Spend $1,000 on tools at Home Depot and the standard military discount gets you to $900. Run the same order through the military Exchange and you still pay $900, but with no sales tax. At an 8% rate, that’s another $72 you keep.
Most service members and veterans only know about the first option. Home Depot runs two separate military programs, and picking the right one matters most when you’re buying appliances.
The standard discount (10%, capped)
Home Depot gives a 10% military discount at HomeDepot.com and in-store to active service members, veterans, and their spouses. You verify once through ID.me, Home Depot’s third-party vendor (checked on Home Depot’s military page October 23, 2026). After that, scan the Virtual ID in the Home Depot app at the register (or enter your phone number), or sign into your account online.
The fine print sits behind your account login. Military-discount sites widely report these terms, which we couldn’t confirm on Home Depot’s public pages:
- $400 annual cap, which works out to $4,000 in purchases before it stops working for the year (resets January 1)
- Excludes major appliances: refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, ovens. Home Depot’s own Exchange announcement backs this one up, describing the military discount as covering “full-priced, non-appliance merchandise.”
- Also excludes lumber, gift cards, delivery and installation fees, tool rentals, clearance items
Check the terms in your account before you plan a big purchase around them. This is the discount everybody knows about, and it maxes out.
The Exchange program (10% + tax-free, no cap we could find)
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service runs its own online Home Depot storefront at ShopMyExchange.com. The Navy Exchange runs one at MyNavyExchange.com.
In May 2025, the Exchange expanded from appliances-only to more than 2 million Home Depot products. What you get:
- 10% off full-priced, non-appliance merchandise
- Military-exclusive pricing on major appliances (the Exchange listed this as 1% off at the May 2025 launch)
- Zero sales tax
- No annual spending cap that we found in Home Depot’s or the Exchange’s published terms
- Free delivery on major appliances. Other orders follow the Exchange’s normal shipping rules. At the May 2025 launch, that meant free shipping on orders of $49 or more, or on any amount with a MILITARY STAR card.
Stationed overseas? As of July 2026, Home Depot ships through the Exchange to APO/FPO addresses, and its military page now lists free APO/FPO delivery on more than 30,000 items.
Same $1,000 tool order, side by side:
| Standard discount | Exchange | |
|---|---|---|
| 10% off $1,000 | -$100 | -$100 |
| Sales tax (8% example) | still owe ~$72 | $0 |
| Total you pay | ~$972 | $900 |
| Counts against $400 cap | Yes | No |
That’s $72 more saved on one order, and the standard program has already burned $100 of your $400 annual cap.
How to set up an Exchange account
Takes a few minutes for most people:
- Go to ShopMyExchange.com or MyNavyExchange.com. Any eligible shopper can use either one.
- Click Sign Up. The Exchange checks your eligibility against DEERS. Veterans sign up with the last four of their SSN, date of birth, and last name.
- If your records don’t match, you’ll be sent to VetVerify.org to upload discharge paperwork. Manual review can take up to three days.
- Log in, open The Home Depot section, and shop.
You won’t be on HomeDepot.com. The Exchange pulls from Home Depot’s catalog and applies the tax exemption at checkout. New to shopping the Exchange online? Our Exchange store guide covers what else is worth buying there.
Who qualifies: active duty, dependents, retirees, DoD civilians, honorably discharged veterans, Guard and Reserve members, Coast Guard members.
When to use which program
Use ShopMyExchange or MyNavyExchange when:
- You’re buying a major appliance (the standard program doesn’t cover them, and delivery is free)
- Your Home Depot spending this year will top $4,000, where the cap kicks in
- You live in a high-tax state, since the savings scale with your rate
Use the standard HomeDepot.com discount when:
- You need something in-store today
- You haven’t hit the $400 cap and the purchase is small
- The item isn’t on the Exchange
The appliance case
A veteran buying a new refrigerator, or a $1,500 washer/dryer, gets nothing from the standard 10% program. Appliances are excluded. Through the Exchange, the same appliance gets free delivery, military pricing, and no sales tax. On a $2,000 unit in a 9% tax state, that’s $180 in tax you don’t pay (about $200 if the 1% appliance discount from the launch still applies).
One catch: major appliances have a 48-hour return window at Home Depot, and Exchange orders fulfilled by Home Depot follow Home Depot’s return policy. Report damage or defects within 48 hours of delivery, and make sure it’s the right unit before you check out.
Furnishing a new place or renovating? Set up the Exchange account before you buy. It’s a one-time job.
The short version: the in-store discount is for the Saturday run for screws and caulk. Big orders and every major appliance go through the Exchange.