How to Fill Out and Submit VA Form 40-1330M: Government Medallion

VA Form 40-1330M is the claim you file with the Department of Veterans Affairs to request a free bronze medallion for a veteran’s grave in a private cemetery. Complete the two-page form, attach the veteran’s DD-214 or equivalent discharge papers, and send the package to the VA by online upload, fax, or mail. When the file is complete, the VA aims to decide within 30 days.¹

The medallion attaches to a privately purchased headstone or marker already on the grave and signifies the deceased’s status as a veteran. The government pays for the medallion and the mounting hardware. It does not pay for installation.²

Who Qualifies for the Medallion

The veteran must have served in the Armed Forces on or after April 6, 1917, been discharged under honorable conditions, and be buried in a private cemetery in a grave already marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker. Active-duty service members who died in service on or after that same date also qualify.²

Enlisted personnel who entered service after September 7, 1980, and officers who entered after October 16, 1981, generally need at least 24 months of continuous active duty, with exceptions for those who died on active duty or separated early under special circumstances. Reservists and National Guard members qualify if they were called to active duty beyond training or were entitled to retired pay at death. A reservist who would have qualified for retired pay but was under age 60 still counts; include a copy of the Reserve Retirement Eligibility Benefits Letter with the claim.²

One boundary worth clearing up. For veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990, the VA can furnish either a supplemental government headstone or a medallion for a privately marked grave. You choose one or the other. A private marker does not by itself disqualify the veteran from government memorialization.³

Who Can File

You don’t have to be next of kin. The VA accepts claims from family members (spouse, child, parent, sibling, and any lineal or collateral descendant, including step and adopted relations); any family member or other person who has identified themselves as responsible for interment or memorialization decisions; representatives of a congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization; state, tribal, or local government employees whose duties include serving veterans and their families, such as a county veterans service officer; and anyone charged under state or local law with disposition of unclaimed remains.²

What to Gather Before You Fill Out the Form

Discharge Papers

The single most important attachment is the veteran’s DD-214 or equivalent separation document. It establishes identity, dates of service, branch, and character of discharge. Without it, the VA cannot verify eligibility.

If the DD-214 is lost, request a replacement through the National Archives. Standard Form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) is downloadable from the National Archives site; using SF-180 isn’t mandatory, but it captures the information needed to locate the record.⁴⁵ If the veteran served before 1950 or their records may have been destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center, submit what you have and describe the situation on the form; the Archives can attempt to reconstruct service history from other sources.⁶

Medallion Size

Pick a size before you fill out the form. Measure the flat space on the existing headstone so the medallion fits without covering inscriptions. The three options are:

Large: 6⅜ inches wide by 4¾ inches high by ½ inch deep
Medium: 3¾ inches wide by 2⅞ inches high by ¼ inch deep
Small: 2 inches wide by 1½ inches high by ⅓ inch deep

The large size suits upright headstones with generous blank space. Medium or small tends to work better on flush ground markers. If you’re unsure, ask the cemetery about their placement guidelines.²

Filling Out the Form

Download the fillable PDF from VA.gov. The form runs two pages including instructions. The main entries:

Block 3, veteran’s name: enter the full legal name exactly as it appears on the discharge papers.
Block 8, Social Security number: the veteran’s SSN. If unknown, leave blank and attach a note; the VA can sometimes verify eligibility through other records.
Block 12, branch of service: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or Space Force. Note multiple branches in the remarks area.
Block 14, medallion size: large, medium, or small.
Block 17, applicant name and mailing address: your information, not the veteran’s.
Block 18, daytime phone: a number where the VA can reach you with questions.
Block 19, email address: optional but useful for status updates.

The form also asks for the cemetery name, address, and grave location if known, and your relationship to the veteran so the VA can confirm you fit an authorized applicant category. Check every entry against the discharge papers. A misspelled name or wrong SSN is the fastest way to slow the claim down.²

How to Submit

Three channels are available. Send the form and discharge documents together in a single package however you choose.

Online through QuickSubmit at eauth.va.gov/accessva. First-time users register and sign in with a verified credential such as Login.gov or ID.me. Files can be up to 200 MB each, with up to 30 documents per submission.¹
Fax to 1-800-455-7143. If you are submitting claims for more than one veteran, fax each package separately, disconnecting and redialing between them.
Mail to NCA FP Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547.

Keep a copy of everything you send.²

After You Submit

Complete claims with the required discharge documents typically get a decision within 30 days. Incomplete claims take longer because the VA has to request the missing information before it can verify eligibility.¹ For questions on a pending claim or to report non-receipt of an approved medallion, call the National Cemetery Administration at 800-697-6947 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.⁷

Once the claim is approved and the medallion manufactured, the VA ships the bronze piece with affixing adhesives, hardware, and mounting instructions to either your address or the cemetery’s, depending on what you indicated on the form.²

Installation is not the VA’s responsibility. The government pays for the medallion and mounting materials; you or the cemetery handle the labor. Private cemeteries may charge for professional installation, and the VA suggests asking about those costs when planning a private burial.⁸ If you’re installing it yourself, make sure the headstone surface is clean and dry before applying the adhesive, and follow the enclosed instructions carefully; the bond is designed to be permanent, so placement has to be right the first time. Check with the cemetery first, since some require their own staff to handle any modification to markers on their grounds.

1
Veterans Affairs. Medallions
2
Department of Veterans Affairs. VA Form 40-1330M Claim for Government Medallion
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 38 USC 2306 – Headstones, Markers, and Burial Receptacles
4
National Archives. Access to Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) – Veterans and Next-of-Kin
5
National Archives. Request Military Personnel Records Using Standard Form 180
6
Veterans Affairs. Request Your Military Service Records
7
National Cemetery Administration. Burial and Memorial Benefits
8
Veterans Affairs. Burial In A Private Cemetery