VA burial benefits give veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable a free gravesite in a national cemetery, a government headstone, a burial flag, and military funeral honors, plus a monetary allowance toward funeral costs: up to $2,000 when the death is service-connected, and $1,002 for burial plus $1,002 for a plot for qualifying non-service-connected deaths occurring on or after October 1, 2025. Eligible spouses and dependent children can be buried alongside the veteran at no charge.
Who Qualifies
Any veteran whose discharge was under conditions other than dishonorable is eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, along with service members who died on active duty.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 38 USC 2402 – Persons Eligible for Interment in National Cemeteries Reserve and National Guard members qualify if they died under honorable conditions while hospitalized or being treated for an injury or illness connected to their training duties.
Family members qualify for burial in a national cemetery even if they never served. That covers the veteran’s spouse, a surviving spouse who later remarried, minor children under 21 (or under 23 if enrolled in an approved school), and unmarried adult children with disabilities at the Secretary’s discretion.2U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery If the veteran is buried first, eligible dependents can later be interred in the same gravesite at no additional cost. If a dependent dies first, the family can still reserve the gravesite for the veteran.
Some disqualifications are absolute. Veterans convicted of a federal or state capital crime are barred from burial or memorialization in any national or VA-funded cemetery unless the sentence was commuted. The same prohibition applies to anyone convicted of a crime that makes them a tier III sex offender serving a life sentence.3eCFR. 38 CFR 38.618 – Findings Concerning Commission of a Capital Crime
What a National Cemetery Burial Includes
A burial in a VA national cemetery removes most of the expenses a family would face at a private cemetery. The VA provides the gravesite, opens and closes the grave, and maintains the site in perpetuity. A government-furnished headstone, grave marker, or niche cover, inscribed with the veteran’s name, dates of birth and death, and branch of service, is provided at no cost.
Two memorial items come with the burial. The family receives an American burial flag to drape over the casket or accompany the urn during the service; after the ceremony, it is folded and presented to the next of kin. The VA also issues a Presidential Memorial Certificate, an engraved document signed by the sitting President, and families can request multiple copies.
Scheduling the Burial
When a veteran dies, the family or their funeral director contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to arrange the burial.4U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Schedule a Burial for a Veteran or Family Member You will need the veteran’s DD214 or other discharge documents, Social Security number, date of death, and next-of-kin contact information. You will also choose the cemetery, the type of burial (casket or cremation), and any religious emblem or inscription for the headstone. Discharge papers can be faxed to 866-900-6417 or emailed to NCA.Scheduling@va.gov before calling to confirm.
If the DD214 has been lost, the National Archives treats an imminent burial as an emergency. For a national cemetery burial, the Scheduling Office contacts the Archives directly to verify service.5National Archives. Emergency Requests For a private cemetery burial, the next of kin can fax a signed SF-180 with proof of death to 314-801-0764.
Military Funeral Honors
Military funeral honors come from the Department of Defense rather than the VA, but they are a standard part of an eligible veteran’s burial. By law, the honor guard detail must include at least two uniformed service members, with one representing the veteran’s branch.6National Cemetery Administration. Military Funeral Honors The ceremony includes, at minimum, the playing of Taps and the folding and presentation of the burial flag. Veterans service organizations can supplement the detail with a rifle volley, pallbearers, or an escort. Request honors when you schedule the burial.
Monetary Burial Allowances
The dollar amount the VA pays depends on whether the veteran’s death was connected to military service. Allowances are paid as reimbursements, not upfront grants, so the family pays the funeral costs first and then files a claim.
Service-Connected Death
When a veteran dies from a service-connected disability, the VA pays up to $2,000 toward burial and funeral expenses.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 38 USC 2307 – Death from Service-Connected Disability The VA will also reimburse the cost of transporting the remains to a national cemetery or covered veterans cemetery, capped at the cost of transportation to the nearest national cemetery with available space.8eCFR. 38 CFR 3.1709 – Transportation Expenses for Burial
Non-Service-Connected Death
For non-service-connected deaths occurring on or after October 1, 2025, the VA pays a $1,002 burial allowance and a $1,002 plot or interment allowance if the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery.9U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits These amounts are adjusted annually for inflation and rise each October. A separate $441 headstone or marker allowance is available when a veteran is buried in a private cemetery with a privately purchased marker instead of a government-furnished one.
Not every veteran with a non-service-connected death qualifies. The veteran must meet at least one of these conditions:
- Died while properly admitted to a VA medical facility or receiving VA-authorized care at a non-VA institution.
- Was receiving disability compensation or pension payments at the time of death.
- Had no next of kin claiming the remains and lacked sufficient resources to cover burial expenses.
Transportation costs may also be reimbursed for non-service-connected deaths when the veteran died at a VA facility or under VA-authorized care, covering reasonable and customary shipping expenses including common carrier fees, permits, and a shipping case.8eCFR. 38 CFR 3.1709 – Transportation Expenses for Burial
What VA Burial Benefits Do Not Cover
The allowances help with costs; they do not cover a full funeral. Families remain responsible for everything charged by a private funeral home or cremation provider, including the funeral director’s basic services fee, embalming, a casket or urn, use of a chapel or visitation room, printed programs, and flowers.10U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Burial and Memorial Benefits Even the maximum $2,000 service-connected allowance leaves significant out-of-pocket costs. Treat the monetary allowances as partial offsets.
Choice of cemetery also matters. In a national cemetery, the gravesite, headstone, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care are all free. In a private cemetery, the family pays for those services. The $1,002 plot and interment allowance helps, but private cemetery opening-and-closing fees alone commonly exceed that amount. State and tribal veterans cemeteries built with VA grant funding serve the same general population, but each authority sets its own policies, fees, and residency requirements.11U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Cemetery Grants Program Arlington National Cemetery operates under separate rules, with the most restrictive in-ground burial eligibility of any national cemetery.12Arlington National Cemetery. Eligibility
Filing Deadlines
For a non-service-connected death, the VA must receive a burial allowance claim within two years of the veteran’s burial.13eCFR. 38 CFR 3.1703 – Claims for Burial Benefits Miss that window and the claim is gone. A few exceptions apply:
- No time limit if the veteran died while receiving care at a VA facility or a facility under VA contract.
- Claims for the plot/interment allowance or transportation reimbursement have no deadline.
- If the veteran’s discharge was changed from dishonorable to another status after death, the family has two years from the date of the upgrade.
For service-connected deaths, there is no filing deadline.9U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans Burial Allowance and Transportation Benefits Filing promptly is still easier, since documents and funeral provider receipts are close at hand.
How to Apply
The application is VA Form 21P-530EZ, Application for Burial Benefits.14U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Application for Burial Benefits (VA Form 21P-530EZ) It asks for the veteran’s identifying information, your relationship, where the burial took place, and whether you have already received any government contributions toward the expenses. You can file online through the VA’s website or mail the form with your supporting documents.
Before filing, gather:
- The veteran’s DD214 or other separation documents to establish service history and character of discharge. The VA can sometimes verify service through its own records if you do not have a copy.
- A certified death certificate confirming the date and cause of death.
- Itemized receipts from the funeral home, cemetery, or transportation provider. These matter most for non-service-connected claims, where reimbursement is based on actual costs.
The VA reviews the service records and circumstances of death to determine the correct allowance. Processing times vary, and the VA does not publish a guaranteed turnaround for burial claims. Keep your mailing address current, because decision letters arrive by mail.
Pre-Need Eligibility
Families do not have to wait until a veteran dies to confirm eligibility for a national cemetery burial. A pre-need eligibility determination settles the question in advance.
To apply, submit VA Form 40-10007 online, by mail to the NCA Evidence Intake Center (PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547), or by fax to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office.15U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Pre-Need Eligibility for Burial in a VA Cemetery Include a copy of the DD214 if available; the VA will attempt verification on its own if you do not have one, but providing it speeds things up. Each family member needs a separate application. An approved decision letter can be presented to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at the time of need, simplifying the arrangements.
If the VA Denies Your Claim
The decision letter will explain why the claim was denied and outline your options. You have three paths to challenge it:16U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Choosing a Decision Review Option
- File a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) if you have new evidence the VA did not previously consider. A reviewer looks at the new evidence and decides whether it changes the outcome.
- Request a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996) if you believe the VA made an error based on the existing record. A more senior reviewer examines the same evidence, no new documents allowed, though you can request an informal phone conference to point out specific mistakes.
- File a Board Appeal (VA Form 10182) to have a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals review your case. You pick one of three tracks: direct review, evidence submission, or a hearing with the judge.
Higher-Level Reviews and Board Appeals must be filed within one year of the date on the original decision letter. Supplemental Claims can generally be filed at any time, as long as you have new and relevant evidence.