If you are a veteran in North Carolina planning repairs or accessibility work on your home, here is the direct answer: North Carolina does not run its own grant or loan program for veteran home repairs or modifications. The state's real benefit is a property tax exclusion, and it has an unusual feature: getting a federal veteran housing grant can qualify you for it on its own. Here is how the federal money works, what North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina adds#
North Carolina's own agency for veterans is the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NCDMVA), at milvets.nc.gov. NCDMVA does not run a home repair, improvement, or adaptation grant or loan program of its own. Its benefits are mostly tax and service based, and the federal grants above still carry the construction money.
North Carolina's real contribution is the disabled veteran property tax exclusion under N.C.G.S. 105-277.1C. It excludes the first $45,000 of your permanent residence's assessed value from property tax, with no income test. To qualify, you need an honorable or under-honorable discharge, plus one of two paths: a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability rating, or receiving benefits for specially adapted housing under 38 U.S.C. 2101, the same federal SAH grant described above. That second path is the notable part. If you already received an SAH grant, you qualify for the exclusion without a separate disability rating review. Never-remarried surviving spouses can also qualify, if the veteran met these criteria or died of a service-connected condition.
How to apply in North Carolina#
Applying takes two steps, and the order matters. First, complete Form NCDVA-9 and have it certified through your local county veterans service office. Second, take that certified NCDVA-9, along with Form AV-9, to your county tax office by June 1 of the tax year. File well ahead of the deadline: a county tax office cannot accept the AV-9 without the certified NCDVA-9 attached, so skipping the first step means your filing bounces back.
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 North Carolina with VA Builder ID Verified status →
County Veterans Service Officers (VSOs), listed statewide at milvets.nc.gov, certify the NCDVA-9 and also help file federal claims, including VA Form 26-4555, at no charge.
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. North Carolina's property tax exclusion does not fund a project, but it lowers what you owe every year you own the home, and an SAH grant recipient gets it automatically alongside the construction money.
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 milvets.nc.gov in July 2026.
FAQ#
Does North Carolina have a state program that pays for veteran home repairs or modifications?#
No. North Carolina's contribution is a property tax exclusion, alongside the four federal VA grants that pay for construction.
What is North Carolina's disabled veteran property tax exclusion worth?#
It excludes the first $45,000 of your permanent residence's assessed value from property tax, with no income test.
Does getting a VA Specially Adapted Housing grant qualify me for North Carolina's tax exclusion?#
Yes. Receiving SAH benefits under 38 U.S.C. 2101 qualifies you on its own, without a separate 100% disability rating review.
Who helps North Carolina veterans apply for VA housing grants for free?#
County Veterans Service Officers, listed at milvets.nc.gov, certify your paperwork and help file VA Form 26-4555 at no charge.
Find a verified provider near you#
Adapta Home USA's directory lets you search Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in North Carolina 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.