You can have part of the assessed value of your property exempted from local property tax as a qualifying veteran or the surviving spouse of one. Rhode Island General Laws 44-3-4 authorizes the exemption, but property tax is assessed by each city and town, so the exemption amount, the forms and the documents you need all depend on where you live. Contact your local tax assessor for the amount in your municipality.
Apply through the tax assessor in the city or town where the property is located, not the state. The Rhode Island City and Town Directory of Government Officials lists assessor contacts, and the Office of Veterans Services keeps an overview of the exemptions.
Your DD214 or other discharge paperwork, proof you own the property, proof of residency, and a marriage certificate and death certificate if you are applying as a surviving spouse. Your assessor may ask for more.
