Veteran Burial & Memorial Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides burial and memorial benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapters 23 and 24 that significantly reduce (and in some cases eliminate) funeral costs for eligible veterans and their families. The centerpiece is free burial in any of the 155 VA national cemeteries in 42 states and Puerto Rico — including opening/closing, grave liner, and perpetual care — with a free VA-furnished headstone or marker for any burial location (national, state veteran, or private cemetery). Cash burial allowances for veterans who do not use a national cemetery: $978 for burial plus $978 for a plot (non-service-connected death), or up to $2,000 for burial expenses (service-connected death) — modest amounts that partially offset funeral costs averaging $7,000–$12,000 nationally. Veterans who die while receiving VA care or receiving VA pension/compensation qualify for the non-service-connected burial allowance regardless of the cause of death. Military funeral honors (flag folding ceremony, bugler or recorded Taps) are available at no charge through the Department of Defense for honorably discharged veterans. The Presidential Memorial Certificate — a parchment certificate bearing the President's signature — is provided free to next of kin. Eligibility for national cemetery burial extends to veterans with any period of active duty (not disqualified by discharge type), spouses, surviving spouses, and dependent children. Space is becoming scarce at some national cemeteries — the VA provides an online eligibility tool (VA.gov) to check nearest open cemeteries.
Current Law (2026)
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Authorizing statute | 38 U.S.C. Chapters 23 (Burial Benefits) and 24 (National Cemeteries) |
| Primary agency | National Cemetery Administration (NCA), Department of Veterans Affairs |
| National cemeteries | 155 VA national cemeteries in 42 states and Puerto Rico |
| Burial allowance (service-connected) | Up to $2,000 for burial; no limit on transportation |
| Burial allowance (non-service-connected) | Up to $978 burial + $978 plot (2025) |
| Headstones/markers | Free government headstone or marker for any eligible veteran |
| Presidential Memorial Certificate | Available to families of honorably discharged veterans |
Legal Authority
- 38 U.S.C. § 2301 — Flags (VA furnishes a U.S. flag to drape the casket of each deceased veteran entitled to burial in a national cemetery; after burial, the flag is presented to the next of kin or close associate)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2303 — Death from non-service-connected disability (burial allowance and plot allowance for veterans whose death was not service-connected; amount adjusted annually)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2306 — Headstones, markers, and burial receptacles (VA furnishes headstones/markers for unmarked graves of eligible veterans; niche covers for columbaria; headstones furnished for veterans buried in private cemeteries; inscription includes name, branch, dates, awards; flat and upright options)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2307 — Death from service-connected disability (burial allowance for veterans whose death was caused by service-connected disability; transportation of remains to national cemetery)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2308 — Transportation of remains (VA pays for transportation of remains to a national cemetery for veterans who die of service-connected disability or who were receiving VA care)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2400 — National Cemetery Administration (establishes NCA within VA; responsible for maintaining national cemeteries as national shrines)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2402 — Persons eligible for interment (eligible: veterans, service members who die on active duty, spouses and minor children of eligible veterans, certain surviving spouses who remarry after age 57, certain adult dependent children)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2404 — Administration (NCA maintains national cemeteries to standards befitting national shrines; landscaping, markers, gravesites, access, and memorial features)
- 38 U.S.C. § 2411 — Prohibition against interment of certain persons (individuals convicted of federal or state capital crimes, certain sex offenses, or tier III sex offenders are ineligible for interment or memorialization in national cemeteries)
How It Works
The VA provides a comprehensive set of burial and memorial benefits for eligible veterans — from national cemetery burial at no cost to the family, to headstones, flags, and burial allowances for private cemetery interment.
The centerpiece is free burial in any of the 155 VA national cemeteries (38 U.S.C. § 2402): eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children receive the gravesite, opening/closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and perpetual care — all at no cost. National cemeteries are maintained as national shrines with manicured grounds and uniform markers; there is no income or disability requirement, and all honorably discharged wartime and peacetime veterans qualify. (Arlington National Cemetery, administered by the Army, has more restrictive eligibility.) For veterans not buried in a national cemetery, VA provides cash burial allowances (38 U.S.C. §§ 2303, 2307): for service-connected deaths, up to $2,000 for burial expenses plus transportation of remains; for non-service-connected deaths, $978 burial allowance plus $978 plot allowance (2025, adjusted annually by COLA). Veterans receiving VA pension, compensation, or Medicaid at the time of death qualify for the non-service-connected allowance.
Beyond national cemeteries, VA supplies a free government headstone or marker (38 U.S.C. § 2306) for any eligible veteran's grave regardless of burial location — options include flat bronze, granite, or marble and upright stone markers, with inscriptions covering name, branch, service dates, and optional military awards. Veterans buried in private cemeteries with privately purchased headstones can instead receive a free bronze medallion to affix to the existing marker. VA also furnishes a United States flag at no cost (38 U.S.C. § 2301) to drape the casket or accompany the urn; after the ceremony it is presented to the next of kin. VA's State Cemetery Grants Program funds roughly 120 state veterans cemeteries that follow VA standards and expand geographic availability beyond the 155 national cemeteries. Veterans and families can also file a pre-need eligibility determination (VA Form 40-10007) to confirm eligibility in writing before death, reducing stress during bereavement.
How It Affects You
If you're a veteran planning ahead: Use VA.gov's national cemetery eligibility tool to confirm your eligibility and identify the nearest national cemetery with space available. Some cemeteries near major metro areas are full or have limited availability — knowing your options in advance means your family won't scramble during bereavement. The pre-need eligibility determination (VA Form 40-10007) confirms your eligibility in writing before death and speeds the burial process significantly. It's free to apply.
If you're a family handling a veteran's burial now: National cemetery burial is free and includes the gravesite, opening/closing, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and perpetual care forever — your family pays nothing for these. To schedule burial, contact the national cemetery directly (1-800-535-1117) or through the funeral home. If the veteran had a service-connected disability, VA also reimburses funeral costs up to $2,000 and transportation to a national cemetery. If the death was not service-connected but the veteran was receiving VA benefits, VA pays $978 burial + $978 plot for private cemetery burial. File VA Form 21-530 (Application for Burial Benefits) within 2 years of death.
If you're a surviving spouse: You are eligible for burial in the same national cemetery gravesite as your veteran spouse — at no cost. Your eligibility continues even if you remarry, as long as you remarried after age 57. If you remarried earlier and that marriage ended (by death or divorce), you may still be eligible. Spouses buried before the veteran may be disinterred and reinterred together in a national cemetery when the veteran dies, if the family requests it.
If you're choosing between national and private cemetery burial: The financial case for national cemetery is substantial. A private cemetery burial for a veteran requires the family to pay for a burial plot ($1,000–$5,000+ in many areas), a privately purchased headstone ($1,000–$3,000+), opening/closing fees ($500–$1,000+), and perpetual care separately. National cemetery covers all of this for free — even the ongoing maintenance in perpetuity. The trade-off is location: national cemeteries may not be as geographically close as local private cemeteries. Check the nearest open national cemetery and state veterans cemeteries (about 120 nationwide) for geographic options.
If you choose private burial: VA still provides a free government headstone or marker for any eligible veteran's grave in a private or religious cemetery — options include flat bronze, granite, or marble, or an upright marker. The family must purchase the private plot, but VA furnishes the marker with the veteran's name, branch, service dates, and military awards at no charge. For veterans with an existing private headstone already purchased, VA provides a free bronze medallion to affix to it indicating veteran status.
State Variations
- State veterans cemeteries (about 120 nationwide) complement VA national cemeteries and follow similar standards
- Some states provide additional burial benefits beyond federal VA benefits (supplemental allowances, state flags, honor guards)
- State veterans cemetery eligibility may vary slightly from federal national cemetery eligibility
- Geographic availability of national and state cemeteries varies — some areas have better coverage than others
Implementing Regulations
- 38 CFR Parts 38–39 — National cemetery and burial benefit regulations covering eligibility, headstones and markers, burial allowances, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and state cemetery grant program.
Pending Legislation
- HR 6943 — Veterans Burial Allowance and Reimbursement Act of 2026: consolidates burial/plot payments, adds service-connected death eligibility. Status: In Committee.
- S 4108 — Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act: raises burial benefit from $2,000 to $3,000 for service-connected deaths, indexes to CPI. Status: Introduced.
- HR 6814 — Veterans' Burial Improvement Act of 2025: permanently extends burial authorities, adds transport allowance. Status: In Committee.
- HR 5942 — National Cemetery Access Act: requires national cemeteries open on federal holidays. Status: In Committee.
Recent Developments
- VA has been expanding national cemetery capacity through new cemeteries, columbarium additions, and extensions of existing cemeteries
- The NCA has invested in improving cemetery technology — including online burial scheduling, digital memorial features, and the Veterans Legacy Memorial website
- Environmental sustainability initiatives at national cemeteries include natural burial options and green burial sections
- Ongoing efforts to address the backlog of headstone/marker applications and reduce delivery times
- Burial benefit expansion under Elizabeth Dole Act (January 2026): VA announced a temporary expansion of burial benefits for certain veterans under the Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, providing broader eligibility for burial assistance to qualifying veterans who previously fell outside the standard eligibility criteria. The National Cemetery Administration also awarded $2 million+ in Veterans Legacy Program grants to educational and research institutions to memorialize veterans buried in national cemeteries — the program has now funded more than 200 community education and historical research projects since its 2018 launch.