What VA National Cemeteries Offer and Who Can Use Them

VA National Cemeteries are burial grounds run by the Department of Veterans Affairs for military service members and their families. There are 155 of them across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The VA does not charge for the grave space, opening and closing, or a headstone or marker — these services are provided at no cost to those who meet the may be able to access requirements.

A burial or inurnment at a VA National Cemetery is different from a private cemetery. The VA controls the grounds, the type of monument you can place, and the rules for maintenance and visiting. You cannot choose your exact plot, and the cemetery assigns it based on availability and the type of interment you want. The process moves through the VA, not through a funeral home, though a funeral director can help coordinate the paperwork.

Not every veteran or family member can be buried there. The person being buried must meet specific military service criteria, and in some cases, family members must also meet requirements. Understanding who is may be able to access and what the process looks like will help you plan ahead or make arrangements quickly if needed.

Key Takeaways

  • VA National Cemeteries provide free grave space, opening and closing, and a headstone or marker for may be able to access veterans and certain family members.
  • To be buried at a VA National Cemetery, you must have served on active duty and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or have been a National Guard or Reserve member who died on active duty.
  • Spouses and dependent children of may be able to access veterans may also be buried there, even if they never served in the military.
  • You can make arrangements before death through the VA or after death through a funeral home, and the process typically takes one to three weeks.
  • Each cemetery has different sections for in-ground burial, cremation (inurnment), and sometimes columbaria, so the type of interment available depends on which cemetery you choose.

Who Is may be able to access for Burial at a VA National Cemetery

The person being buried must have served on active duty in the U.S. military and received a discharge that was not dishonorable. This includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force service. The discharge papers (called a DD Form 214 or Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) are the proof the VA will ask for. If you do not have the original, you can request a copy from the National Archives or through your state's military records office.

National Guard and Reserve members are also may be able to access if they died while on active duty orders. If they were never activated for active duty, they are not may be able to access for a VA National Cemetery burial, though they may be buried in a state military cemetery instead.

Spouses and unmarried dependent children of may be able to access veterans can be buried in the same cemetery, even if they never served. An ex-spouse is not may be able to access unless they were married to the veteran at the time of the veteran's death. Adult children are not may be able to access unless they were under the veteran's care at the time of death or became disabled before age 21.

Medal of Honor recipients and their authorized family members receive priority for certain cemetery sections and may have additional options for monument placement.

How to Start the Burial Arrangement Process

You have two paths: arrange in advance while the veteran is still living, or arrange after death. Arranging in advance means the veteran's wishes are documented and the family has less to coordinate during a difficult time. You can contact the VA National Cemetery where you want the burial to take place and ask for a pre-need process. The cemetery will verify may be able to access and reserve a grave space.

If you are arranging after death, contact the cemetery directly or work through a funeral home. The funeral director will handle much of the paperwork and coordinate with the cemetery on your behalf. You will still need to provide the discharge papers and a death certificate. The cemetery will verify may be able to access before confirming the burial date.

To find the nearest VA National Cemetery or one in a location that matters to your family, visit the VA's cemetery locator on their website or call the Veterans Benefits information line. Each cemetery has its own phone number and staff who can answer questions about that specific location.

What Documents You Will Need

The VA will ask for proof of military service and proof of death. For the veteran, this means the DD Form 214 or equivalent discharge document. If the original is lost, you can order a copy online through the National Archives or by mail — this usually takes two to four weeks, so if you are arranging after death, ask the cemetery if they can work with a temporary document while you wait for the official one.

For the death, you will need the death certificate issued by the state or county where the death occurred. The funeral home will usually obtain this, or you can request it from the vital records office in that jurisdiction. You may need multiple certified copies — the cemetery typically asks for at least one, and you will likely need others for insurance, Social Security, or other purposes.

If the person being buried is a spouse or child of the veteran, you will also need to show the relationship — a marriage certificate for a spouse, or a birth certificate for a child. If the child was adopted, bring the adoption papers.

Types of Interment Available at VA National Cemeteries

Most VA National Cemeteries offer in-ground burial, where the casket is placed in a grave and a headstone marks the site. Some cemeteries also have columbaria, which are structures with niches for cremated remains. A few have mausolea, which are above-ground structures with crypts. The type of interment available depends on which cemetery you choose and whether space is available in that section.

If you choose cremation, the VA will still provide a niche or grave space and a marker at no cost. You can arrange the cremation through a funeral home before the remains go to the cemetery, or in some cases the cemetery can coordinate with a crematory. Ask the specific cemetery what their process is.

The headstone or marker is provided by the VA at no cost. You can choose from several designs and inscriptions, but you cannot bring your own monument or place one that does not meet VA standards. The cemetery will explain what options are available for the specific section where the burial will take place.

Timeline and What to Expect After You Contact the Cemetery

If you are arranging in advance, the cemetery will verify your information and send you a pre-need authorization letter. This can take a few days to a couple of weeks. You do not need to do anything else until the time comes — the authorization stays on file.

If you are arranging after death, the timeline is tighter. Once you contact the cemetery or funeral home, they will ask for the documents listed above. Verification of may be able to access usually takes three to five business days. The cemetery will then offer you available dates for the burial or inurnment. Most cemeteries can schedule a burial within one to three weeks of the request, though this varies by location and season.

On the day of the burial, the cemetery staff will handle the logistics. You can hold a graveside service if you wish — the cemetery will tell you what is allowed and what you need to arrange separately (such as a chaplain or honor guard). The VA does not provide these services, but you can request them through other channels, such as a veterans organization or your state's military affairs office.

Costs and What Is Included

There is no charge for the grave space, opening and closing the grave, or the headstone or marker. This applies to all may be able to access veterans and their family members. You will not receive a bill from the VA National Cemetery.

You may have costs elsewhere in the process. If you use a funeral home, they will charge for their services — embalming, transportation, a casket, and coordination. These costs vary widely depending on the funeral home and what services you choose. If you arrange the burial directly with the cemetery without a funeral home, you will have fewer costs, but you will need to arrange transportation of the remains yourself or hire someone to do it.

Cremation, if you choose it, is a separate cost paid to the crematory. The cemetery does not provide cremation; you arrange it independently and then bring the remains to the cemetery for inurnment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be buried at a VA National Cemetery if I was dishonorably discharged?

No. A dishonorable discharge makes you ineligible. Other types of discharge — honorable, general under honorable conditions, or other than honorable — do make you may be able to access. If you are unsure what type of discharge you received, your DD Form 214 will state it clearly.

What if the veteran I want to bury never got a discharge paper?

You can request a copy from the National Archives using the veteran's name, service number, and dates of service. This takes two to four weeks by mail or can be faster online. The cemetery can sometimes work with you while you wait for the official document, so ask them about temporary options.

Can I choose which cemetery or which plot within a cemetery?

You can choose which VA National Cemetery, but the cemetery assigns the specific plot based on availability and the type of interment. You cannot reserve a particular location or be buried next to a specific person unless that person is already buried there and space is available in that grave.

Do I need a funeral home to arrange a burial at a VA National Cemetery?

No, but many people use one because it simplifies the paperwork and logistics. You can contact the cemetery directly and arrange it yourself. If you do, you will need to handle transportation of the remains and provide the required documents to the cemetery.

Can my ashes be scattered at a VA National Cemetery instead of being placed in a niche?

Scattering is not permitted at VA National Cemeteries. Cremated remains must be inurned in a niche, columbarium, or grave. Some cemeteries have designated scattering gardens at nearby state or private cemeteries, so ask the VA cemetery staff if they can recommend an option in your area.