If you are a veteran in Vermont planning repairs or accessibility work on your home, here is the direct answer: Vermont does not run its own grant or loan program for veteran home repairs or modifications. The state's real value shows up on your property tax bill instead, through an exemption whose size depends on your town, plus emergency assistance for housing crises. Here is how the federal grant money works, what Vermont adds, and how to apply.
The four federal VA grants#
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers four grant and health-benefit programs nationwide, and Vermont 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 Vermont adds#
Vermont's own agency for veterans is the Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs (OVA), at veterans.vermont.gov, (802) 828-3379, or toll-free at 888-666-9844. OVA does not run a home repair or adaptation grant program. Its benefits are property tax reduction, discharge records, veterans medals, license plates, hunting and fishing licenses, a state parks pass, grants to veteran-serving organizations, a veterans cemetery, and emergency financial assistance.
Vermont's real contribution is a disabled-veteran property tax exemption under 32 V.S.A. section 3802(11). The statutory minimum is $10,000 of appraisal value exempt on your owner-occupied primary residence, but any town may vote at its annual or special meeting to raise that exemption up to $40,000. Because each town decides separately, check with your own town clerk or listers for the figure your town has adopted. If your town has not raised the exemption, the $10,000 floor still applies.
Eligibility requires VA disability compensation at 50% or higher, or an Improved (Non-Service-Connected) Pension. Recipients of death compensation or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, and unremarried surviving spouses of previously qualified veterans, also qualify; the spouse need not receive compensation personally. Unlike most states, you apply through OVA itself, not your town assessor, filing proof of eligibility before May 1 each year. Veterans rated permanently and totally disabled only need to file that proof once; the exemption then stays on the grand list until the property changes ownership.
Separately, OVA administers Emergency Financial Assistance, a one-time payment for low-income veterans facing economic hardship, covering critical needs such as housing and utilities. This is not a repair grant, and Vermont has not published a dollar figure for it.
How to apply in Vermont#
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 Vermont with VA Builder ID Verified status →
For the federal VA grants, the State of Vermont Veteran Service Officer Program files VA Form 26-4555 and related claims at no charge; officers travel statewide by appointment at (802) 828-1082 or 888-666-9844. Accredited officers can also help, including the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. For the property tax exemption, file proof of eligibility with OVA before May 1, not your town assessor.
How the programs stack together#
The federal VA grants pay for construction, so start there, since that money never has to be repaid. Vermont's property tax exemption does not fund a project, but it can lower your ongoing carrying costs once work is complete, and the amount is worth confirming locally since it can reach four times the statutory floor in towns that voted to raise it.
See our VA home modification grants guide and VA grant decision tree for more on the federal programs. Our guide to paying for home modifications and wheelchair ramp cost guide can help you plan a budget.
Figures were verified against veterans.vermont.gov and tax.vermont.gov in July 2026.
FAQ#
Does Vermont have a state program that pays for veteran home repairs or modifications?#
No. Vermont's contribution is a property tax exemption and emergency assistance, alongside the four federal VA grants that pay for construction.
How much is the Vermont disabled veteran property tax exemption, and why does it vary by town?#
The statutory minimum is $10,000 of appraisal value exempt, but any town may vote to raise that up to $40,000. Check with your town clerk or listers for your local figure.
What is the May 1 deadline for Vermont's veteran property tax exemption?#
Eligible veterans must file proof of eligibility with OVA, not the town assessor, before May 1 each year. Permanently and totally disabled veterans only need to file once.
Who helps Vermont veterans apply for VA housing grants for free?#
The State of Vermont Veteran Service Officer Program files VA Form 26-4555 and other federal claims at no cost. Reach the program at (802) 828-1082 or 888-666-9844.
Find a verified provider near you#
Search Home Modifications & Remodeling providers in Vermont and filter for VA Builder ID Verified status. Our wheelchair ramp cost guide can help 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.