Veteran benefits in Larimer County, Colorado
- Benefits you can claim here
- 30
- Property tax rate
- 0.51
- effective rate, ACS 2023 five-year
- 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value, typical home
- $0
- a year at this county rate
- Veterans in this county
- 18,449
- US Department of Veterans Affairs VetPop2023 county model, as of 9/30/2025
What to do, in Larimer County
The process is the same across Colorado for the statewide records. Only the office and the tax rate change.
Find what applies to you
30 benefits reach Larimer County. Browse them below.
Check whether you qualify
Open any benefit and answer a few questions about that one specifically.
Get your proof
A VA Benefit Summary Letter from VA.gov covers most of them, in about two minutes.
File with Larimer County
Form DR-501 to the Property Appraiser before March 1. File even without your letter.
How much is a property tax exemption worth in Larimer County?
The rate shown is the county's effective property tax rate - aggregate taxes actually paid divided by aggregate home value, from the Census ACS 2023 five-year file. Every overlapping levy, credit and cap is already inside it, which makes it the honest basis for sizing an exemption's dollar value.
These are example savings for a typical home in this county, not an estimate of your own bill. Your actual saving depends on your assessed value, your taxing districts, and how this exemption interacts with any others you hold.
| Effective rate | what homeowners here actually paid |
|---|---|
| Basis | ACS 2023 five-year aggregates |
| 50% of the first $200,000 of actual value (Colo. Const. art. X, §3.5) | about $0 a year against the county rate |
| Total exemption (Colo. Const. art. X, §3.5) | the entire bill — about $1,275 a year against the county rate on a typical $250,000 value, and more once your other taxing units are added |
| Where to file | Larimer County Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs, then the county assessor |
| Deadline | July 1, every year |
Which document does the Larimer County Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs, then the county assessor accept?
Statute sets the floor; the office picks the paperwork.
Easiest · VA Benefit Summary Letter
Sign in at VA.gov, choose Download VA Letters, then Benefit Summary — Veteran Benefits.
All 30 benefits you can claim in Larimer County
All 64 Colorado counties get the same statewide law.
vehicles(5)
Stationed Away? A Free Three-Year Licence Extension
A Colorado-resident active duty member stationed outside Colorado can have their driving licence extended by three years, free, online or by post on form DR 2342 — provided the licence expired no more than three years ago. It is typically processed in 24 to 48 hours, and there is no retest if you visit a Colorado driver licence office before the extension runs out. Spouses and dependents are NOT eligible yet; they become eligible on 1 January 2027.
A free three-year licence extension while stationed outside Colorado
The Word VETERAN on Your Licence — and a Branch Identifier Too
Colorado prints a veteran indicator on a driving licence or ID card, and separately a branch military identifier — Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, National Guard, Navy or Space Force — for anyone who has served or is serving. Present the original Member 4 DD-214, a valid military ID or a common access card once, at a driver licence office. Once it is on, no further documentation is needed at renewal. Out-of-state identifiers do not transfer.
VETERAN, and a branch identifier, printed on your licence or ID
One Free Disabled Veteran Plate at 50%
One free Disabled Veteran plate at a 50%+ service-connected rating — applied for at the county DMV with the DD214 and the VA eligibility letter.
One Disabled Veteran plate, free
The Surviving-Family Plate Is Called "Fallen", Not "Gold Star"
Five plates — one per branch — for the family of a service member who died in the line of duty. The first set is not charged the one-time issuance fee. A current or PAST spouse qualifies, along with a child, sibling, grandparent or parent.
No one-time issuance fee on the first set; $50 for a second set
The Parking Plate Needs Two Proofs — the VA Letter Is Only Half
The Disabled Veteran Handicapped plate turns on a 50%-or-more service-connected rating AND a separate written verification of physical impairment from a clinician. The first set is exempt from fees. One set only, and a VA physician may sign the impairment letter.
First set exempt from fees, and the right to park in disability spaces
property tax(2)
Half of the First $200,000 — P&T or IU
50% of the first $200,000 of the home’s actual value is exempt for a 100% permanent and total veteran — and, since Amendment G, for a veteran on individual unemployability.
50% of the first $200,000 of actual value, exempt
Property Tax Deferral — the Called-Up Track, and Its Better Equity Test
A person called into military service on 1 January can have the state pay their property tax bill and take a junior lien instead. It is a loan, not an exemption: 4.238% simple interest for the year running 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027. A VA-backed mortgage buys a materially looser equity test than any other applicant gets.
The state pays your property tax bill and takes a junior lien; 4.238% simple interest for 1 May 2026 – 30 April 2027
recreation(3)
Free State Parks Entry All August — No Disability Required
Every August, Colorado state parks admit U.S. veterans, active duty members and National Guard members free on the August military pass. There is no disability requirement and no rating. Proof is a valid military ID, a DD-214, a veteran-marked driving licence, or a VA medical card.
Free state parks admission for the month of August
The Independence Pass — Free Entry to Every State Park, Renewed Yearly
A Colorado resident veteran gets free admission to all state parks on the Independence Pass. Four routes reach it: a service-connected rating of 50% or more, loss of use of one or more limbs, permanent loss of vision in both eyes, or the Purple Heart — and the last three carry no rating threshold. You apply once and renew every 12 months. Holders aged 64 and over also get $3 a night off camping, Sunday to Thursday.
Free admission to all Colorado state parks, renewed every 12 months
Lifetime Small Game and Fishing Licence — Free at 50%
A FREE LIFETIME small game and fishing combination licence at a 50% service-connected rating or a Purple Heart — and it counts as a qualifying licence for the big game draws.
A lifetime small game and fishing combination licence, free
licenses & fees(2)
Vets-2-Trucks — the CDL Driving Test Waived on Military Experience
Colorado waives the CDL drive skills test for residents who are currently serving, close to discharge, or discharged within the last year, on the strength of military driving experience. The written exams are still required. The forms are DR 2742 for the waiver and DR 2172 for the ten-year licence certification.
The CDL drive skills test waived — written exams still required
Free Six-Year Licence for a Military Spouse, Dependant or Gold Star Spouse
No application fee and no licence fee, valid six years, renewable once for six more while the servicemember is on orders here — and since HB24-1097 it reaches dependants and Gold Star spouses too.
No application fee and no licence fee, for six years
education(3)
In-State Tuition Without the One-Year Wait
C.R.S. 23-7-108.5 requires Colorado institutions to grant in-state status to an honorably discharged veteran who maintains Colorado domicile. Since 1 August 2021 the one-year residency wait is waived for veterans using Chapter 30 or Chapter 33 GI Bill benefits, regardless of how long ago they were discharged.
Resident tuition without the one-year domicile wait
Dependent Tuition Assistance — Tuition Plus Room and Board
A dependent of a prisoner of war or service member missing in action — or of a National Guard member (or officer or firefighter) who died or was permanently disabled on duty — studies toward a first bachelor's or certificate with tuition AND room and board covered at the public institutions. Enrol before 24; eight semesters within six years.
Tuition plus room and board at in-state publics; tuition-only out of state, capped at comparable public rates; required fees never covered
National Guard Tuition Waiver — the Programme That Replaced Tuition Assistance
A serving Guard member at an approved public institution has the remaining balance of in-state tuition waived after other aid is applied — up to 100%, part-time or full-time, undergraduate through doctoral. It replaced the old State Tuition Assistance payment, and the enrolment windows are only 20 days long.
Up to 100% of in-state tuition waived at an approved public institution, after other aid is applied
business(2)
The 3% Contracting Goal — a Goal, Not a Set-Aside
C.R.S. §24-103-905 sets a 3% state contracting goal for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Agencies may give a preference in competitive bids, but the gate is federal SBA verification and subcontracts do not count.
A 3% statewide contracting goal, and a preference agencies may apply in competitive bids
No State Farming Programme for Veterans — the Page Is a Referral List
The agriculture department publishes a veterans section inside its new farmer and rancher resources. Every link in that section points at a federal programme or a non-profit. No state grant, loan, licence concession or land route for veteran farmers appears there.
Referrals only — the state department funds nothing veteran-specific here
other(7)
Veterans Assistance Grant and Veterans Trust Fund — Organisations Apply, Not Veterans
The two state veterans grant programmes are open only to organisations: nonprofits and governmental entities for one, nationally recognised veterans service organisations for the other. A veteran reaches this money through a funded agency, never by applying.
No direct payment to a veteran — services delivered through funded organisations
Restoration of Honor Act — a Discharge Recognised Under State Law
A veteran separated because of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression can be recognised as a discharged LGBT veteran by the state board, which opens state benefits their federal discharge character would otherwise close: in-state tuition, hiring preference points, purchasable service credit, burial at the veterans home cemetery and appointment as a county service officer.
A state-law status that opens listed state benefits closed by the discharge character
Military Retired Pay — $15,000 Subtracted Under 55, a Different Rule After
A retired service member under 55 at the end of the tax year subtracts up to $15,000 of military retired pay from taxable income. At 55 that subtraction stops and the general pension and annuity subtraction takes over instead — one or the other, never both.
Up to $15,000 of military retired pay subtracted, for a retiree under 55 at year end
Veterans Mental Health Sessions — 26 a Year, but Only for Living Center Residents
A state programme pays mental-health providers for 26 sessions a year with an eligible veteran. Its reach is far narrower than the name suggests: it is for veterans who live in a veterans community living center, and only after the sessions their federal benefits cover are exhausted.
26 mental-health sessions a year, paid to the provider
Eight Veterans Courts, and a Sealing Rule That Outlives the Case
Veterans treatment courts sit in eight judicial districts. The El Paso and Teller court takes veterans whatever their discharge status. On a later petition to seal the record, a court must weigh successful completion of a veterans programme in the veteran’s favour.
Treatment instead of incarceration in eight districts, plus a favourable factor at sealing
The Women Veterans Post Is Published — and Currently Vacant
The state division publishes a women veterans page with a service officer post attached to it. The page states that the position is currently vacant and directs women veterans to a county service officer instead, who need not be in their own county.
A named post with nobody in it — use a county service officer
Short-Term Respite Stays — Booking a Bed at a State Veterans Home
When a home care provider or a family carer is unavailable, four of the state's veterans community living centers take short-term respite stays. This record covers the respite route itself; for the homes, who lives in them and what the daily rate covers, see co-veterans-community-living-centers.
Short-term respite stays at four homes, on one comprehensive daily rate
burial(2)
Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado — Burial at No Charge
The state runs its own veterans cemetery at Grand Junction. Gravesite or niche, opening and closing, an upright granite headstone or niche marker, a grave liner and perpetual care are provided at no expense to the next of kin. Eligibility tracks the national cemeteries with a residency requirement added.
No charge for interment — gravesite or niche, opening and closing, granite marker, grave liner and perpetual care
Military Funeral Honours Stipend — $75 for the First Service, $30 for the Next Four
The state reimburses congressionally chartered veterans service organisations whose honour guards perform funeral honours, at $75 for the first service of the day and $30 for up to four more, capped at $195 a day. Requests are due within fifteen days of the service.
$75 for the first service, $30 for up to four more, maximum $195 a day — paid to the honour guard organisation
utilities(2)
Military Family Relief Fund — for Food, Housing, Utilities and Medical Costs During Mobilisation
A legislated fund for families of state Guard members, reservists and active duty personnel, aimed at the costs that bite when military pay falls short of a civilian salary. Open to members on overseas mobilisation orders for at least thirty days who are state residents for income tax purposes.
Grants toward food, housing, utilities, medical services and other mobilisation costs
Winter Heating Help — No Veteran Route, and VA Benefits Count Against You
Applications run 1 November to 30 April, the income ceiling is 60% of state median income, and the payment goes straight to the heating vendor. There is no veteran category — and the department counts veterans' benefits as household income.
A payment to your heating vendor, once per season, sized by fuel cost and income
Filing in Larimer County
- Office
- Larimer County Property Appraiser
- Form
- DR-501 for most exemptions; DR-501DV for the combat-related discount; DR-501M for a deployment exemption.
- Deadline
- March 1, every year. Missing it costs the whole tax year — there is no late route back in.
Free help in Larimer County
Larimer County has a County Veteran Service Officer, and their help is free. Go to them for anything touching a federal VA disability claim.
Nobody should charge you to claim the benefits on this page. Unaccredited operators charging fees for VA claims are a real and growing problem.
Common questions about Larimer County veteran benefits
- What can I claim here?
- The Colorado statewide records apply in every county. We have not researched county-level programmes here, so this page shows state law and complete geography rather than a local layer.
- What is it worth in this county?
- Dollar figures use the county's EFFECTIVE property tax rate - what homeowners there actually paid per dollar of home value, from the Census ACS 2023 five-year file. It is an estimate for sizing a saving; the levy table on your own bill governs.
- Where do I file for a veteran property tax exemption in Larimer County?
- File with your County assessor. The form and deadline are on each benefit record.
- What document does the Larimer County Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs, then the county assessor accept as proof?
- The statute sets what must be proved. An office may tell you which document it prefers, but it may not add a requirement the statute does not contain. We have not researched per-county document quirks in Colorado.
Other counties
- Adams
- Alamosa
- Arapahoe
- Archuleta
- Baca
- Bent
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Chaffee
- Cheyenne
- Clear Creek
- Conejos
- Costilla
- Crowley
- Custer
- Delta
- Denver
- Dolores
- Douglas
- Eagle
- Elbert
- El Paso
- Fremont
- Garfield
- Gilpin
- Grand
- Gunnison
- Hinsdale
- Huerfano
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Kiowa
- Kit Carson
- Lake
- La Plata
- Las Animas
- Lincoln
- Logan
- Mesa
- Mineral
- Moffat
- Montezuma
- Montrose
- Morgan
- Otero
- Ouray
- Park
- Phillips
- Pitkin
- Prowers
- Pueblo
- Rio Blanco
- Rio Grande
- Routt
- Saguache
- San Juan
- San Miguel
- Sedgwick
- Summit
- Teller
- Washington
- Weld
- Yuma
This is an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. Veterans Alliance is privately owned and is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Geography from the US Census; veteran population from the VA VetPop2023 county model.