What the National Cemetery Administration does
The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) is part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and operates 155 national cemeteries across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. It maintains these burial grounds, handles grave site assignments, and provides burial services at no cost to those who meet the criteria. The NCA does not charge for the grave site, opening and closing, or perpetual care — though some families choose to purchase additional services like headstones or memorial markers through separate vendors.
The NCA is distinct from state veterans cemeteries, which are run by individual states and have their own rules, and from private cemeteries, which operate independently. If you are exploring burial options, understanding which type of cemetery you are considering — and which one your family member or you may be may have access to to use — matters for cost, location, and what services are included.
Key Takeaways
- The National Cemetery Administration operates 155 cemeteries and provides burial at no cost to may be able to access veterans, active-duty service members, and certain family members.
- may be able to access depends on military service status, discharge type, and in some cases family relationship to a veteran or service member.
- You can request burial by contacting the specific national cemetery where you wish to be buried, or by providing the cemetery information to a funeral home.
- The NCA provides the grave site and maintenance but does not cover the cost of a casket, funeral service, or transportation — those are separate expenses.
- State veterans cemeteries and private cemeteries operate under different rules and may have different costs and may be able to access requirements.
Who is may have access to to burial in a national cemetery
Burial in a national cemetery is available to active-duty service members, veterans with an honorable or general discharge, and certain family members of those individuals. The key factor is the type of discharge: an honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions qualifies you; a dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge does not. If you received a discharge other than honorable, you can request a review of your discharge status through the Department of Defense.
Spouses and dependent children of may be able to access veterans or service members may also be buried in a national cemetery, even if they themselves did not serve. The rules for family members vary slightly depending on whether the veteran is still living or has died, and whether the family member was married to or dependent on the veteran at the time of the veteran's death or at the time the family member dies, whichever comes first.
Medal of Honor recipients and former spouses may also be may have access to to burial under specific circumstances. If you are unsure whether you or a family member meets the criteria, the NCA website lists the full may be able to access rules, or you can contact the specific cemetery where you are considering burial.
How to request burial in a national cemetery
There are two main paths: you can contact the national cemetery directly, or you can provide the cemetery information to a funeral home and let them handle the coordination. If you are planning ahead, you can call or visit the cemetery in person to request a pre-need information — a written statement confirming that you or your family member will be may have access to to burial there. This information is not a reservation, but it gives you and your family certainty before a death occurs.
At the time of death, the funeral home or the family typically contacts the cemetery to request burial. You will need to provide a copy of the discharge papers (called a DD Form 214 or equivalent), a death certificate, and proof of the family relationship if the person being buried is a spouse or child. The cemetery will assign a grave site based on availability and any preferences you have noted.
The NCA does not charge for the grave site, but you will pay a funeral home for the casket, funeral service, and transportation of the body to the cemetery. Some families also purchase a headstone or memorial marker; the NCA provides a government headstone or marker at no cost, but private markers are available for purchase.
What is included and what is not included in NCA burial
The National Cemetery Administration covers the grave site, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual maintenance of the grounds. It also provides a government headstone or marker at no cost. If you are a veteran, the NCA may also provide a flag for the grave and a presidential memorial certificate.
The NCA does not cover the cost of a casket, urn, funeral service, embalming, transportation of the body, or a private headstone or marker. These are expenses you or your family will arrange and pay for separately, usually through a funeral home. Some veterans organizations and nonprofits offer financial help with funeral costs for veterans in need; your funeral home or local veterans service officer can point you toward those resources.
Differences between national cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, and private cemeteries
National cemeteries are federal facilities run by the NCA and are free to may be able to access users. State veterans cemeteries are run by individual states and typically serve state residents or those with a connection to the state; they are also usually free or low-cost to may be able to access veterans and families. Private cemeteries are businesses that charge for grave sites and services; they may or may not have sections reserved for veterans, and may be able to access rules are set by the cemetery operator, not by federal or state law.
If a national cemetery is far from where your family lives, a state veterans cemetery may be closer and more convenient. If neither is an option or if you prefer a private cemetery, you can choose that route — but you will pay for the grave site and services. Some private cemeteries offer military discounts or veteran sections, so it is worth asking.
The location of the cemetery matters too. Not every state has a national cemetery, and some states have only one. The NCA website includes a cemetery locator tool that shows which national cemeteries are in or near your state, along with their addresses and phone numbers.
How to find and contact a specific national cemetery
The NCA website has a searchable cemetery locator. You can search by state, city, or cemetery name. Each cemetery listing includes the address, phone number, and hours of operation. Many cemeteries also have their own pages with information about the grounds, directions, and the process for requesting burial.
If you know which cemetery you want to use — perhaps because it is near your home or because a family member is already buried there — you can call that cemetery directly to ask about pre-need determinations or to get answers to specific questions about your situation. Cemetery staff can tell you whether you are may have access to to burial there based on your military service or family relationship.
What happens if your discharge was not honorable
A dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge makes you ineligible for burial in a national cemetery. However, you can request a discharge review through the Department of Defense. The review process can take several months, and approval is not certain, but if your discharge is upgraded to honorable or general under honorable conditions, you will then be may have access to to national cemetery burial.
If your discharge is not upgraded, you can still be buried in a private cemetery or in a state veterans cemetery if your state allows it. Some states have different may be able to access rules than the federal government and may accept veterans with other discharge types. Your state veterans office can tell you what options are available in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reserve a grave site in advance?
No, the NCA does not take reservations for grave sites. You can request a pre-need information, which confirms your may be able to access, but the actual grave site is assigned at the time of burial based on availability. If you have a preference — for example, to be buried near a family member — you can note that when you request burial, and the cemetery will try to honor it if possible.
Do I have to be buried in the national cemetery closest to my home?
No. You can choose any national cemetery in the country. Some people choose a cemetery near where they live, while others choose one near where they grew up or where other family members are buried. You can contact multiple cemeteries to compare locations and get a pre-need information from each.
What if I am a surviving spouse or child of a veteran — can I be buried in a national cemetery?
Yes, if you meet the criteria. Spouses and unmarried dependent children of may be able to access veterans can be buried in a national cemetery. The rules depend on whether the veteran is still living and on the timing of the marriage or dependency. Contact the cemetery directly with your family relationship to the veteran, and they can tell you whether you are may have access to to burial.
Is there a cost for the government headstone or marker?
No. The NCA provides a government headstone or marker at no cost to all those buried in a national cemetery. You can choose from several designs and inscriptions. If you want a private headstone or marker instead, you can purchase one, but the government marker is included in your burial.
What if I want to be cremated instead of buried?
National cemeteries accept both casket burials and cremated remains. If you are cremated, your ashes can be buried or inurned in a national cemetery under the same may be able to access rules as a casket burial. The NCA does not cover the cost of cremation itself — that is a separate expense — but the grave site or niche for the ashes is provided at no cost.