Who qualifies: Veterans with a discharge other than dishonorable, service members who die on active duty, and in many cases their spouses and dependent children.
What it is
VA helps honor veterans and ease costs for families. Benefits include:
- Burial in a VA national cemetery, including the gravesite, opening and closing the grave, a liner, and care of the site forever, at no cost
- A free headstone, marker or medallion, even in a private cemetery
- A burial flag
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate
- Burial allowances to help pay funeral and burial costs
- Military funeral honors, provided by the Defense Department
Who qualifies
Most veterans who did not receive a dishonorable discharge qualify for burial in a national cemetery. Service members who die on active duty qualify. Spouses and dependent children can often be buried with the veteran, even if they die first.
Burial allowances depend on how the veteran died. For a service-connected death, VA pays up to $2,000 if the death was on or after September 11, 2001, or up to $1,500 if before. For a non-service-connected death, VA can pay a burial allowance and a separate plot or interment allowance. For deaths on or after October 1, 2026, each is up to $1,032. For deaths from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026, each was up to $1,002. Some rules depend on whether the veteran was in VA care at the time of death.
Plan ahead with a pre-need decision
You do not have to wait. A veteran or spouse can apply for a pre-need eligibility determination for burial in a VA national cemetery. It does not reserve a specific site, but it lets your family know you qualify, which makes things easier at a hard time. Keep the letter with your will and DD-214.
How it works when you are relocating
You can be buried in any open VA national cemetery, not just the one closest to where you live now. Many states also run state veterans cemeteries, often built with VA grants, with similar benefits. If you are moving, look up the national and state cemeteries near your new home. If a veteran dies in VA care far from home, VA may pay to move the remains.
How to apply
- At the time of need, the family or funeral home calls the National Cemetery Scheduling Office. Have the DD-214 ready.
- For a burial allowance, apply online on VA.gov or by mail with form 21P-530EZ.
- For a headstone or marker in a private cemetery, use form 40-1330.
- For military funeral honors, ask your funeral director to contact the service branch.
- For a pre-need decision, apply online on VA.gov or use form 40-10007.
Deadlines
There is no time limit to claim a burial allowance for a service-connected death. For a non-service-connected death, you generally have two years after burial. There is no limit if the veteran died while under VA care, or if you are only asking for the plot or transportation allowance.
Common mistakes
- Not keeping the DD-214 where family can find it. It is the key document for every step.
- Paying a funeral home for a headstone that VA would provide for free.
- Missing the two-year window for non-service-connected allowances.
- Forgetting that spouses can also be buried in a national cemetery.
Related benefits
Survivors should look at DIC, Survivors Pension, VGLI or VALife payouts, and CHAMPVA. Read our survivor benefits guide.
Last reviewed November 2026. WeSpeakVA is not the VA. Rules and amounts change, so confirm on VA.gov or with an accredited representative.