National Cemetery Administration
Burial and Memorial Benefits
Burial and memorial benefits available include a gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone, marker, or medallion, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and a burial flag all at no cost to the family. VA burial allowances may also be available for eligible Veterans. Cremated remains are buried or inurned in national cemeteries in the same manner and with the same honors as casketed remains.
Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a national cemetery include burial with the Veteran, perpetual care, and the spouse or dependent name and date of birth and death will be inscribed on the Veteran's headstone, at no cost to the family. Eligible spouses and dependents may be buried, even if they predecease the Veteran.
The Veterans family should make funeral or cremation arrangements with a funeral provider or cremation office. Any item or service obtained from a funeral home or cremation office will be at the family's expense.
On this page:
Headstones and Markers
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a government headstone or marker for the unmarked grave of an eligible Veteran in any cemetery around the world, regardless of their date of death. A government headstone or marker may also be furnished if the grave has a privately purchased headstone or marker AND the Veteran died on or after November 1, 1990.
Flat markers in granite, marble, and bronze and upright headstones in granite and marble are available. Bronze niche markers are also available to mark columbaria used for inurnment of cremated remains. The style chosen must be permitted by the officials in charge of the private cemetery where it will be placed.
When burial or memorialization is in a national cemetery, state Veterans' cemetery, or military post/base cemetery, a headstone or marker will be ordered by the cemetery officials based on inscription information provided by the next of kin or authorized representative.
Am I eligible?
Burial headstones and markers are furnished for eligible deceased active-duty servicemembers and Veterans interred at a VA national cemeteries and VA grant-funded state, territory, and tribal cemeteries.
Memorial headstones and markers are furnished for eligible servicemembers and Veterans whose remains are not recovered or identified, are buried at sea, donated to science or whose cremated remains have been scattered.
Some National Guard and Reservist members may be eligible if they meet certain active-duty service requirements.
Note: Only an eligible Veteran may receive a government-provided headstone or marker for placement in a private cemetery. Veterans' spouses and dependent children are not eligible.
Learn more about the types of headstones and markers benefit »
How do I apply?
Fill out application
For a headstone, grave marker, or wall marker, fill out the Claim for Standard government Headstone or Marker (VA Form 40-1330).
Send application and supporting documents
Send us your application and a copy of the Veteran's DD214 or other discharge documents by fax to 800-455-7143 or mail to this address:
NCA FP Evidence Intake Center
P.O. Box 5237
Janesville, WI 53547
Note: Please don't mail original documents since we can't return them to you.
Call us at 800-697-6947 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about headstones and markers.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Medallions
There are two types of medallions that may be affixed to an existing, privately purchased headstone or marker. One signifies that the individual is a Veteran and the other signifies that the Veteran/servicemember is a Medal of Honor recipient.
The bronze medallion is available in three sizes: Small, Medium, or Large. Each medallion is inscribed with the word "VETERAN" across the top and the branch of service at the bottom.
The Medal of Honor (MOH) Medallion comes in two sizes: Medium or Large. Each medallion is inscribed with "MEDAL OF HONOR" at the top and the branch of service at the bottom.
These devices are furnished in lieu of a traditional government headstone or grave marker for those Veterans who served on or after April 6, 1917, and whose grave in a private cemetery is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.
Am I eligible?
Medallions are available to eligible servicemembers and Veterans if their grave is marked with a privately purchased headstone or marker.
In these instances, eligible Veterans are entitled to either a traditional government-furnished headstone or marker, or medallion, but not both.
If the gravesite of two Veterans is marked with one privately purchased headstone, e.g., two spouses who have both served in the U.S. Military, two medallions can be requested and affixed to the privately purchased headstone if authorized by the local cemetery official.
Fill out application
For a medallion to be placed on a privately purchased headstone or marker, fill out the Claim for Government Medallion for Placement in a Private Cemetery (VA Form 40-1330M).
Send application and supporting documents
Send us your application and a copy of the Veteran's DD214 or other discharge documents by fax to 800-455-7143 or mail to this address:
NCA FP Evidence Intake Center
P.O. Box 5237
Janesville, WI 53547
Note: Please don't send original documents since we can't return them to you.
Call us at 800-697-6947 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about medallions.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Presidential Memorial Certificates
A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is a gold-embossed paper certificate bearing the official signature of the President of the United States. It honors the memory of a Veteran and expresses the country's grateful recognition of his or her service in the Armed Forces. This program was initiated in March 1962 by President John F. Kennedy and has been continued by each subsequent President. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers the PMC program through the National Cemetery Administration.
Am I eligible?
You may be eligible for a Presidential Memorial Certificate if you meet both of these requirements.
- The Veteran or Reservist is eligible for burial in a national cemetery, and
- You're the next of kin, family member, or close friend of the Veteran or Reservist (or an authorized service representative for a family member or friend of the Veteran or Reservist)
Note: If eligible, multiple Presidential Memorial Certificates may be requested for a servicemember, Veteran, National Guard, or Reservist.
Learn more about the Presidential Memorial Certificates benefit »
Option 1: Apply online
Option 2: Apply by mail or fax
Fill out application
Complete the Presidential Memorial Certificate Request Form (VA Form 40-0247).
Send application and supporting documents
Fax your application and copies of supporting documents to 800-455-7143 or mail to this address:
NCA FP Evidence Intake Center
P.O. Box 5237
Janesville, WI 53547
Call us at 800-697-6947 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about Presidential Memorial Certificates.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Burial Flags
A United States flag is provided, at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a Veteran who served honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces. It is furnished to honor the memory of a Veteran's military service to his or her country. VA will furnish a burial flag for memorialization for other than dishonorably discharged individuals found eligible.
Am I eligible?
You may be eligible for a burial flag if you're the next of kin or a close friend of a servicemember or Veteran.
Note: Only one burial flag is provided for this benefit.
Fill out an application
To get a burial flag, fill out the Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes (VA Form 27-2008).
Bring the application form to:
- A funeral director, or
- A VA regional office, or
- A United States post office. Call ahead to make sure your local post office has burial flags. If they don't, they can direct you to one that does.
Call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about burial flags.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
Urns and Plaques
The urn and plaque are two memorial items that commemorate a Veteran whose cremated remains have not been interred. A "commemorative urn" is used to hold the remains of a cremated Veteran and a "commemorative plaque" is designed to hang on a wall. Claimants may request either the urn or the plaque to honor the Veteran's service according to their preference.
It's important to note that if a family chooses an urn or a plaque to commemorate a Veteran, VA is prohibited by law from interring that Veteran's remains in a VA national cemetery or from providing a headstone, marker or medallion for placement in any cemetery. Families should be certain of their choice. If the family chooses to receive an urn or a plaque to commemorate their Veteran, their decision cannot be undone. The law does not provide a method to restore these benefits.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible, the Veteran (or service member who died on active duty) must have served in the Armed Forces on or after April 6, 1917; the Veteran must be eligible for a headstone or marker under 38 U.S.C. § 2306(d), and the Veteran's remains must have been cremated — with no portion of the remains interred at any location.
Fill out application
To apply for a commemorative urn or plaque, fill out the Claim for Commemorative Urn or Plaque for Veterans' Cremains Not Interred (VA Form 40-1330UP).
Important Note: VA is prohibited by law from interring that Veteran's remains in a VA national cemetery or from providing a headstone, marker or medallion for placement in any cemetery. Families should be certain of their choice. If the family chooses to receive an urn or a plaque to commemorate their Veteran, their decision cannot be undone. The law does not provide a method to restore these benefits.
Send application and supporting documents
Send us your application and a copy of the Veteran's DD214 or other discharge documents by fax to 800-455-7143 or mail to this address:
NCA FP Evidence Intake Center
P.O. Box 5237
Janesville, WI 53547
Note: Please don't send original documents since we can't return them to you.
Call us at 800-697-6947 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about urns and plaques.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Green Burials
Green burials are a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat.
NCA will accept both cremated and intact remains for interment in green burial sections. While green burial sections are new, NCA has always accepted remains that are prepared naturally and/or presented in a biodegradable container for burial in VA national cemeteries and will continue to do so at its open cemeteries even if they are not one of these three pilot sites: National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, AZ; Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, CO; and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.
Am I eligible?
The process to determine eligibility and schedule an interment for a Veteran and/or their family member in a green burial section is the same as scheduling a burial in any other section of a VA national cemetery.
However, it is important to remember that the preparation and presentation of a decedent's remains for interment in a green burial section must meet the following criteria, which are established in law: (1) the remains must be prepared for burial in a manner that does not involve chemicals or embalming fluids; and (2) the remains must be interred in a natural manner or in a completely biodegradable burial receptacle, such as a biodegradable casket or urn (38 U.S.C. § 2404(i)).
Find out how to schedule a burial or call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (NCSO) toll-free at 800-535-1117 for more information about scheduling a burial. When calling the NCSO, you should indicate your intent for your loved one to be interred in a green burial section.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET.
Burial Allowances
A VA burial allowance is a flat rate monetary benefit that helps cover certain costs for an eligible Veteran. This includes burial and funeral costs, the cost of the plot (gravesite) or interment, and a reimbursement for the cost of transporting the Veteran's remains to the final resting place.
VA provides burial benefits for all legal burial types, including cremation and burial at sea. It also provides burial benefits for donating the Veteran's remains to a medical school.
Am I eligible?
You may be eligible for Veterans burial allowances if you're paying for the burial and funeral costs and you won't be reimbursed by any other organization, like another government agency or the Veteran's employer. Additionally, there may be a time limit for filing a claim to receive the VA burial allowance.
Learn more about eligibility and time limits for the VA burial allowance »
Option 1: Apply online
Option 2: Apply by mail
Fill out application
Fill out an Application for Burial Benefits (VA Form 21P-530EZ).
Send application and supporting documents
Mail us your application and copies of supporting documents to this address:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Pension Intake Center
P.O. Box 5365
Janesville, WI 53547
Call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) if you have questions about burial allowances.
We're here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
Bereavement Counseling
If you're the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member or Veteran who died, you may qualify for bereavement counseling through our Vet Centers. Bereavement counseling (sometimes called "grief counseling") provides assistance and support for people going through emotional and psychological stress after the death of a loved one. Bereavement counseling includes free services such as outreach, counseling, and referrals.
Am I eligible?
You may be eligible for bereavement counseling if you're the surviving spouse, child, or parent of someone who fits one of these descriptions:
- A service member who died while serving their country, or
- A Reservist or National Guard member who died while on active duty, or
- A Veteran who was receiving Vet Center services at the time of their death, or
- A Veteran or service member who died by suicide
You can request bereavement counseling through your nearest Vet Center.
Call us anytime at 877-927-8387 (TTY: 711).
