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Veterans' Preference

It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to give preference to eligible veterans and spouses of veterans in the filling of non-exempt vacant positions in accordance with state law requirements. Veterans preference does not apply to certain exempt positions, such as department directors.

Who is eligible?

  • A disabled veteran who has served on active duty in any branch of the United States Armed Forces, has a service-connected disability, and is eligible for or receiving compensation, disability retirement or pension under public laws.
  • The spouse of a disabled veteran who cannot qualify for employment because of a total and permanent service-connected disability, or the spouse of a veteran missing in action, captured in line of duty by a hostile force, or detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
  • A wartime veteran who has served on active duty during a specified wartime period.
  • The unremarried widow or widower of a Veteran who died of a service-connected disability.
  • The mother, father, and legal guardian of a service member who died as a result of military service under combat-related conditions.
  • A veteran who has served on active duty in any branch of the United States Armed Forces with an Honorable Discharge.
  • Current members of any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces or The Florida National Guard.

Claiming Preference

When claiming veterans' preference you must:

  • Complete the Veterans' Preference section of the job application and
  • Submit Veterans' Preference Documentation within a reasonable amount of time.

The employer has an affirmative duty to notify the applicant if a timely submitted Veterans' Preference claim is later found to be missing information; the employer shall advise the applicant of what is missing and provide a reasonable amount of time for the applicate to cure the deficiency. Rule 55A-7.013 (7) (g)

Preference will not be awarded unless the documentation is complete. Documents that arrive after the deadline will not be accepted.

Do not submit originals as documents cannot be returned. Copies should be marked to show the job posting number and classification for which you are claiming preference.

Documents may be:

  • Scanned and e-mailed to [email protected]
  • Faxed to 305-679-7545
  • Hand delivered by the applicant or representative or
  • Mailed to:

    Miami-Dade County Human Resources
    Veteran Preference Coordinator
    111 NW 1 Street, Suite 2110
    Miami, FL 33128-1906

Documentation Required

Acceptable Documents for Honorably Discharged Veterans:
  • DD-214 (Member Z or Member 4) Form
  • Current official Veteran Affairs (VA) Disability Letter, if applicable
  • VA Discharge Letter

Acceptable Documents of Active Veterans:

  • official orders
  • letter from commander
  • current enlistment papers
Acceptable Documents for Spouse of Disabled Veteran, Missing in Action, Captured or Forcibly Detained
  • DD-214 (Member Z or Member 4) Form
  • marriage certificate
  • VA or Department of Defense Award Letter under Chapter 35 confirming that the veteran is totally and permanently disabled and unemployable due to service-connected disabilities
Acceptable Documents for Unremarried Widow or Widower of Veteran who Died of Service-Connected Disability
  • Document from the DOD or DVA certifying the service-connected death of the veteran
  • Evidence of marriage and a statement that the widow or widower has not remarried
Acceptable Documents for Mother, Father, Legal Guardian or Unremarried Spouse of Veteran who Died as a Result of Military Service Under Combat Related Conditions
  • Document from the DOD or DVA certifying the service-connected death of the veteran while on duty
  • Evidence of marriage and a statement that the widow or widower has not remarried
  • Veteran's birth certificate, adoption papers or other proper court document as evidence of parentage
  • The legal guardian shall show the proper court documents establishing the legal authority for the guardian
Acceptable Documents for Current Member of Any Reserve Component of the U.S. Armed Forces or The Florida National Guard
  • Document from their commanding officer or military human resources department stating the dates of their military service to establish that they are currently active

Wartime Periods as Defined by Law

  • World War II: December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946
  • Korean Conflict: June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955
  • Vietnam Era: February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975
  • Persian Gulf War: August 2, 1990 to January 2, 1992
  • Operation Enduring Freedom: October 7, 2001 to TBD
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom: March 19, 2003 to TBD
  • Operation New Dawn: September 1, 2010 to TBD

Ready to Apply for a Job?

To get started, first create your account. Once you’ve created your account, you can even set up a job agent that'll send opportunities directly to your email.

If you created an applicant profile before June 15, please register and create a new profile to apply for available positions. Miami-Dade County has implemented a new system, and applicant profiles created in the previous platform have not transferred. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Learn more about requirements and County employment policies: