If you are a veteran in Arkansas planning repairs or accessibility work on your home, here is the direct answer: Arkansas does not run its own grant or loan program for veteran home repairs or modifications. The state's real value shows up on your tax bill instead, through an unusually broad property tax exemption. Here is how the federal grant money works, what Arkansas adds, and how to apply for both.
The four federal VA grants#
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers four grant and health-benefit programs nationwide, and Arkansas veterans qualify the same as veterans anywhere. Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) pays up to $126,526 in FY2026 for severe, permanent service-connected disabilities, such as loss of use of both legs or blindness rated 20/200 or worse. Special Home Adaptation (SHA) pays up to $25,350 in FY2026 for conditions like loss of use of both hands or certain respiratory injuries. Both are grants, not loans, so nothing is repaid. Apply with VA Form 26-4555; SAH or SHA can be used up to six times over your lifetime as funds remain.
Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) helps if you are living temporarily in a family member's home. In FY2026 it pays up to $50,961 through the SAH path or $9,100 through the SHA path. TRA can only be used once, counts as one of your six lifetime uses, and draws down whichever grant total, SAH or SHA, you qualify under. Congress currently authorizes TRA through September 30, 2026.
Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) is a VA health benefit, not a housing grant, so you apply through the VA medical center's Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service with VA Form 10-0103 and a provider's prescription. Service-connected veterans can receive up to $6,800 over their lifetime; other eligible veterans can receive up to $2,000. Renters can use HISA with the landlord's notarized permission. SAH and SHA construction runs through a contractor holding a VA Builder ID, a registration, not an approval rating.
What Arkansas adds#
Arkansas's own agency for veterans is the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA), at veterans.arkansas.gov, 501-683-2382. ADVA does not run a home repair, improvement, or adaptation grant or loan program. Its benefits are veteran services and benefits counseling, women veterans' programs, state veterans homes for long-term nursing care, cemeteries, and a funeral honors stipend. Arkansas's real contribution comes through a single, unusually broad property tax exemption.
Under Arkansas Code section 26-3-306, a disabled veteran who has been awarded VA special monthly compensation for loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, total blindness in one or both eyes, or a service-connected 100% total and permanent disability is exempt from all state taxes on both the homestead and personal property. Personal property here means non-commercial tangible items, such as a vehicle. This is broader than most states' veteran exemptions, which typically cover only the home. If the home sells during the year, the exemption is prorated to the date of sale, so the veteran owes nothing for their portion of the year in the home. The exemption also passes to a surviving spouse and minor dependent children, including families of service members killed or dying in the line of duty, missing in action, or veterans who died of service-connected causes. Apply through your county assessor or collector, not through ADVA.
Separately, any disabled homeowner in Arkansas, veteran or not, can apply for an assessed-value freeze under Arkansas Code section 26-26-1124 through the county assessor, along with the general homestead tax credit available statewide.
How to apply in Arkansas#
Finding a provider who knows VA paperwork: Not every contractor has worked on SAH, SHA, or HISA projects. Adapta Home USA verifies providers' VA Builder ID Verified status, so you can filter for professionals who have handled this paperwork before. Find Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in Arkansas with VA Builder ID Verified status →
For the federal VA grants, Arkansas's network of County Veteran Service Officers, backed by nine District VSOs statewide, help connect veterans to local, state, and federal benefits, including assistance with VA Form 26-4555. Find your nearest office with ADVA's official interactive locator at veterans.arkansas.gov/veteran-services-map. For the property tax exemption, file with your county assessor or collector instead of ADVA.
How the programs stack together#
The federal VA grants pay for the actual construction, so start there, since that money never has to be repaid. Arkansas's § 26-3-306 exemption does not fund a project, but it can remove state taxes from both your home and your personal property going forward, an entitlement rather than a capped or waitlisted program.
For more on the federal programs, see our VA home modification grants guide and VA grant decision tree. Our guide to paying for home modifications and wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you plan a project budget.
Figures on this page were verified against veterans.arkansas.gov in July 2026.
FAQ#
Does Arkansas have a state program that pays for veteran home repairs or modifications?#
No. Arkansas's contribution is a property tax exemption, alongside the four federal VA grants that pay for construction.
Do 100% disabled veterans pay property taxes in Arkansas?#
No. Under Arkansas Code section 26-3-306, a veteran with a service-connected 100% total and permanent disability, or VA special monthly compensation for limb loss or blindness, is exempt from all state taxes on the homestead.
Does the Arkansas disabled veteran exemption cover vehicles and other personal property?#
Yes. Section 26-3-306 exempts non-commercial personal property, such as vehicles, in addition to the homestead, which is broader than most states' veteran exemptions.
Who helps Arkansas veterans apply for VA housing grants for free?#
ADVA's County Veteran Service Officers, backed by nine District VSOs, help connect veterans to federal benefits including VA Form 26-4555. Find your nearest office at veterans.arkansas.gov/veteran-services-map.
Find a verified provider near you#
Adapta Home USA's directory lets you search Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in Arkansas and filter for VA Builder ID Verified status. Our wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you plan your budget.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
Program amounts, eligibility rules, and application procedures change. Figures on this page were verified against official government sources on the date shown, but you should confirm current details at VA.gov or with the administering agency before making decisions. Adapta Home USA is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.