ChatGPT Plus free for veterans: who qualifies, how to claim
OpenAI gives recently separated US veterans and transitioning service members a free year of ChatGPT Plus. Here are the rules and the ID.me steps.
Checked and updated 11 November 2026 at 15:25 UTC
Key points
- US veterans and retirees who left active duty in the past 12 months, and service members leaving in the next 12 months, can get one free year of ChatGPT Plus.
- You claim it at chatgpt.com/veterans-claim and verify your service through ID.me.
- After the free year, Plus renews at the standard monthly rate unless you cancel, and cancelling early can end the free access right away.
Yes, ChatGPT Plus is free for one year for some US veterans, but not all of them. OpenAI's offer covers veterans and retirees who left active-duty service in the past 12 months and service members who will leave in the next 12 months, and you claim it at chatgpt.com/veterans-claim after verifying with ID.me.
On Veterans Day 2026 (November 11), OpenAI said more than 20,000 transitioning service members and veterans have claimed the free year since the offer began. Here is how it works.
Who qualifies
| You are | Eligible? |
|---|---|
| A US veteran who left active duty in the past 12 months | Yes |
| A US military retiree discharged from active duty in the past 12 months | Yes |
| An active US service member who will transition in the next 12 months | Yes |
| A veteran who separated more than 12 months ago | No, the service end date falls outside the 365-day window |
| A friend or family member of a veteran | No, the offer cannot be shared or transferred |
Other rules from OpenAI's terms:
- One offer per person. An ID.me identity can be linked to only one ChatGPT account.
- Personal accounts only. Accounts that belong to an Enterprise workspace cannot redeem it.
- It cannot be combined with other promotions.
How to claim the free year, step by step
- Log in at chatgpt.com with the personal account you want the offer on. Create an account first if you do not have one.
- Go to chatgpt.com/veterans-claim and select Verify with ID.me.
- Sign in to ID.me (or create an ID.me account), complete military verification and select Allow so ID.me can share the result with OpenAI.
- Return to ChatGPT. If it asks for your military service end date, enter it.
- When you see Eligibility confirmed, select Claim offer.
If you already pay for Plus on the web, the free year is applied directly. If you do not have Plus yet, ChatGPT may send you through checkout: check that the promotion is shown before you finish, and stop and contact OpenAI Support if it is missing.
Three mistakes that cost people the offer
- Cancelling Plus before applying. OpenAI says existing web Plus users should not cancel first.
- Paying through the App Store or Google Play. The offer is unavailable while a mobile app store subscription is active. Manage it in the app store, then try again on chatgpt.com once it is no longer active.
- Cancelling "just to be safe" after claiming. OpenAI warns that Plus access may end immediately when you cancel, and the offer cannot be reinstated. If you do not want to pay later, cancel close to the end of the year, before the first billing date.
What happens after 12 months
The subscription renews automatically at the standard ChatGPT Plus monthly rate unless you cancel. The offer has no cash value and expires one year from the date you claim it.
Free training for veterans
You do not need the Plus offer to use these:
- 100 chats for veterans: ready-made example prompts on chatgpt.com.
- OpenAI Academy veterans collection: online lessons for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses.
- Events in November 2026: St. Louis (Nov 12), Nashville (Nov 14), a 30-minute virtual session (Nov 17), Dallas (Nov 19) and San Antonio (Nov 21), run with partners including NPower, Veterans Forge and Wounded Warrior Project.
OpenAI says veterans mostly use ChatGPT to organize a job search, turn military experience into a civilian résumé and rehearse interviews, including out loud in voice mode.
If you do not qualify
The 100 chats and Academy lessons above are open to everyone, and our list of free AI tools has more options that cost nothing. If you are new to ChatGPT, note that its layout is changing: OpenAI is merging the Chat and Work tabs. And if a company's chatbot answers you inside ChatGPT, read how business profiles and Business Agents work.
AI Tools This Week is not affiliated with OpenAI or ID.me.
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatGPT Plus free for all veterans?
No. OpenAI's terms limit the offer to verified US veterans and retirees who left active-duty service within the past 12 months, and active service members who will transition within the next 12 months. Veterans who separated longer ago are not covered by this offer.
How do veterans verify for the free year of ChatGPT Plus?
Through ID.me. Sign in to your personal ChatGPT account, go to chatgpt.com/veterans-claim, select Verify with ID.me, complete military verification and allow ID.me to share the result with OpenAI. Then select Claim offer.
Will I be charged after the free year ends?
Yes, unless you cancel. OpenAI says the subscription renews automatically at the standard ChatGPT Plus monthly rate after the promotional year. Cancel before the first billing date after the year ends if you do not want to pay.
Sources
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