California State Benefits for 100% Disabled Veterans

100% State Benefits – California

Note: Information for this document was gathered from various sources including: https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/california-state-veterans-benefits.html

More information can be found at the following website: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/home

California Veterans Homes

For more information, visit: https://www.nasvh.org/state-homes/statedir.cfm

Your eligibility for State Veterans Homes is based on clinical need and setting availability.

Each State establishes eligibility and admission criteria for its homes.

Talk with a VA social worker about the eligibility requirements of State Veterans Homes near you and to figure out a plan for paying for State Veterans Home care services.

Veterans Homes Locations:

Eligibility: Veterans 55 or over and discharged Under Honorable Conditions. Disabled veterans or homeless veterans in need of long-term care can apply regardless of age.

California State Veteran Cemeteries

For more detailed information visit: https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/state.asp?STATE=CA

National Veterans Cemeteries:

Bakersfield National Cemetery	30338 East Bear Mountain Blvd. Arvin, CA 93203	Phone: 661-867-2250 or 866-632-1845 FAX: 661-867-2253	Open
Los Angeles National Cemetery	950 S Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049	Phone: 310-268-4675 FAX: 310-268-3257	Open
Miramar National Cemetery	5795 Nobel Drive San Diego, CA 92122	Phone: 858-658-7360 FAX: 858-658-7397	Open
Riverside National Cemetery	22495 Van Buren Blvd. Riverside, CA 92518	Phone: 951-653-8417 FAX: 951-653-5233	Open
Sacramento Valley National Cemetery	5810 Midway Road Dixon, CA 95620	Phone: 707-693-2460 FAX: 707-693-2479	Open
San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery	32053 W McCabe Rd. Santa Nella, CA 95322	Phone: 209-854-1040 FAX: 209-854-3944	Open

State Veterans Cemeteries:

California Department of Veterans Affairs	1227 O Street Sacramento, CA 95814	Keith Boylan, Deputy Secretary Phone: 916-653-2573 FAX: 916-651-9069
Big Sandy Rancheria Veterans Cemetery	37387 Auberry Mission Rd. Auberry, CA 93602	Elizabeth Kipp, BSR Tribal Chairperson Phone: 559-374-0066 x212
California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery	2900 Parker Flats Road Seaside, CA 93955	Phone: 831-393-9371 FAX: 831-393-9391
Northern California Veterans Cemetery	11800 Gas Point Road Igo, CA 96047	Mark George, Manager Phone: 866-777-4533 FAX: 530-396-2523
Yountville Veterans Home Cemetery	260 California Avenue Yountville, CA 94599	David Veverka, Administrator Phone: 707-944-4600
Yurok Veterans Cemetery	28263 Bald Hills Road Weitchpec, CA 95546	Dean Baker, Cemetery Administrator Sophie Lay, Representative Phone: 707-482-1350

Many states have established state veterans cemeteries. Eligibility is like Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries but may include residency requirements. Even though they may have been established or improved with Government funds through VA’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, state veterans cemeteries are run solely by the states.

Complete, professional burial services at no cost to veterans ($500 fee for spouses or dependents). Veterans, dependents and survivors who meet VA eligibility requirements for burial in a national cemetery may be eligible.

California Veteran Financial Benefits

Calvet Farm and Home Loans

Contact: 866-653-2510 Email: loanapps@calvet.ca.gov

Apply online at the following site: https://calvet.zipforhome.com/

Home Loans are available through the State of California to veterans with an honorable discharge. Loans can be for the following: farm, home, mobile home, construction, home improvement and rehabilitation loans and include flood, earthquake and disaster coverage. The loans are processed quickly and have competitive rates to other lenders.

Eligibility: Honorable Discharge and a minimum of 90 days of active service

Veterans Property Tax Exemption

California provides a $4,000 real property (e.g., a home) or personal property (e.g., a boat) exemption for honorably discharged veterans or the spouse or pensioned-parent of a deceased, honorably discharged veteran. However, a person who owns property valued at $5,000 or more ($10,000 or more for a married couple or for the unmarried surviving spouse of a qualified veteran) is not eligible for this exemption.

Find your local tax assessor at this link: https://www.publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/Assessor-and-Property-Tax-Records.htm

Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption

California gives a property tax exemption for the home of a disabled veteran or an unmarried spouse of a deceased disabled veteran.

The Disabled Veterans’ Exemption reduces the property tax liability on the principal place of residence of qualified veterans who, due to a service-connected injury or disease, have been rated 100% disabled or are being compensated at the 100% rate due to unemployability. An unmarried surviving spouse of a qualified veteran may also claim the exemption.

There is a basic $100,000 exemption or a low-income (less than $58,754) $150,000 exemption available to a disabled veteran who, is blind in both eyes, has lost the use of two or more limbs, or is rated totally disabled by the VA or military.

This Disabled Veterans’ Exemption is a more advantageous exemption than both the Veterans’ Exemption and the Homeowners’ Exemption. Thus, if a claimant qualifies, the Disabled Veterans’ Exemption should be claimed on the property instead of either of those two exemptions.

This exemption has no personal wealth restriction. The exemption is only available on a principal residence. The home may only receive one property exemption.
The issues regarding these exemptions are complex, and the eligibility requirements are specific. Consult the local assessor’s office for detailed requirements regarding these exemptions.

Annual refiling is required.

Find your local tax assessor at this link: https://www.publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/Assessor-and-Property-Tax-Records.htm

Motor Vehicle Registration Fees Waived

For more information, visit: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/vehicle-registration/license-plates-decals-and-placards/disabled-veteran-dv-license-plates/

Medal of Honor recipients, ex-POWs, and some permanently and totally disabled veterans may be eligible for a waiver of registration fees and free license plates for one passenger motor vehicle, or one motorcycle, or one commercial motor vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unladen weight.

Application link: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/file/miscellaneous-certifications-reg-256a-pdf/

Contact your local DMV office, or mail the completed application to the address on the form and including the requested additional documents.

Business License, Tax and Fee Waiver

Honorably discharged veterans who hawk, peddle, or vend any goods from a fixed location may be eligible for a waiver of municipal, county and state business license fees, as well as other taxes and fees. This doesn’t apply to the sales of alcoholic beverages.

California Veterans Employment Preference

Honorably discharged veterans and their spouses; or surviving spouses of 100% disabled veterans are automatically ranked at the top of the eligibility list when they pass a test for state employment.

Disabled Veteran State Contract Preference

The Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise program helps small businesses that are wholly or partly owned by disabled veterans compete for state contracts.

California College Tuition Fee Waiver for Veteran’s Dependents

For more information, visit: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/pages/college-fee-waiver.aspx

Waiver of mandatory system-wide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University or University of California campus.

There are 4 different classes of eligibility:

Plan A

Who is eligible:

A child between 14 – 27 of a service-connected, totally disabled veteran or a veteran whose death was officially rated as service-connected is eligible. If the child is a veteran, the age limit is extended to age 30;
The spouse of a totally service-connected disabled veteran; also, the unmarried surviving spouse of a totally service-connected disabled wartime veteran
Any dependent of any veteran who has been declared missing in action, captured in the line of duty by hostile forces, or forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power

The veteran must have served at least one day of active duty during a period of war, or awarded a campaign or expeditionary medal. You cannot get Plan A and VA Chapter 35 benefits at the same time. There are no income restrictions. To be eligible, the event which caused basic entitlement to benefits (i.e., the date the veteran died of service-connected causes or the date the VA rated the veteran as totally disabled as a result of service-connected disabilities) must have occurred prior to the child’s 21st birthday.

Plan B

The child of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, or had a service-connected disability at the time of death, or died of service-related causes is eligible. There are income limits. Under Plan B, wartime service is not required and there are no specific age requirements. Children are the only dependents eligible under this plan. There is no prohibition against receiving VA Chapter 35 benefits and this plan.

Plan C

Any dependent of any member of the California National Guard, who was killed in the line of duty, died of a disability which was received in the line of duty, or was permanently disabled in the line of duty. Surviving spouses who have not remarried are also eligible.

Plan D

Medal of Honor recipients and their children under 27 may qualify. Benefits under Plan D are limited to undergraduate studies only, and applicants are subject to both income and age restrictions. There is no prohibition against receiving concurrent VA Chapter 35 benefits.

Visit the following site for the California Fee Waiver Calculator to determine eligibility: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Pages/College-Fee-Waiver-Calculator.aspx

Link to Application: https://www.calvet.ca.gov/VetServices/Documents/CFW-Application-DVS-40-July2021.pdf

Once the application is completed, contact your local County Veterans Service Office.

California Veteran Recreation Benefits

Fishing and Hunting Licenses

Any veteran with a 50% or greater service-connected disability may be eligible for reduced annual fees for fishing and hunting licenses – you DO NOT have to be a California resident for this benefit.

To prequalify to purchase a disabled veteran license, submit a letter from the Veteran’s Administration documenting that you were honorably discharged from the US military and have a service–connected disability rating of 50% or greater. After your eligibility has been verified, your customer record will be updated. Once you receive notification from the Department that your customer record has been updated, you will be able to purchase a low cost disabled veteran sport fishing license and/or hunting license anywhere licenses are sold.

Eligibility and applications available at the following:

The California Department of Fish and Game

License and Revenue Branch

1740 N. Market Blvd.

Sacramento, CA 95834

Phone: (916) 928-5805

www.dfg.ca.gov

State Parks and Recreation Pass

Any honorably discharged war veteran who is a California resident with a 50% or more service-connected disability, former POW, or Medal of Honor recipient can get a free pass to all California state parks. This includes camping and day use. The pass is not valid at units operated by local government, private agencies, or concessionaires and it is not valid for special events, group campsites, and commercial use or for supplemental fees. There may be a convenience fee to make online reservations.

How Do I Apply?

Download and complete a Distinguished Veteran Pass Application. Submit proof of service-connected disability rated at 50% or greater or provide documentation showing status as a former Prisoner of War or Medal of Honor recipient status along with a copy of the veteran’s California Driver’s License and a completed DPR Form DPR 619.

Link to Distinguished Veteran Pass Application: https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/DVP%20Application.pdf

Veterans may apply in person at:

Park Pass Sales Office
1416 9th Street, Room 114
Sacramento, CA 95814

Veterans may also apply by mail. Send completed applications and required documentation to:

California State Parks

Attn: Distinguished Veteran Pass Program
P.O. Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296-0001

Please allow 8-10 weeks for processing. Once pass is received, you may use pass card for reservations and applicable benefits. The pass holder is required to present the Distinguished Veteran Pass and a valid California Driver License or other suitable photo identification, along with any campsite reservation or tour ticket, and to pay any supplemental fees at the park.

For questions or more information, please contact the Park Pass Sales Office at (800) 777-0369 ext. 2 or (916) 653-8280