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State Guide · FL

Florida — Military Tax Treatment

No state income tax — military pay, retirement, SBP, Guard drill pay, all of it. A major reason so many military retirees choose Florida.

Tax treatment at a glance

Active-duty pay
No State Income Tax

No state income tax.

Guard & Reserve drill pay
No State Income Tax

No state income tax. Guard and Reserve drill pay not taxed.

Military retirement pay
No State Income Tax

No state income tax.

VA disability compensation
Always tax-free

Federally tax-free under 38 USC § 5301. No state taxes VA disability compensation as income — Florida included.

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
Follows retirement

No state income tax — SBP annuities not taxed in Florida.

Federal rules that override state law

SCRA — Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Active-duty servicemembers pay state income tax only to their state of legal domicile — not the state where they are stationed. If you are from Texas and stationed in Florida, Florida cannot tax your military pay. This applies during all active duty periods and during Guard/Reserve mobilizations on federal (Title 10) orders.

MSRRA — Military Spouses Residency Relief Act

Military spouses can maintain their home-state domicile even when living in a different state due to their servicemember's orders. A spouse who is a Texas resident following their servicemember to Florida can keep Texas as their tax domicile and avoid Florida state income tax on their wages.

Guard & Reserve — the SCRA gap

SCRA pay protections apply during federal (Title 10) activation orders. During routine drill weekends and state-only activations, Guard and Reserve members are state residents serving in their home state — SCRA does not protect their drill pay from state income tax. Whether Florida exempts that pay is the state-specific question answered above.

Filing watch-outs

  • 01Florida has no state income tax return to file. Still file your federal return.

Veteran-specific tax benefits

Homestead exemption $5K for vets; total exemption for 100% P&T disabled vets.

Official authority
https://floridarevenue.com/

State tax law changes annually. Verify current rules with the Florida Department of Revenue before making any tax decision.

Florida military tax — common questions

Does Florida tax military retirement pay in 2026?

Florida does not tax military retirement pay. No state income tax.

Does Florida tax active-duty military pay?

Florida does not tax active-duty military pay for state residents. No state income tax. Under the SCRA, Florida can only tax the military pay of service members who are legally domiciled in Florida — not those merely stationed there.

Does Florida tax National Guard and Reserve drill pay?

Florida does not tax Guard and Reserve drill pay. No state income tax. Guard and Reserve drill pay not taxed.

Is VA disability compensation taxed in Florida?

No. VA disability compensation is federally tax-free under 38 U.S.C. § 5301, and no state — including Florida — taxes it as income.

If I'm stationed in Florida but claim another state, can Florida tax my military pay?

No. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), active-duty pay is taxable only by your state of legal domicile, not the state where you are stationed. If your domicile is elsewhere, Florida cannot tax your active-duty military pay. Military spouses get the same protection under the MSRRA.

Related tools
Drill Pay State Tax Map
IDT, AT, ADOS & State Active Duty, all 50 states
Military Residency & Domicile
How to establish or change your tax home (DD 2058)
Florida Veteran Benefits
Property tax, tuition, and vehicle exemptions
Other state guides
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Published by the Honest MOS Editorial DeskVerified against DoD/.gov sourcesUpdated May 2026Editorial standards