The Home Exempt — County by County
A totally disabled veteran’s home is exempt from real property tax — but property tax is COUNTY law in Hawaii, and the four counties draw the line in four different places. Honolulu and Hawaii County exempt the home outright above a minimum tax. Maui sets its gate at a 70% rating. Kauai runs two tiers: at 80% or more the home is exempt from everything except the $150 minimum, and below 80% up to $50,000 of taxable value is exempted instead.
Verified August 27, 2026
What this benefit is
A totally disabled veteran’s home is exempt from real property tax — but property tax is COUNTY law in Hawaii, and the four counties draw the line in four different places. Honolulu and Hawaii County exempt the home outright above a minimum tax. Maui sets its gate at a 70% rating. Kauai runs two tiers: at 80% or more the home is exempt from everything except the $150 minimum, and below 80% up to $50,000 of taxable value is exempted instead.
What it's worth: The home exempt from county real property tax above a minimum — except on Kauai below 80%, where it is $50,000 of taxable value
- Honolulu, under ROH 8-10.5: a veteran totally disabled from active-duty injuries has the home exempt except for the minimum tax. An unmarried widow or widower continues the exemption. A physician's certificate is required, on Form BFS-RPA-E-8-10.5, with deadlines of 30 June and 31 December.
- Hawaii County, under HCC 19-73: a totally disabled veteran's home is exempt except for special assessments and the minimum tax. The form is 19-73.
- Maui, under MCC 3.48.475: 'severely disabled' means a VA rating of 70% or higher. The county verifies the rating with the VA directly. The minimum tax is $150 and the deadline is 31 December.
- Kauai, under KCC chapter 5A, runs two tiers. At 80% or more the home is exempt from all property tax except the $150 minimum — not a capped-value exemption. Below 80%, up to $50,000 of taxable value is exempted on owned property, in addition to the ordinary home exemption.
- On Kauai an unmarried widow or widower continues the exemption, filing RP Form P-6 together with P-3 by 30 September.
- There is no state property tax in Hawaii and no state enabling statute — every one of these is county law, and the county is where the claim is made.
Who is entitled to it
- You meet the permanent and total test.
- You own and occupy the home.
- Your home is in this state.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Claim with YOUR county’s real property tax office — Hawaii has no state property tax, so the county code is the law.
- 2Ask the county’s own threshold: reports put Maui’s gate at 70%+ and Kauai’s at 80% with a capped value, while Honolulu and Hawaii County exempt totally disabled veterans fully above a minimum tax.
- 3Bring the VA letter and proof the home is your principal residence.
- Form
- County exemption claim
- File with
- Your county real property tax office
- Documents you will need
- va benefit summary letter
- No renewal
- Once granted it does not need renewing.
Sources
- authority · published policyHawaii Office of Veterans' Services — Benefits and Services
Why only one source type: The state Office of Veterans' Services page states the exemption and that administration is county-by-county; the county thresholds themselves are reported figures the counties' own sites must confirm.
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.