eligible if:

  • You're an Oklahoma resident
  • You're the child of a veteran who died after Jan. 1, 2000, either in the line of duty or from an injury received in the line of duty
  • Your veteran parent filed an Oklahoma tax return the tax year before the year they died
  • You enroll in an in-state institution of higher education before you're 21

With the scholarship, eligible students may receive tuition at a public university or community college. If you're attending a private institution or pursuing an Associate in Applied Science at a public college, the scholarship may cover part of your tuition.

You can receive assistance for up to five years or until you finish your bachelor's degree.

CareerTech for Veterans Pursuing Non-College Degree Training

Oklahoma's Department of Career and Technology Education works to provide veterans with resources for their non-college degree training. Visit their Veteran Education Resources site for support with things like:

  • Information on using the GI Bill for non-college degree training
  • Assessments for a potential career
  • Filling gaps in skills needed for a career you're interested in
  • Vocational rehabilitation for veterans with disabilities

Employment Benefits

It can be hard for veterans to find and apply for work after returning from military service. The state offers supportive employment services to help.

Oklahoma Works

Oklahoma Works provides resources to help you search for jobs, find job fairs in Oklahoma, and connect with employers who want to hire veterans. The site also has a list of resources to help you pursue more education or earn a professional credential.

Veterans' Priority in Employment Services

If you go to a CareerOneStop or Workforce Services location in Oklahoma, you can get priority service if you are an eligible veteran. This will put you first in line (over non-veterans) for referrals to jobs, training programs, and other services.

For more information, visit a One-Stop or Workforce office. Staff at either location are there to help you with employment resources and eligibility.

Licensing and Certification Benefits

If you're looking to get a professional certification or license, you can get a head start on the requirements by getting your military transcripts. The process of requesting transcripts depends on which branch of the military you served in. When you enroll at a technology center, you'll want to bring these transcripts with you.

Veterans Preference in State Employment

Honorably discharged veterans can get a preference in being considered for state positions. If you pass the state employment examination for the position, you should get:

  • Five points added to your final score as a veteran
  • Ten points added to your final score if you're a wartime veteran with a service-related disability
  • Ten points added to your score and placement at the top of the list of candidates if you're a wartime veteran being paid benefits at the 30% level or higher because of a service-related disability

You can also get five points if you're either the unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran or the spouse of a veteran who is VA-certified as unemployable because of a service-related disability.

Additionally, if your disability rating is above 30%, you may not be required to take a hiring examination or go through certain other requirements before being hired.

You'll need to show proof of your veteran status and, if applicable, disability status. If you feel you haven't been given the proper preference, you can work with a Veteran Services Representative near you to file a claim.

Other Veteran Benefits

Tax Benefits

Oklahoma provides several tax benefits to eligible veterans. First, you can deduct a portion of your military salary from your taxable income. And when it's difficult to file because of your service, you may get an extension on your tax filing date.

Second, if you're certified by the VA as being 100% permanently disabled from a service-related cause, you can get an exemption for sales tax on certain personal property and services.

Third, you may be able to get an exemption on property taxes for the full fair cash value of your property. To be eligible for a property tax exemption, you must:

  • Be an Oklahoma resident
  • Have an honorable discharge from active service in the US Armed Forces or Oklahoma National Guard
  • Be rated by the VA at the 100% disability level because of a service-related cause

Third, you can exempt a certain amount of US military retirement income from your taxes.

Oklahoma Military License Plates

There are many types of specialty military license plates you can request in Oklahoma, which can show an important aspect of your military history or status.

Examples include:

  • World War II
  • Desert Storm
  • US Marines Distinguished Service Medal
  • Ex Prisoner of War
  • Combat Action Ribbon
  • Congressional Medal of Honor
  • US Navy
  • Purple Heart

Other options are available. Requirements and fees vary depending on which license plate you apply for.

Driver's License Veteran Indicator

You can request a Veteran logo on the front of your Oklahoma driver's license or ID card. The logo is a tribute to your service and allows you to prove your veteran status to businesses that offer discounts to veterans.

You can request this designation when you're getting a driver's license or ID card renewal, or you can get a new card before the renewal date.

You'll need to provide documentation of your military status, which can be in the form of one of the following:

  • A VA photo ID card
  • A DD Form 2 ID card for retired or reserve retired servicemembers
  • A Uniformed Services ID card
  • A discharge document, such as a DD-214, with an "honorable" or "general under honorable conditions" discharge
  • A separation document from the Oklahoma National Guard

Find a Motor License Agent in your area for more information or to get started.

Veterans Treatment Court

If you've been charged with a non-violent felony and are a veteran, you may be able to get treatment through the Tulsa Veterans Treatment Court.

The court helps veterans with mental health challenges and alcohol/drug addictions. It works to connect veterans with volunteer veteran mentors in the community and help veterans access the benefits they have earned through their service.

The Veterans Treatment Court in Tulsa was the third veterans court established in the US and has a completion rate of 89%, making it a valuable option for many veterans.

Legal Help for Veterans

You may be eligible to get free legal help from professionals who volunteer to assist servicemembers, veterans, and members of the Guard and Reserves. The Oklahoma Lawyers for America's Heroes Program works to help veterans get their deserved justice from the legal system.

With training in military-related issues, these lawyers provide help that ranges from answering questions to helping in court. Request assistance on the website or contact the program for more information.

Hunting and Fishing Permits

Qualifying Oklahoma veterans can enjoy hunting and fishing license advantages. Certain factors will affect which you're eligible for. Benefits include:

      • A Free Hunting and Fishing Permit – Available to veterans with a VA-verified disability of 60% or more.
      • A Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License – Available to veterans with VA-certified disabilities. If you're a veteran rated as 60% disabled or more, the license (which includes tags not available in the free permit mentioned above) is $25. If you have a disability of less than 60%, the license is $200.
      • Exemption from Fees – Certain fees, such as those for a deer archery hunting license or a primitive firearms license, are exempt for veterans who receive VA disability benefits at the 100% level.
      • Exemption from Wildlife Land Stamp Requirements – Available to veteran residents of Oklahoma with a disability of at least 60%.

To get started, fill out the application form and turn it in to a representative at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs.

Admission to State Parks and Museums

You can get into Oklahoma state parks and museums for free if you are a veteran with an honorable discharge and a resident of Oklahoma.

You'll need to show proof of your military service and honorable discharge through a discharge document, such as a DD-214, or another form of proof. You can show proof of your residency with an Oklahoma driver's license or ID card.

Veteran Benefits Assistance

The Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) can help you understand the world of Oklahoma veteran benefits and connect with helpful resources.

Schedule a free appointment with a Veterans Service Representative in your area to get started. You can also fill out the Apply for Benefits form and send it to the ODVA or give it to a representative.

Women Veterans Assistance

Women veterans in Oklahoma have benefits and support available that is unique to their experience. On the Oklahoma Women Veterans page, you can see resources for women veterans and make confidential requests for help. The available resources and linked information on the site include things like:

      • Burial benefit information
      • A call center to answer your veteran-related questions
      • Health care resources
      • Employment information and resources
      • Services that connect you to other veterans and veteran supporters
      • A veteran crisis line

Additionally, the Oklahoma Women Veterans Organization is a non-profit group in the state that keeps women veterans informed of their benefits and provides them with assistance.

About Low VA Rates

Low VA Rates is dedicated to serving those who've served us. We help veterans and servicemembers get the VA loan benefits they've earned. After years of experience in this work, we're sure we can help you with VA loans in Oklahoma.

Call us toll-free at 866-569-8272 to check your eligibility for Oklahoma veteran loans or get a quote. You can also use our simple online application process.