South Carolina veteran benefits
Veteran Compass lists 34 South Carolina programs for veterans and their families. Each one links to the official government page, because rules, amounts and deadlines change. This is a guide to what is worth looking into, not a decision about whether you qualify. Federal VA benefits, such as health care, disability compensation and the GI Bill, also apply in South Carolina; see the full directory or use the Benefit Finder.
Burial
M.J. Dolly Cooper Veterans Cemetery
South Carolina's state veterans cemetery in Anderson. The veteran's plot, liner, marker and opening and closing are provided at no cost; spouses and children carry a fee.
Who it may help: The veteran needs an honorable discharge with a DD-214; there is no residency requirement. Qualified spouses and certain dependent children may also be interred. Pre-certification is recommended. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Education
Tuition Assistance for Certain War Veterans' Children
A tuition waiver at South Carolina state-supported colleges, universities and technical schools for children of certain war veterans. Benefits start from the date the application is received.
Who it may help: The veteran must have served honorably in a listed war period and meet a condition such as killed in action, POW, permanently and totally disabled, or Medal of Honor or Purple Heart recipient. The student must be 26 or younger, seeking an undergraduate degree, and meet residency rules. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
National Guard College Assistance Program (SCNG CAP)
State-funded college help for eligible SC Army and Air National Guard members. Awards go up to $12,000 per academic year ($4,000 per semester for full-time students), with a $25,000 lifetime maximum as of FY 2026-27. Funding is set yearly by the legislature and is not guaranteed.
Who it may help: Applicants must be active, drilling SC Army or Air National Guard members who finished basic training and AIT/IADT; other criteria apply. See the program page. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-25
SC Military Credit for Prior Learning
The Commission on Higher Education leads an advisory board and resources, including a credit policy chart, to help military education and experience count toward certificates and degrees at South Carolina colleges instead of only as electives.
Who it may help: The page does not list eligibility rules; credit decisions depend on the institution. Contact your school's veteran or admissions office. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Employment
State Employment Veterans Preference
Honorably discharged veterans who receive federal employment preference also get preference in hiring by state government agencies and higher education institutions. Hiring bodies must interview at least one qualified veteran per full-time position posted, if a qualified veteran applies.
Who it may help: Applicants must submit a DD Form 214 and a state employment application, and meet the minimum qualifications for the job. The page was published in December 2020; confirm current practice with the hiring agency. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Military Commercial Driver's License Skills Test Waiver
Qualified service members with military commercial vehicle experience or training may be able to waive the CDL skills test, and in some cases knowledge tests, when applying for an SC CDL.
Who it may help: The page says applicants must be on active duty or separated within the last 12 months, have operated a military commercial vehicle, hold a valid SC license and have no other license in the past two years. Recent suspensions or disqualifications make a person ineligible, and a commanding officer completes a required form. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
SC Smart Start Virtual Transition Assistance Program
An SCDVA online platform that helps service members and veterans prepare for civilian life and settle in South Carolina, with training, county-based resources and events.
Who it may help: The page says it supports active duty, National Guard and Reserve members and their families moving to civilian life in South Carolina. It does not list other requirements. Check the official page for current offerings.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
SC Works Veteran Priority Service and Employment Specialists
The state workforce agency says veterans receive priority service at SC Works centers, where veteran employment staff can help with career coaching, job referrals, resume help and training referrals.
Who it may help: The page states priority service for veterans and lists specialist help for disabled veterans through the Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program. It does not detail further requirements. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Operation Palmetto Employment
A statewide military employment initiative supported by the SC National Guard and the Department of Employment and Workforce, aimed at connecting military job seekers with employers.
Who it may help: The page says it serves South Carolina's military job seekers and the employers who hire them and does not list eligibility rules. Its site sections point to job search tools, employer toolkits and hiring events. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Military Spouse Expedited Professional Licensure
LLR gives priority processing to licensed professionals who are spouses of active-duty service members stationed in South Carolina and hold a license from another jurisdiction.
Who it may help: The page says applicants must be married to and living with an active-duty member relocated to South Carolina under military orders and hold an active license in good standing elsewhere. Orders, a marriage license and license verification are needed. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Family
Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Disabled Veterans
A surviving spouse of a qualifying disabled veteran may be able to claim the home property tax exemption, and in some cases an exemption on one vehicle.
Who it may help: The page says the spouse must remain unmarried, live in the home and own it, and must reapply. A spouse who moved to South Carolina after the veteran died may qualify for one vehicle. The page says a surviving spouse of a veteran killed in action does not qualify for a personal property exemption. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Purple Star Schools and Districts
The SC Department of Education recognizes schools and districts that show a commitment to supporting military-connected children as they move between schools.
Who it may help: The page says it serves children of active-duty, National Guard and Reserve members. It lists participating districts and schools but does not describe each one's programs, so ask your school. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
SC Military Family Relief Fund
A fund enacted in 2004 that offers monetary grants to families of SC National Guard members and to families of SC residents in Reserve components who were called to active duty because of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Who it may help: The page names those two groups and does not list further requirements or which costs are covered. It links a brochure and an application that may contain more detail, so read them and confirm with SCDVA before applying. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Financial
Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption
South Carolina exempts a home and land up to five acres, plus up to two private passenger vehicles, for qualifying totally and permanently disabled veterans. Surviving spouses of disabled veterans may also qualify.
Who it may help: Disabled veterans with a total, permanent, service-connected disability may qualify, and surviving spouses of such veterans may as well. The page says qualifying veterans can claim the exemption retroactively for up to the previous two years if property tax was paid on time. The easiest way to apply is the SCDOR MyDORWAY portal. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Military Retirement Pay Income Tax Deduction
South Carolina allows military retirement pay that is included in taxable income to be deducted from state individual income tax, regardless of age. Surviving spouses receiving it for a deceased spouse can claim it too.
Who it may help: The pay must be included in taxable income and is claimed on the SC income tax return. A separate deduction for reserve or National Guard retirement pay uses a worksheet in the return instructions. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Purchase of Military Service Credit Through PEBA
A PEBA training document says members may be able to purchase credit for prior military service, up to a stated maximum number of years. It does not say which retirement plans it applies to, so confirm with PEBA.
Who it may help: The document lists service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Select Reserves and Army and Air National Guard as eligible, and says it cannot be bought with a dishonorable discharge or while still serving. The cost is based partly on age, credited service, salary and the amount purchased. Confirm your plan's rules with PEBA. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Property Tax Exemption for Medal of Honor Recipients and Former POWs
Medal of Honor recipients and former prisoners of war from certain wars may qualify for a property tax exemption on a home on a lot of no more than one acre. Medal of Honor recipients may also exempt up to two private passenger vehicles.
Who it may help: The page lists Medal of Honor recipients and POWs from World War I, World War II, Korea or Vietnam for the home exemption. The two-vehicle exemption described is for Medal of Honor recipients and does not extend to a surviving spouse; POWs are mentioned only in the list of those who may qualify for leased vehicles. Apply through MyDORWAY or Form PT-401I. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Vehicle Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans
Veterans with a total and permanent service-connected disability may exempt up to two private passenger vehicles from SC property tax. Trust-titled and leased vehicles may qualify in some cases.
Who it may help: The page says vehicle taxes must come due on or after the disability rating date, leased vehicles must be private passenger vehicles registered in SC, and trust-titled vehicles may qualify if the veteran is the income beneficiary. Apply through MyDORWAY or Form PT-401I. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
State Tax Exclusion for VA and Military Disability Payments
An SCDVA consumer page says federal tax-exempt VA pension or compensation, and disability pay from the Armed Forces, are not included in SC tax.
Who it may help: The page applies this to money that is already federal tax exempt and lists no other conditions. Confirm which tax applies and your situation with the SC Department of Revenue or a tax professional. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Healthcare
State Veterans Nursing Homes
The state Department of Veterans' Affairs operates six state veteran homes providing nursing home care in Columbia, Walterboro, Anderson, Florence, Gaffney and Sumter.
Who it may help: The page lists veterans separated under general or honorable conditions who are South Carolina residents needing skilled or intermediate nursing care. Download the admission packet and contact a county veterans affairs officer or the home. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
SC Governor's Challenge Veteran Suicide Prevention
A statewide coalition led by SCDVA works to prevent suicide among service members, veterans and their families, with screening outreach, the Palmetto Pathfinder Program and lethal means safety efforts. The page also lists crisis contacts and toolkits.
Who it may help: The page describes the effort as serving service members, veterans and their families and does not list formal eligibility rules. If you are in crisis, the page lists the Veterans Crisis Line and SC HOPES. Check the official page for current resources.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Housing
Veterans' Homelessness and Transition Grant
A state-funded grant managed by SCDVA that pays nonprofits and state agencies for programs such as housing, utility and rental assistance, addiction treatment and transitional housing for veterans. The page describes grants going to organizations and agencies that serve veterans, not to individuals. The proposal deadline on the page has passed, so check with SCDVA about a new round.
Who it may help: Applicants named on the page are nonprofit organizations and state agencies that help eligible South Carolina veterans. The proposal deadline on the page, March 13, 2026, has passed, and the page does not say whether another round is planned, so confirm current status with SCDVA. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
SC Housing Palmetto Heroes Down Payment Help
SC Housing's Palmetto Heroes program offers down payment assistance and lower fixed interest rates to first-time homebuyers in certain professions, including military service. It can be paired with FHA, VA, USDA or conventional loans.
Who it may help: The flyer lists active-duty and veteran service members and SC National Guard and Reservists among qualifying groups. Buyers must meet SC Housing first-time homebuyer requirements and have a signed sales contract; funding is limited and rates can change. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Legal
Veterans Benefits Claims Assistance
The state Department of Veterans' Affairs and county veterans affairs officers help veterans and dependents with benefit claims, and pre-discharge assistance is offered at listed installations.
Who it may help: Veterans and dependents who may qualify for VA benefits, and service members nearing discharge, may use the service. Contact your county office or SCDVA. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
USC Law Veterans Legal Clinic
A University of South Carolina law school clinic that helps South Carolina veterans and their families, mainly by appealing VA benefits denials, and takes a limited number of family law and other civil matters when capacity allows.
Who it may help: The page says the clinic serves South Carolina veterans and their families, and directs people to call for an appointment, after which staff complete a screening to decide whether the clinic will take the case. Capacity is limited. Services are free to qualifying veterans or family members, though clients may have to pay certain costs; the page lists no income criteria. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Veterans Treatment Court
A diversion program offering treatment and support instead of jail to veterans facing non-violent charges, with each participant paired with an established veteran mentor. SCDVA provides grant funding that supports these courts statewide.
Who it may help: The page does not list eligibility criteria or which counties have a court; contact SCDVA at vtc@scdva.sc.gov for availability. It says drug testing and work or community service are standard, and other requirements vary by judicial circuit and by the veteran's needs and charges. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
SCDVA and NVLSP Free Legal Help With Disability Claim Appeals
An SCDVA announcement describes a partnership with the National Veterans Legal Services Program for free legal help with federal disability claims, including representation in some appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
Who it may help: The notice, dated February 2021, says NVLSP offers free representation to South Carolina veterans or their families when it finds solid grounds for appeal, with cases reviewed one at a time; the introduction also mentions active-duty personnel, but the page gives no detailed criteria. Because it is an older notice, confirm current availability with SCDVA. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Other
Palmetto Pathfinder Mentorship Program
A state-facilitated mentorship program connecting transitioning service members and South Carolina veterans with experienced veteran mentors and community resources.
Who it may help: Transitioning service members and veterans in South Carolina seeking help may request a Pathfinder through the SCDVA website. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
SCDVA County Contacts Directory
SCDVA publishes a county-by-county list of South Carolina contacts, with a name, phone number and email for each county.
Who it may help: The page is a bare contact list. It does not name the offices' purpose or describe services or eligibility, so contact SCDVA or the county contact to ask what help is offered. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Recreation
Free Disability Hunting and Fishing License
South Carolina offers a free disability hunting and fishing license, valid for a set period, to residents declared disabled who receive benefits from listed agencies including the VA.
Who it may help: Applicants must have lived in South Carolina at least 365 days, be declared disabled, and receive benefits from one of the listed agencies. Apply by email to DNR. Paraplegic, quadriplegic or legally blind applicants with a doctor's statement receive a lifetime license. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Half-Price State Park Passport
South Carolina State Parks offers a half-price ALL Park Passport to active members of the SC National Guard and to 100 percent disabled South Carolina residents.
Who it may help: Proof of eligibility is required, and the discounted passport cannot be bought online; it is sold at state park offices, the State House Gift Shop or by phone with documents. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Transportation
Military License Plates
South Carolina issues military license plates to active and prior service members, with a limit of three per eligible plate type. Some plates now include free metered parking.
Who it may help: Applicants send form MV-37 with documents such as a DD-214 to SCDMV by mail. Fees vary by plate and are on the form. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-22
Veteran Designation on SC Driver License or ID Card
Honorably discharged veterans can have a Veteran marking added to an SC permit, driver license or ID card at no cost, in person at an SCDMV branch.
Who it may help: Proof of an honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge is needed, such as a DD-214; the page also lists certain National Guard and Reserve retirement documents and a VA Veteran ID Card. The page says dependents, spouses and civilian base employees do not qualify. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
Municipal Parking Meter Fee Waiver for Disabled Veteran Plates
An SCDVA page says municipal parking meter fees are waived for vehicles displaying a disabled veteran V tag, a Purple Heart plate or a Medal of Honor plate.
Who it may help: The page ties the waiver to the special tag or plate. Rules for getting those plates are handled by SCDMV, and additional requirements may apply; confirm with SCDVA or SCDMV. Check the official page for current rules.
Official source ↗ (opens in a new tab)Reviewed 2026-10-24
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