Planning for Burial in a
VA National Cemetery

The Short Version

1. Find the DD214 (the Veteran's discharge papers) and keep a copy where the family can reach it. It is the single most important document.
2. Apply for a pre-need eligibility decision from VA, for the Veteran and the spouse. It is free, and the letter tells the family ahead of time that burial is approved.
3. Pick a preferred national cemetery and write it down. Gravesites cannot be reserved, but VA records the preference.
4. Tell the family and the funeral home the plan, and where the papers are.
5. At the time of death, the funeral home calls VA to schedule the burial. The family's main job is handing over the DD214 and the pre-need letter.

While You Are Both Living

Each of these steps takes the guesswork off the family later. None of them costs anything except the funeral home pre-plan, which is optional.

• Locate the DD214 or other separation papers. If it is missing, request a free copy from the National Archives (eVetRecs online, or Standard Form 180 by mail). Allow several weeks.
• Apply for pre-need eligibility using VA Form 40-10007, online at VA.gov or by mail to NCA Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547. The Veteran and the spouse each file their own application. Include the DD214 copy so it processes faster.
• Name a preferred cemetery on the application. It records a preference, not a reserved plot. See the Florida national cemeteries below.
• Keep the VA decision letter with the DD214 and the will or estate documents.
• Decide casket or cremation, and whether military funeral honors are wanted.
• Choose a funeral home and let them know the plan is a VA national cemetery burial. A pre-paid plan is optional; asking for their General Price List lets you compare.
• Write a one-page instruction sheet for the family: preferred cemetery, funeral home, where the papers are, and any religious emblem or inscription wanted on the headstone.
• Share where everything is with the person who will handle arrangements.

At the Time of Death

The funeral home usually handles the VA call, so the family's role is mostly gathering papers and making choices.

1. Call the funeral home. Tell them the plan is burial in a VA national cemetery, and give them the pre-need letter if there is one.
2. Gather the papers: the DD214, the pre-need decision letter, and the death certificate when it is ready. For a spouse, a marriage certificate can help.
3. Have this information ready: full name, Social Security number, date of birth, date of death, and county and zip code at death. Also the next of kin's name, relationship, Social Security number, phone and address.
4. Make the burial choices: preferred cemetery, casket or cremation (and the casket or urn size), headstone or marker type, religious emblem, inscription, and whether to request military funeral honors.
5. The funeral home sends the DD214 to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (fax 866-900-6417 or NCA.Scheduling@va.gov), then calls 800-535-1117 to confirm eligibility and set the date. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. (VA scheduling details)
6. The funeral director requests military funeral honors through the Department of Defense. The family does not need to call.
7. The service takes place on a weekday. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.
8. After the burial, the family receives the burial flag and can request a Presidential Memorial Certificate. If the family paid funeral costs, they may file VA Form 21P-530EZ for a burial allowance.

If nothing was prepared ahead

Burial is still available without a pre-need letter. VA simply confirms eligibility at the time of need, and the main risk is delay.

• Eligibility is checked during the scheduling call. With the DD214 in hand, this is usually quick.
• A missing DD214 is the most common slowdown. VA can help search for records, but its scheduling page notes this may take several days.
• Other papers may be requested, such as a marriage certificate, a divorce decree from an earlier marriage, or a death certificate.
• Choices get made under time pressure: cemetery, casket or cremation, headstone wording, honors.
• The service date may move out while records are confirmed, which can add funeral home holding costs.

Even without preparation, the family can call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office, the funeral home, or a free county Veterans Service Officer for help.

Who to Contact

Florida national cemeteries

"Open" means new casket and cremation burials are available. A closed or cremation-only cemetery may still accept a spouse in an existing gravesite. Status from the VA cemetery listing for Florida.

Typical Costs

The cemetery side is free; the family pays the funeral home. Choosing a national cemetery removes the plot, vault or liner, and headstone from the bill.

For scale, the national median for a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300, or $9,995 with a vault, and $6,280 with cremation, per the National Funeral Directors Association's 2023 survey. Costs vary widely, so the funeral home's General Price List is the best guide.

VA burial allowances

Some families qualify for partial reimbursement. Eligibility depends on the circumstances, such as a service-connected death or death while under VA care.

File with VA Form 21P-530EZ. Non-service-connected claims are due within 2 years of burial; service-connected, plot and transportation claims have no time limit. A surviving spouse already on the Veteran's VA record may be paid automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions