Veterans Funeral Benefits: What You're Entitled To

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a range of burial and memorial benefits to honor the service of America's veterans. These benefits can significantly offset funeral costs and provide meaningful tributes to those who served.

VA burial benefits are available to most veterans who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The specific benefits available depend on the veteran's service history, the cause of death (service-connected vs. non-service-connected), and where the veteran is buried.

The major categories of VA burial benefits include:

• Burial in a national cemetery (at no cost to the family)
• Burial allowances (monetary reimbursement for funeral and burial costs)
• Headstones and markers (provided free of charge)
• Presidential Memorial Certificates
• Burial flags
• Military funeral honors

Each of these benefits is explained in detail in the sections below. For the most current information and to verify specific eligibility, contact the VA at 1-800-827-1000 or visit va.gov/burials-memorials.

One of the most significant VA benefits is the right to be buried in a VA national cemetery. There are 155 national cemeteries across the United States, and burial in any of them is available at no cost to the family of an eligible veteran.

What is included at no charge:

• The gravesite itself
• Opening and closing of the grave
• A government headstone or marker
• A burial flag
• Perpetual care of the gravesite

Who is eligible:

• Veterans who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
• Members of the Armed Forces who die on active duty
• Spouses and dependent children of eligible veterans (even if the veteran is still living)
• In some cases, parents of service members who died on active duty

How to arrange burial in a national cemetery:

• Contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117
• Provide the veteran's DD-214 discharge papers and a certified death certificate
• The scheduling office will help you identify available national cemeteries and coordinate the burial

Note: Some national cemeteries are full and no longer accepting new interments, though they may still accept cremated remains or subsequent interments in existing gravesites. The scheduling office can advise you on availability.

The VA provides monetary burial allowances to help offset the cost of a veteran's funeral. The amount depends on whether the death was service-connected:

Service-connected death:

• Burial allowance: Up to $2,000 for burial and funeral expenses
• If the veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all of the cost of transporting the remains may also be reimbursed

Non-service-connected death (for eligible veterans):

• Burial allowance: $893 (as of 2026)
• Plot allowance: $893 for burial in a private cemetery (not applicable for national cemetery burial)
• Eligibility generally requires that the veteran was receiving VA pension or disability compensation at the time of death, or was hospitalized by the VA at the time of death, or died while in a VA-approved state nursing home

How to apply:

• File VA Form 21P-530 (Application for Burial Benefits)
• Submit the veteran's DD-214 and a certified death certificate
• Include itemized funeral and burial receipts
• Apply online at va.gov, by mail, or at your local VA regional office
• There is no deadline for service-connected claims; non-service-connected claims should be filed within 2 years of burial

The VA provides headstones, markers, and medallions to honor eligible veterans:

Government headstone or marker:

• Available at no charge for any deceased veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable
• Can be placed in any cemetery — national, state, tribal, or private
• Options include upright marble or granite headstones, flat bronze or granite markers, and niche markers for cremated remains
• Standard inscription includes the veteran's name, branch of service, dates of birth and death, and (at the family's request) a religious or belief system emblem

For veterans buried in private cemeteries:

• The VA provides the headstone or marker free of charge
• The family or cemetery is responsible for the cost of setting (installing) the headstone, which varies by cemetery
• Alternatively, if the family has already purchased a private headstone, they can request a bronze medallion to attach to it, identifying the deceased as a veteran

How to apply:

• File VA Form 40-1330 (Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker)
• Submit a copy of the veteran's DD-214
• Applications can be submitted by the next of kin, a funeral home, a veterans service organization, or any other authorized representative

Burial flag:

• The VA provides a United States flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran
• After the funeral, the flag is given to the next of kin or a close friend as a keepsake
• Eligible veterans include those who served during wartime, after January 31, 1955, or who were entitled to retired pay or would have been entitled but for age
• To request a burial flag, contact your local VA regional office, post office, or funeral home. You will need the veteran's DD-214.

Presidential Memorial Certificate:

• A certificate signed by the current President, expressing the nation's gratitude for the veteran's service
• Available to the family of any honorably discharged veteran
• Multiple copies can be requested for family members
• Apply by submitting VA Form 40-0247 or request through the Presidential Memorial Certificate Program
• There is no charge for this certificate

Under federal law (10 U.S.C. 1491), every eligible veteran is entitled to military funeral honors at their burial. The minimum honors include:

• A detail of at least two uniformed service members
• The folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin
• The playing of Taps (live bugler or recorded)

For veterans of higher rank or those who served in combat, additional honors may be provided, including a rifle volley (the traditional "21-gun salute" at the individual level) and a larger honor guard detail.

How to arrange military funeral honors:

• Contact your funeral home — they will coordinate with the appropriate military branch
• Alternatively, contact the specific military branch directly
• Allow at least 48 hours' notice when possible
• Provide the veteran's DD-214 to verify eligibility

Military funeral honors are provided at no cost to the family, whether the burial takes place at a national cemetery, a state veterans cemetery, or a private cemetery.

In addition to the 155 national cemeteries operated by the VA, there are approximately 120 state veterans cemeteries across the United States. These cemeteries are operated by individual states with support from the VA's Veterans Cemetery Grants Program.

State veterans cemeteries:

• Are often located in areas not served by a national cemetery, providing a more convenient option for some families
• Typically offer the same types of interment as national cemeteries (casket burial, in-ground cremation, columbarium)
• May have slightly different eligibility requirements than national cemeteries (some states expand eligibility to include additional categories of veterans or family members)
• May charge modest fees for certain services, though these are typically much lower than private cemetery costs

To find a state veterans cemetery near you, contact your state's department of veterans affairs or search the VA's cemetery locator at va.gov/find-locations.

The DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) is the key document for accessing VA burial benefits. If you cannot locate the veteran's copy, here is how to obtain one:

• Online: Request records through the National Archives at archives.gov/veterans using eVetRecs or Standard Form 180
• By mail: Send Standard Form 180 to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138
• Through a veterans service organization: Organizations like the VFW, American Legion, DAV, and others can help you obtain military records
• Emergency requests: If you need the DD-214 urgently for a pending burial, note this on your request. The NPRC can sometimes expedite emergency requests.

Note: A 1973 fire at the NPRC destroyed many records of Army personnel discharged between 1912 and 1964, and Air Force personnel discharged between 1947 and 1964. If the veteran's records were affected, the NPRC will work with you to reconstruct eligibility using alternative documentation.