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Veteran business benefits in Virginia (2026)

Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated August 2026Editorial standards

Virginia has 4 verified programs for veteran-owned businesses, and a standard LLC filing fee of $100. Everything below is cited to the statute or official program page it came from, with the date we last checked it — because these programs get amended and repealed, and a confident page with a dead benefit on it costs you a filing fee.

Virginia's veteran business benefits are procurement-side only — no formation fee waiver, no tax exemption, no state grant or loan program that we could verify. What it does have is a genuine price preference and, in IT procurement specifically, a set-aside structure that moves real money. Note the two-agency shuffle: the Department of Veteran Services certifies you as a service-disabled veteran, then Small Business and Supplier Diversity carries that designation in the vendor database.

Virginia at a glance
Verified programs	4
LLC filing fee	$100
Recurring obligation	$50 annual registration fee, due by the last day of the twelfth month after organization
Benefit types	Contracting preference, Other
Last verified	2026-08-09

Fee source: Code of Virginia §13.1-1005 and §13.1-1062

Contracting preference

Up to 5% price preference for certified businesses

Up to 5% price preference

The real dollar lever in Virginia. Where the Governor authorises an enhancement or remedial measure, state bodies may give certified small businesses a price preference over non-certified competitors — provided the certified bid does not exceed the low bid by more than five percent. Because service-disabled-veteran businesses sit inside the certified small business structure, this is how the designation converts into contracts.

Who qualifiesBusinesses certified by the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, on procurements covered by a gubernatorial enhancement or remedial measure.

Source: Code of Virginia §2.2-4310(C) and §2.2-4310.1 · verified 2026-08-09

IT procurement — 3% service-disabled-veteran goal and small business set-asides

3% minimum SDV goal in IT; set-asides up to $100,000; 5% price tolerance

For information technology and telecommunications procurement by executive branch agencies, VITA policy sets a minimum 3% participation by service-disabled-veteran-owned small businesses, inside a 42% target for certified small businesses overall. The set-asides are where money actually moves: everything up to $10,000 is reserved for certified micro businesses, and $10,000 to $100,000 is reserved for certified small businesses with at least four sources solicited through eVA.

Who qualifiesCertified small businesses including service-disabled-veteran-owned firms. Micro business means a certified small business with no more than 25 employees and no more than $3 million average annual revenue over three years. Scope is IT and telecom procurement only — do not assume this 3% applies across all state purchasing.

Source: Virginia IT Agency — IT Procurement Policy for Enhancing Opportunities for Small, Women and Minority-Owned Businesses · verified 2026-08-09

Mandatory participation programs and prime contractor credit

Every public body in Virginia must run a written program to facilitate participation by service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses, with plans to hit any goals set. The useful quirk for you: contracts awarded to service-disabled-veteran-owned businesses are credited toward an agency's or a prime's small, women-owned and minority-owned contracting goals. That gives a prime a direct, selfish reason to route work your way.

Who qualifiesService-disabled-veteran-owned businesses as defined in §2.2-2000.1. Any contract over $10,000 must include a clause requiring a subcontracting plan.

Source: Code of Virginia §2.2-4310 — Virginia Public Procurement Act · verified 2026-08-09

Other

Service-Disabled Veteran designation in the SWaM vendor database

$0 — both services are free

Set expectations correctly: this is not a separate certification. It is a designation layered onto your SWaM vendor profile after the Department of Veteran Services certifies you as a service-disabled veteran. Two agencies, two steps, and you can apply to either first. If you already hold federal SDVOSB verification, present the approval letter and they will add a federal designation to your Virginia profile.

Who qualifiesAt least 51% owned by one or more service-disabled veterans, with both management and daily operations controlled by them. A service-disabled veteran here means active service, discharge under conditions other than dishonorable, and a VA-fixed service-connected disability rating.

Source: Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity; Code of Virginia §2.2-2000.1 · verified 2026-08-09

What to do next

Forming in Virginia costs $100 in state fees before anyone sells you anything on top. Check whether one of the waivers above applies to you first — if it does, your formation cost is zero and you should not be paying a service to tell you otherwise.

Check your SDVOSB eligibility The cheapest compliant way to file

More verified states

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Questions people actually ask

Does Virginia waive business filing fees for veterans?

We found no verified formation fee waiver for veteran-owned businesses in Virginia. That does not mean nothing exists — it means we could not confirm one against a primary source, and we will not list a benefit we cannot cite.

Is there a Virginia state certification for veteran-owned businesses?

Up to 5% price preference for certified businesses: The real dollar lever in Virginia. Where the Governor authorises an enhancement or remedial measure, state bodies may give certified small businesses a price preference over non-certified competitors — provided the certified bid does not exceed the low bid by more than five percent. Because service-disabled-veteran businesses sit inside the certified small business structure, this is how the designation converts into contracts. Source: Code of Virginia §2.2-4310(C) and §2.2-4310.1.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Virginia?

The state filing fee is $100, with a recurring obligation: $50 annual registration fee, due by the last day of the twelfth month after organization. Formation services charge their own fee on top of that; you can file directly with the state yourself and pay only the state fee.