Home Depot gives a 10% discount to military members, veterans, and their spouses. It applies to most items in the store and online, but there are exceptions that catch people off guard. Here's how the program works right now and how to make sure you get the full discount every time.
Who Qualifies for the Military Discount
The discount covers a wider group than most people realize. You're eligible if you're active-duty military, a reservist, a member of the National Guard, a retired service member, or a veteran with any discharge status other than dishonorable. Spouses of anyone in those groups also qualify.
Gold Star families also qualify. If you're the surviving spouse of a service member who died in the line of duty, you can register for the discount.
How to Verify Your Status
You need to verify once through the Home Depot app or website. Home Depot uses a service called SheerID to confirm your military status. The process takes about five minutes.
Here's what to do:
- Download the Home Depot app or go to the Home Depot website
- Create an account (or sign in to your existing one)
- Go to Account Settings and select “Military Discount”
- Fill in your name, branch of service, and status
- SheerID checks your info against Department of Defense records
Most verifications go through instantly. If SheerID can't confirm your status automatically, you'll be asked to upload a document like a DD-214, military ID, or VA health card. That review usually takes a day or two.
Once verified, the discount stays on your account permanently. You don't need to re-verify each visit.
What the Discount Covers
The 10% applies to most regular-priced merchandise in the store and online. Paint, hardware, hand tools, plumbing parts, electrical supplies, cleaning products, and storage items are all covered.
The discount also works on Home Depot's private-label brands like Husky, Glacier Bay, HDX, and Hampton Bay.
What's Excluded
This is where people get surprised at checkout. The exclusion list is longer than you'd expect.
The military discount does not apply to:
- Lumber, wire, and other commodity products (this is the big one that catches people)
- Appliances (all appliances, not just sale-priced ones)
- Gift cards
- Select power tools and power tool accessories
- Labor and installation services
- Delivery and freight charges
- Tool rentals and truck rentals
- Items from third-party sellers on the Home Depot website
- Traeger and Weber grills
The lumber exclusion is the one that frustrates people most. If you're buying framing lumber, plywood, or sheet goods, the discount won't reduce your total.
The Discount Cap
There's a maximum discount of $400 per year on your account. That means once you've saved a total of $400 through the military discount in a calendar year, it stops applying until January 1 of the next year.
That $400 cap translates to roughly $4,000 in eligible purchases per year. If your spouse is also eligible, they can register their own account and get a separate $400 cap, bringing the household total to $800 per year.
Keep an eye on how much of your cap you've used. You can check your remaining balance in the Home Depot app under your military discount settings.
In-Store vs. Online
The discount works in both channels, but the process is slightly different.
In-store: Open the Home Depot app, go to your account, and pull up your military discount barcode. The cashier scans it before ringing you up. You can also give them the phone number or email tied to your account if you forget your phone.
Online: The discount applies automatically at checkout once your account is verified. You'll see a “Military Discount” line item in your order summary before you pay. If it doesn't show up, make sure you're signed in to the account where you completed verification.
Can You Stack It With Other Deals?
The military discount does not combine with other promotions in most cases. Here's the breakdown:
- Items already on sale or clearance: the discount usually won't apply on top of the reduced price
- Coupons: can't be combined with the military discount
- Volume pricing through the Pro Desk: typically can't stack
- Price matching: Home Depot will match a competitor's lower price, but the military discount won't apply on top of the matched price
Sometimes the sale price is better than 10% off the regular price. In those cases, you'd want the sale price anyway. The register should automatically give you whichever price is lower.
Common Problems at Checkout
If the discount doesn't go through, it's usually one of these reasons:
- You haven't verified yet. Having a Home Depot account isn't enough. You need to complete the SheerID verification step.
- You've hit the $400 annual cap. Check your app to see if you have remaining balance.
- The item is on the exclusion list. Lumber and appliances are the most common culprits.
- The cashier scanned your items before scanning the military discount barcode. It needs to be applied before the transaction is totaled.
If you believe the discount should have applied and it didn't, ask a manager at the service desk. They can review the transaction and adjust it.
How It Compares to Lowe's
Lowe's also offers a 10% military discount, but with one big difference: Lowe's doesn't have an annual savings cap. At Home Depot, you're limited to $400 in total discount per year. At Lowe's, the 10% keeps applying no matter how much you spend.
Both stores exclude lumber and appliances, and both require one-time verification (Lowe's uses ID.me instead of SheerID). If you're planning a large project, compare both stores' current exclusion lists before you buy.
Make the Most of It
If you're planning a big project, buy eligible items separately from excluded items. This way you can clearly see the discount applying to the right products. Spread large purchases across calendar years if you're close to the $400 cap.
The verification takes five minutes and the discount is good forever. If you or your spouse served and you haven't set it up yet, open the Home Depot app and get it done before your next trip.
