In Missouri, most disabled veterans do pay property taxes on their homes, but the state offers two forms of relief depending on your situation. Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating from the VA can claim a Property Tax Credit of up to $1,100 a year, which reimburses taxes already paid. Former prisoners of war who also carry a 100% service-connected rating go further: their homestead is fully exempt from property tax. Veterans rated below 100% do not currently qualify for a veteran-specific property tax benefit in Missouri.
The $1,100 Property Tax Credit
Missouri’s main relief for disabled veterans is the Property Tax Credit Claim, often called the Circuit Breaker. It is not an exemption. You pay your full property tax bill for the year, then file Form MO-PTC and receive a credit back from the state.1The Official Army Benefits Website. Missouri Military and Veterans Benefits
The maximum credit is $1,100 for homeowners and $750 for renters. The actual amount depends on how much property tax (or rent) you paid and your total household income, so many claimants receive less than the maximum.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Property Tax Credit
Who Qualifies as a Disabled Veteran
To qualify under the veteran category, you or your spouse must have a 100% service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. A rating below 100% does not qualify you under the veteran rules, though you might still qualify through separate paths if you are 65 or older or meet the state’s general disability definition.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes 135.010
You also have to meet three other conditions:
- Missouri residency for the entire calendar year.
- Ownership and occupancy of the home for the full year, or rental from a landlord who pays property taxes on the building. Rent paid to a tax-exempt facility does not count.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Property Tax Credit
- Household income within the program’s thresholds.
If You Receive TDIU
Some veterans are paid at the 100% rate through VA Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability even though their combined schedular rating is lower. TDIU is available when service-connected conditions rated 60% or higher (or a combined 70% with one condition at 40%) prevent steady employment.4Veterans Affairs. Individual Unemployability if You Cant Work Missouri’s statute requires the veteran to be “one hundred percent disabled as a result of such service,”3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes 135.010 and whether TDIU meets that language is not addressed in the statute or in the Department of Revenue’s published guidance. Call the Department of Revenue or a Veterans Service Organization before filing if you receive TDIU rather than a 100% schedular rating.
Income Limits and the VA Payment Exclusion
The income caps for the credit are:
- Homeowners who owned and occupied for the full year: $30,000 or less single, $34,000 or less married filing combined.
- Renters or part-year homeowners: $27,200 or less single, $29,200 or less married filing combined.5Missouri Department of Revenue. FAQs – Property Tax Credit Claim
Here is the key break for 100% service-connected disabled veterans: your VA disability payments are excluded from household income entirely. You do not list them on the form.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes 135.010 That exclusion often decides whether a veteran stays under the cap, especially alongside Social Security or a pension. Social Security, private pensions, interest, and other income sources all still count.
Full Exemption for Disabled Former POWs
A smaller group gets a much better deal. If you are a former prisoner of war and you have a 100% total service-connected disability from the VA, your homestead is completely exempt from property tax. The exemption is written into the Missouri Constitution.6Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Constitution Article X Section 6
You must own and occupy the home as your primary residence, but there is no income limit. Apply through your county assessor’s office rather than on the state tax return.7Missouri State Tax Commission. Are Veterans or Former POWs Exempt from Property Tax
Surviving Spouses
A surviving spouse can claim the Circuit Breaker credit if they are at least 60 years old and received surviving spouse Social Security benefits during the calendar year. Proof of those benefits goes to the Department of Revenue with the claim. The same residency and income rules apply.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Revised Statutes 135.010
What You Need to File
Gather these documents before you start Form MO-PTC:
- An official VA letter confirming your 100% service-connected disability rating. You can download it from VA.gov as the Benefit Summary and Service Verification Letter.8Veterans Affairs – VA.gov. Download VA Benefit Letters
- Proof of property taxes paid. Homeowners need the paid real estate tax receipt. Renters need a Certificate of Rent Paid (Form MO-CRP) signed by the landlord and a Verification of Rent Paid (Form 5674).
- Income records: SSA-1099, 1099-R, W-2s, and any other income statements. VA disability payments are excluded for 100% disabled veterans, but every other income source needs documentation.9Missouri Department of Revenue. Form MO-PTC – 2025 Property Tax Credit Claim
How and When to File
File Form MO-PTC one of two ways:
- Online through the Department of Revenue portal at mytax.mo.gov.2Missouri Department of Revenue. Property Tax Credit
- By mail to the Department of Revenue, P.O. Box 2800, Jefferson City, MO 65105-2800.10Missouri Department of Revenue. Form MO-PTC 2025 Property Tax Credit Claim Forms and Instructions
The deadline is April 15 of the year after the tax year. Taxes paid in 2025 are claimed by April 15, 2026. If you miss it, you still have time: Missouri lets you file up to three years from the original due date and collect the credit.10Missouri Department of Revenue. Form MO-PTC 2025 Property Tax Credit Claim Forms and Instructions A veteran who only recently learned about the credit can go back and claim prior years that were missed. Refunds arrive by direct deposit or paper check, usually several weeks to a few months after approval.
Proposed Changes for Veterans Rated Below 100%
Lawmakers have introduced bills that would open property tax relief to veterans with lower disability ratings. Recent proposals set a $2,500 assessed-value exemption for ratings of 50% to 69%, $5,000 for 70% to 99%, and a full exemption at 100% along with surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.
None of these are law as of early 2026. A constitutional amendment (SJR 46) passed the Missouri Senate in April 2025 but did not reach the 2026 ballot. A separate bill (HB 2276) was filed for the 2026 session with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2027. For now, the only property tax benefits available to disabled veterans in Missouri are the Circuit Breaker credit and the POW homestead exemption.
Where to Get Free Help
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program offers free tax preparation for people earning $69,000 or less, people with disabilities, and those needing language support. Veterans within 365 days of separation or retirement can also use MilTax through Military OneSource to file federal and up to five state returns at no cost.11Internal Revenue Service. Veterans Tax Information and Services Local Veterans Service Organizations can also pair you with volunteers who know Form MO-PTC and what the Department of Revenue expects. The first time through is where mistakes happen, and a missing attachment or wrong income figure will delay the refund.