Veteran benefits in Sauk County, Wisconsin
- Benefits you can claim here
- 31
- Property tax rate
- 1.29
- effective rate, ACS 2023 five-year
- 100% of the property tax on your principal dwelling, as a credit, typical home
- $0
- a year at this county rate
- Veterans in this county
- 3,561
- US Department of Veterans Affairs VetPop2023 county model, as of 9/30/2025
What to do, in Sauk County
The process is the same across Wisconsin for the statewide records. Only the office and the tax rate change.
Find what applies to you
31 benefits reach Sauk 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 Sauk 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 Sauk 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 |
| 100% of the property tax on your principal dwelling, as a credit (Wis. Stat. §71.07(6e)) | about $0 a year against the county rate |
| Total exemption (Wis. Stat. §71.07(6e)) | the entire bill — about $3,225 a year against the county rate on a typical $250,000 value, and more once your other taxing units are added |
| Where to file | Sauk County Department of Revenue, with WDVA certification |
| Deadline | April 15, with your return, every year |
Which document does the Sauk County Department of Revenue, with WDVA certification 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 31 benefits you can claim in Sauk County
All 72 Wisconsin counties get the same statewide law.
other(5)
Three State Veterans Homes — and Two Ways to Meet the Service Test
Wisconsin runs 24-hour skilled nursing at veterans homes in CHIPPEWA FALLS, KING AND UNION GROVE. The service test has two alternative routes and the second is the one people miss: 90 OR MORE DAYS OF ACTIVE DUTY WITH AT LEAST ONE DAY DURING A WARTIME PERIOD, OR TWO OR MORE YEARS OF PEACETIME ACTIVE DUTY — or completion of the full initial obligation. A peacetime veteran with two years in is inside this. Discharge must be under honorable conditions.
24-hour skilled nursing at three state facilities
Military Retirement Pay Exempt in Full
Every dollar of U.S. military retirement pay — and Survivor Benefit Plan payments — is exempt from Wisconsin income tax.
The whole of your military retired pay, exempt
Health Care Aid Grant — Dental, Vision and Hearing When Nothing Else Will Pay
WDVA pays a veteran’s dental, vision or hearing bills directly to the provider once other sources of aid are exhausted — up to $800 of dental care a year, $4,000 of extended dental care over two years, $400 of vision care, and $1,875 for each hearing aid.
Up to $800 dental a year, $4,000 extended dental over two years, $400 vision, $200 hearing care, $1,875 per hearing aid
Subsistence Aid — Up to $3,000 a Year When Illness or Injury Stops the Income
Where illness, injury or a natural disaster has cut a veteran’s income and other sources of aid are exhausted, WDVA pays subsistence aid for up to three 30-day periods — capped at $3,000 in any 12 months, and filed within a year of the loss.
Up to $3,000 in any 12 months, in 30-day awards to a maximum of 90 days
Remarriage — It Ends Two Wisconsin Benefits and Not the Third
One Department of Veterans Affairs page sets the rules side by side. The Wisconsin GI Bill reaches unremarried surviving spouses. The property tax credit reaches an unremarried surviving spouse. Burial in a state veterans cemetery does not: the department states that surviving spouses who remarry retain burial eligibility.
A map of which Wisconsin family benefits survive remarriage and which do not
recreation(6)
Spring Turkey Without the Draw — $10, Any Zone, at 50%
A veteran with a 50% OR GREATER service-connected rating, or rated INDIVIDUALLY UNEMPLOYABLE, may buy a spring turkey harvest authorisation for $10 plus licence fees IN ANY ZONE AND TIME PERIOD, WITHOUT ENTERING THE DRAWING. Bypassing the drawing is worth more than the price: Wisconsin's spring turkey authorisations are allocated by lottery and a preferred zone and period can take years to draw. This lets you simply choose.
$10 spring turkey authorisation, any zone or period, no drawing
One Free Licence on Coming Home — and the Voucher Runs 365 Days
A recently discharged Wisconsin resident veteran gets ONE free licence of their choosing: SMALL GAME, ARCHERY, GUN DEER OR ANNUAL FISHING. It arrives as a VOUCHER CODE WITH A 365-DAY REDEMPTION WINDOW, which is the detail that matters — the clock starts when the voucher issues, not when the season opens, so a voucher taken in spring for a gun deer licence has to be redeemed before the following spring.
One free small game, archery, gun deer or annual fishing licence
Purple Heart — a $10 Conservation Patron Licence, and Resident Rates If You Live Elsewhere
Wisconsin sells the CONSERVATION PATRON LICENCE — its all-in package — to a Purple Heart recipient for $10 RESIDENT or $161 NONRESIDENT. Better still, a NONRESIDENT Purple Heart recipient may buy hunting, fishing and trapping approvals AT RESIDENT RATES, which on out-of-state licences is a large saving. There is also a one-time CLASS A BEAR LICENCE TRANSFER. All of it turns on the medal with proof, not on a disability rating.
Conservation Patron licence at $10 resident / $161 nonresident; resident rates for nonresidents
The $7 Disabled Veteran Recreation Card — Five Privileges in One
A resident veteran with a service-connected rating of 50% or more — or rated individually unemployable — buys the Resident Disabled Veteran Recreation Card for $7 a year. The card carries fishing, small game hunting, vehicle admission to state parks, admission to Heritage Hill, and the state trail pass, all inside the one $7 price.
$7 a year for fishing, small game, park vehicle admission, Heritage Hill and the state trail pass
Fishing for $3 a Year — at 70%, on Unemployability, or on a Non-Service-Connected Pension
A resident veteran receiving disability compensation at 70% or more buys the annual fishing licence for $3, presented at any licence sales location with VA documentation. Two other routes reach the same price: a finding of individual unemployability, and receipt of a non-service-connected VA pension — which requires no rating at all.
Annual fishing licence for $3
State Park Admission Free at 70% — or on Unemployability or VA Pension
A disabled veteran rated 70% or more service-connected — or individually unemployable, or receiving VA pension — and any former POW gets state park vehicle admission free, certified once through the county veterans service officer.
A free Park Admission & Trail Pass Card — vehicle admission and the state trail pass, for two years or life
education(5)
$3,000 a Year to Retrain — for Unemployed or Underemployed Veterans
Wisconsin pays UP TO $3,000 PER YEAR FOR A MAXIMUM OF TWO YEARS toward technical education or on-the-job training completable within two years. FOUR-YEAR DEGREES ARE EXCLUDED — this is deliberately about getting back to work rather than about a degree. It reaches RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED veterans (involuntary, non-misconduct job loss within the year before applying, after six or more consecutive months in the same role) and UNDEREMPLOYED veterans with income below a federal threshold. Up to two grants, NOT IN CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
Up to $3,000 a year, for a maximum of two years
Up to $2,000 a Semester at a Private School — and the School Has to Match It
Wisconsin pays a veterans grant at PRIVATE NONPROFIT institutions worth the LESSER OF $2,000 PER SEMESTER OR 50% OF TUITION MINUS applicable federal education benefits — AND THE PRIVATE INSTITUTION MUST MATCH THE GRANT. That matching requirement roughly doubles the effect and is unusual. The combined cap with the Wisconsin GI Bill is UP TO 128 CREDITS OR 8 SEMESTERS. Eligibility routes include 90 or more days wartime, two consecutive peacetime years, or discharge for a service-connected disability, hardship or reduction in force.
The lesser of $2,000 a semester or 50% of tuition — matched by the school
Wisconsin GI Bill — Tuition Remitted in Full, for the Veteran and Their Family
Full tuition and segregated fees remitted at any UW System school or technical college — 128 credits or 8 semesters, whichever is longer, with no time limit. Spouses, unremarried surviving spouses and children aged 17 to under 26 are covered on the same cap, where the veteran holds a 30% or higher service-connected rating or died on active duty, from a service-connected disability, or in the line of duty.
Full tuition and segregated fees, up to 128 credits or 8 semesters — whichever is longer
National Guard Tuition Grant — 100% of Tuition, Capped at the Public Rate
An actively drilling enlisted member of the Wisconsin National Guard without a bachelor’s degree can have 100% of tuition covered, capped at the in-state resident rate at UW Madison, for up to eight full-time academic terms.
100% of tuition, or the UW Madison in-state resident rate — whichever is less
VetEd — Tuition Reimbursed After You Pass, on a Credit Bank Set by Your Service
A veteran without a bachelor’s degree can have tuition and fees reimbursed after completing courses with at least a C average, drawing on a credit bank of 30, 60 or 120 credits according to length of active duty — subject to a household income test.
Tuition and fees reimbursed for completed courses, up to 30, 60 or 120 credits by length of service
business(3)
Certified Veteran-Owned Business — a Logo and a Directory, and Nothing More
Wisconsin certifies a business at least 51% owned by veterans meeting the WDVA service criteria, giving a Certified Veteran-Owned Business LOGO and a listing in the searchable state directory. Be clear about the limit: NO GRANT OR FEE CONCESSION ATTACHES. It is marketing and visibility, not money or contracting preference. If you have a service-connected disability, the DISABLED veteran-owned certification is the one with the 5% purchasing target — a different programme entirely.
A certification logo and a state directory listing
The Certification That Actually Carries Weight — 5% Target and a Low-Bid Waiver
The Department of Administration's Supplier Diversity Program certifies disabled veteran-owned businesses, and this is the Wisconsin certification with real procurement force: AT LEAST 5% OF STATE PURCHASING AND CONTRACTING is targeted to certified minority and disabled veteran-owned businesses, and there is a LOW-BID WAIVER — the state may award to a certified firm whose bid is NO MORE THAN 5% ABOVE the low bid. That waiver is the part worth understanding: it means you do not have to be cheapest to win.
A 5% state purchasing target, and awards up to 5% above the low bid
Certified Veteran-Owned Farm — a Logo, a Listing and the Farm Center
WDVA and the agriculture department certify a veteran’s farm, issue a Veteran-Owned Farm logo and list it publicly, while the Wisconsin Farm Center supplies the business planning help a new agricultural enterprise needs.
Certification, a Veteran-Owned Farm logo, a public listing and Farm Center business planning support
vehicles(4)
DIS/VET Parking Plates — Meters Free, Time Limits Waived, and Fuel Served
Wisconsin issues disabled veteran parking plates to a veteran certified by an authorised VA health care specialist as having a PERMANENT SERVICE-INCURRED DISABILITY THAT LIMITS OR IMPAIRS THE ABILITY TO WALK. They allow parking in DIS/VET reserved spaces, EXEMPTION FROM PARKING TIME-LIMIT ORDINANCES OF 30 MINUTES OR MORE, FREE PARKING AT MUNICIPALLY-OWNED METERED SPACES with a limit of 30 minutes or more, and FULL-SERVICE FUEL at self-service prices. The test is functional — cannot walk 200 feet without rest, mobility device dependence, severe lung disease, portable oxygen or significant cardiac limitation — not a rating percentage.
Reserved spaces, time limits waived, free municipal metered parking, full-service fuel
Ex-POW Plates Free on One Vehicle — but They Still Have to Be Renewed
Wisconsin charges NO ISSUANCE OR REGISTRATION FEES for Ex-POW plates on ONE qualifying vehicle, for a motorist certified as a former prisoner of war by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Additional vehicles pay a $15 issuance fee plus the annual registration. The trap is administrative: THE PLATES EXPIRE ANNUALLY AND MUST BE RENEWED EVEN THOUGH NO FEE IS DUE. A free plate that lapses because nobody expected a renewal notice is a real problem.
No issuance or registration fee on one vehicle
Fifty-Plus Service and Medal Designations on One Plate Programme
Wisconsin offers a military plate with OVER 50 SERVICE AND MEDAL DECAL DESIGNATIONS to any active or retired military veteran, or a military academy student or alumnus. You must be the vehicle OWNER, LESSEE OR TRUST BENEFICIARY — the trust route matters for older owners. Proof is a DD214, academy ID or equivalent. REGULAR REGISTRATION FEES APPLY and there are NO SPECIAL PARKING PRIVILEGES, so this is recognition rather than a saving. Personalisation is optional.
A military plate with over 50 decal designations
Medal of Honor Plates — No Fees, and They Do Not Expire
Wisconsin issues Medal of Honor plates with NO ISSUANCE OR REGISTRATION FEES, and THE PLATES DO NOT EXPIRE — which sets them apart from the Ex-POW plates, which are equally free but must be renewed every year. They are TRANSFERABLE to another qualifying vehicle. There is no personalisation and no special parking privilege. Proof is a DD214, DD215 or official orders; you must be the owner, lessee or trust beneficiary.
No issuance or registration fees, and the plates never expire
licenses & fees(3)
Initial Credential Fee Waived Once, Then 10% Thereafter
Wisconsin waives the fee on a veteran’s first professional or occupational credential, and charges 10 percent of the standard fee on a later one. Renewal and examination fees are not covered.
The initial credential fee, waived once
The Veteran Identifier on Your Licence — and the Reserve Route Most People Miss
WDVA verifies your service and the DMV prints a Veteran identifier on your driver licence or state ID — and the eligibility rules reach a Reserve or Guard member who completed an initial term of obligated service without ever serving on active duty.
A Veteran identifier printed on your driver licence or state ID
Military Spouse Licensure — Reciprocity Under 2011 Act 210, on Five Conditions
Under 2011 Wisconsin Act 210, the spouse of an active-duty service member assigned to Wisconsin may receive a reciprocal professional credential: apply on the licensing board’s form, be temporarily resident because of the military assignment, hold a valid licence from another jurisdiction, pay the required fees and meet any additional board requirements.
A reciprocal professional credential without repeating the qualifying process — fees still payable
Filing in Sauk County
- Office
- Sauk 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 Sauk County
Sauk 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 Sauk County veteran benefits
- What can I claim here?
- The Wisconsin 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 Sauk County?
- File with your Department of Revenue, with WDVA certification. The form and deadline are on each benefit record.
- What document does the Sauk County Department of Revenue, with WDVA certification 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 Wisconsin.
Other counties
- Adams
- Ashland
- Barron
- Bayfield
- Brown
- Buffalo
- Burnett
- Calumet
- Chippewa
- Clark
- Columbia
- Crawford
- Dane
- Dodge
- Door
- Douglas
- Dunn
- Eau Claire
- Florence
- Fond du Lac
- Forest
- Grant
- Green
- Green Lake
- Iowa
- Iron
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Juneau
- Kenosha
- Kewaunee
- La Crosse
- Lafayette
- Langlade
- Lincoln
- Manitowoc
- Marathon
- Marinette
- Marquette
- Menominee
- Milwaukee
- Monroe
- Oconto
- Oneida
- Outagamie
- Ozaukee
- Pepin
- Pierce
- Polk
- Portage
- Price
- Racine
- Richland
- Rock
- Rusk
- St. Croix
- Sawyer
- Shawano
- Sheboygan
- Taylor
- Trempealeau
- Vernon
- Vilas
- Walworth
- Washburn
- Washington
- Waukesha
- Waupaca
- Waushara
- Winnebago
- Wood
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.