Eligibility
VA burial benefits can help service members, Veterans, and their family members plan and pay for a burial or memorial service in a VA national cemetery. Family members can also order memorial items to honor the service of a Veteran.
Who’s Eligible for Burial in a VA National Cemetery?
Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of these requirements:
- The person qualifying for burial benefits is a Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, or
- The person qualifying for burial benefits is a service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training, or
- The person qualifying for burial benefits is the spouse or surviving spouse of a Veteran (even if they remarried after the Veteran’s death), or
- The person qualifying for burial benefits is the minor child of a Veteran (even if the Veteran died first) or, in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran
Questions about eligibility and the full range of VA burial and memorial benefits may be directed to the nearest national cemetery, located by calling 1-800-827-1000, or visiting www.cem.va.gov.
Burial in VA National Cemeteries
Burial in a VA national cemetery includes the gravesite, grave-liner, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care as part of a national shrine. For Veterans, benefits also include a burial flag and military funeral honors. Family members and other loved ones of deceased Veterans may request Presidential Memorial Certificates.
VA operates 157 national cemeteries and 35 soldiers’ lots and monument sites in 44 states and Puerto Rico. More than 4 million Americans, including Veterans of every war and conflict, are buried in VA’s national cemeteries. For Veterans not buried in a VA national cemetery, VA provides headstones, markers, or medallions to commemorate their service.
Contact the national cemetery directly, or visit www.cem.va.gov to determine if a particular cemetery is open for new burials, and which other options are available.
Private Cemeteries
Veterans buried in a private cemetery may be eligible for these benefits:
- Headstone or marker
- Medallion
Veterans buried in a private cemetery may also be eligible for these memorial items:
- Burial flag
- Presidential Memorial Certificate
Note: Veterans buried in a private cemetery aren’t eligible for a plaque or urn.
Visit the VA page on Burial in a Private Cemetery to learn more.
Burial Flags: VA will furnish a U.S. burial flag to memorialize:
- Veterans who served during wartime or after Jan. 31, 1955.
- Veterans who were entitled to retired pay for service in the Reserve or National Guard, or would have been entitled if over age 60.
- Members or former members of the Selected Reserve who served their initial obligation, or were discharged for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or died while a member of the Selected Reserve.
Reimbursement of Burial Expenses: VA will pay a burial allowance up to $2,000 if the Veteran’s death is service-connected. In such cases, the person who bore the Veteran’s burial expenses may claim reimbursement from VA.
In some cases, VA will pay the cost of transporting the remains of a Veteran whose death was service-connected to the nearest national cemetery with available gravesites. There is no time limit for filing reimbursement claims in service-connected death cases.
Plot Allowance: VA will pay up to a $978 plot allowance when a Veteran is buried in a cemetery not under U.S. government jurisdiction if: the Veteran was discharged from active duty because of disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; the Veteran was receiving compensation or pension or would have been if the Veteran was not receiving military retired pay; or the Veteran died in a VA facility.
The plot allowance may be paid to the state for the cost of a plot or interment in a state-owned cemetery reserved solely for Veteran burials if the Veteran is buried without charge. Burial expenses paid by the deceased’s employer or a state agency will not be reimbursed.
For current reimbursement amounts for burial expenses and plot allowances, visit the VA’s burial benefits page.
Military Funeral Honors: Upon request, the Department of Defense (DoD) will provide military funeral honors consisting of folding and presentation of the United States flag and the playing of “Taps.” A funeral honors detail consists of two or more uniformed members of the armed forces, with at least one member from the deceased’s branch of service.
Family members should inform their funeral director if they want military funeral honors. DoD maintains a toll-free number (1-877-MIL-HONR) for use by funeral directors only to request honors. VA can help arrange honors for burials at VA national cemeteries. Veterans service organizations or volunteer groups may help provide honors. Visit Veterans Affairs site for information on the National Cemetery Administration.
Preparing in Advance for Burial in a VA National Cemetery
Gravesites in VA national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance. Families are encouraged to prepare in advance by discussing cemetery options, collecting the Veteran’s military information including discharge papers, and by contacting the cemetery where burial is desired.
If possible, the following information concerning the deceased should be provided when the cemetery is first contacted:
- Full name and military rank
- Branch of service
- Social security number
- Service number
- VA claim number, if applicable
- Date and place of birth
- Date and place of death
- Date of retirement or last separation from active duty
- Copy of any military separation document, such as DoD Form 214 (DD-214)
For Burial in a Private Cemetery
Burial benefits available for Veterans buried in a private cemetery may include a Government headstone, marker or medallion, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family. Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances. There are not any VA benefits available to spouses and dependents buried in a private cemetery. Learn more about burial in a private cemetery.
