In-State Tuition Residency Requirement Waived for Veterans at Public Colleges and Universities

Under legislation passed this year, Virginia will grant veterans in-state tuition rates at Virginia colleges and universities without waiting the normal one-year period.   This is a huge benefit which, when used with their G.I. Bill benefits, can save veterans thousands of dollars.

Ordinarily, to qualify for in-state tuition rates, students must have been domiciled in Virginia for at least one year prior to the school year. Under the new legislation, the one-year residency requirement will be waived for veterans and their dependents. Once veterans establish proof of Virginia domicile, they will qualify for in-state tuition rates as of the next semester.

Legislation Granting Real Estate Tax Exemption to Veterans with 100% Disability  

In response to a Constitutional Amendment approved by Virginia voters in 2010, the 2011 General Assembly passed legislation exempting real estate, including property held jointly by a husband and wife, from real estate taxes provided the veteran meets certain requirements. The veteran must use the property as his or her principal residence. The legislation also grants the exemption to the surviving spouse of an eligible veteran if the veteran died on or after January 1, 2011. The spouse will lose the exemption if he or she remarries or does not occupy the property as his or her primary place of residence. The exemption is not available if the real estate is in a revocable trust with the spouse or others or in an irrevocable trust, and is not available to a surviving spouse of an eligible veteran if the spouse relocates. If you are interested in reading the Virginia Attorney General's Opinion as to his interpretation of the statute and its application, click here and view Opinion #11-061.

Virginia Honors Purple Heart Recipients

To honor our veterans' service to the nation, Virginia is now waiving the registration fee for the first set of Purple Heart license plates. These plates are already exempt from the special plate fee. The registration fee will be charged for the second and subsequent sets of Purple Heart special plates. To qualify for the Purple Heart plate, the vehicle owner must be a Purple Heart recipient, or the widow who has not remarried, whose spouse was a recipient.

New Legislation Provides Vital Records to Veterans at No Cost

Veterans and their survivors may receive a certified copy of vital records, such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, from the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Vital Records at no charge if the records will be used to obtain military service-connected benefits.