VA Burial and Memorial Benefits

What the VA provides to honor a veteran at the end of life: a burial allowance, burial in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.

Current as of: June 2026 · Reading time: about 8 minutes · For: surviving family, and veterans planning ahead

When a veteran dies, the VA offers benefits that help cover burial costs and honor that veteran's service. This page explains the burial allowance, who can be buried in a national cemetery and what comes with it at no cost, headstones and markers for private cemeteries, the burial flag, and the Presidential Memorial Certificate. It also covers how to claim these benefits, and the time limits that apply. A short section at the end maps the survivor benefits that go beyond the burial itself.

The one thing to understand first

There are two separate sets of benefits, run by two different VA offices. The burial allowance is a payment that helps with funeral and burial costs, handled by the Veterans Benefits Administration. Burial in a national cemetery, the headstone, and the flag are memorial benefits, handled by the National Cemetery Administration. You can use both, and they are claimed in different ways.

The VA burial allowance

The burial allowance is a payment toward funeral, burial, and plot costs. The amount depends on whether the death was service-connected, and whether the veteran was in VA care at the time of death (VA, 2026). Amounts change each year, so treat the figures below as a guide and confirm the current numbers on VA.gov before you rely on them.

VA burial allowance categories. The plot or interment allowance helps cover gravesite or burial costs and is generally not paid when the veteran is buried in a national cemetery, because that gravesite is already free.
Situation	What the VA may pay
Service-connected death	A burial allowance plus a separate plot or interment allowance (VA, 2026).
Non-service-connected death, veteran in VA care at death	A burial allowance plus a plot or interment allowance (VA, 2026).
Non-service-connected death, not in VA care	A smaller burial allowance, plus a plot or interment allowance if the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery (VA, 2026).

Bottom line A service-connected death qualifies for the highest burial and plot allowance. A non-service-connected death qualifies for a smaller amount, larger if the veteran was in VA care when they died. The VA can also help with the cost of transporting the remains in some cases. The current dollar figures are on the VA burial allowance page linked in the references.

Time limits to file

Service-connected death: there is no time limit to file for the burial or transportation allowance (VA, 2026).
Non-service-connected death: you generally must file within two years after the veteran's burial or cremation (VA, 2026).

Burial in a VA national cemetery

Most veterans who were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, and who met a minimum active-duty service requirement, are eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery. A spouse, surviving spouse, minor dependent children, and in some cases an unmarried adult child with a disability may also be eligible (NCA, 2026).

What the national cemetery provides at no cost

For an eligible veteran, the VA provides the following in a national cemetery at no cost to the family (NCA, 2026):

A gravesite in any national cemetery with space available
Opening and closing of the grave
A government headstone, marker, or medallion
Perpetual care of the gravesite
A burial flag
A Presidential Memorial Certificate

An eligible spouse or dependent child can be buried in a national cemetery even if they die before the veteran. Their name and dates can be added to the veteran's headstone at no cost (NCA, 2026).

What the family still pays for The national cemetery benefit covers the gravesite and the items above. It does not include the funeral service itself, casket or urn, cremation, or transporting the remains to the cemetery. Families arrange and pay for those through a private funeral home. The burial allowance above can offset some of that cost.

Headstones, markers, and medallions

The VA furnishes a headstone or marker for an eligible veteran at no charge, whether the burial is in a national cemetery or a private one (NCA, 2026).

In a national cemetery: the headstone or marker is provided and installed at no cost.
In a private cemetery: the VA provides the headstone or marker at no charge, but the family arranges and pays for setting it in place.
Medallion option: if a veteran's grave in a private cemetery already has a privately purchased headstone, the family can request a VA medallion to affix to it instead of a full government headstone. A veteran is entitled to a government headstone or marker, or the medallion, but not both (NCA, 2026).

Only an eligible veteran can receive a headstone, marker, or medallion for a private cemetery. A spouse or dependent child buried in a private cemetery is not eligible for one. If that spouse or child would have been eligible for a national cemetery, their inscription can instead be added to the veteran's headstone (NCA, 2026).

The burial flag

The VA provides a United States flag to drape the casket or accompany the urn of an eligible veteran. After the service, the flag is given to the next of kin as a keepsake. Only one flag is provided per veteran (VA, 2026).

You request the flag with the Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes, VA Form 27-2008. The next of kin or a close friend of the veteran can apply. You can get the flag through a funeral home, or by taking the form to a VA regional office or many U.S. Post Office locations (VA, 2026).

The Presidential Memorial Certificate

A Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) is a gold-embossed paper certificate bearing the signature of the President. It honors the memory of a veteran and recognizes that veteran's service (NCA, 2026).

You may be eligible if the veteran was eligible for burial in a national cemetery and you are the next of kin, a family member, or a close friend. More than one certificate can be issued, so several family members can each receive one. You can request a PMC at the time of burial or later (NCA, 2026).

How to claim burial benefits

You claim the burial allowance with the Application for Burial Benefits, VA Form 21P-530EZ. You can file online through VA.gov or mail the form to the VA Pension Intake Center (VA, 2026).

The two starting points:

Burial allowance, VA Form 21P-530EZ for the payment toward burial costs

National Cemetery Scheduling Office for a national cemetery gravesite, headstone, flag, and certificate

To schedule a burial in a national cemetery: VA 800-535-1117

A funeral director can handle much of this for you, including ordering the flag and scheduling the national cemetery burial. Confirm current forms, mailing details, and amounts on the official VA pages linked in the references before sending anything.

Documents usually needed

The veteran's death certificate
The veteran's discharge document, the DD-214 or equivalent
An itemized funeral and burial bill, paid or unpaid, for the burial allowance
Proof of who paid the burial costs, if a claim is for reimbursement

Eligibility for every one of these benefits is decided by the VA. An accredited representative can help a family gather and submit the paperwork at no charge. See how to find one.

Survivor benefits beyond burial

Burial benefits are one piece of what may be available to a surviving family. The benefits below are separate programs with their own rules, and each has its own page on this site. This section is a map, not a full treatment.

DIC, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: tax-free monthly payments to an eligible surviving spouse or child when a veteran dies from a service-connected condition, or in some cases was rated at a high level for years before death. See DIC for survivors.
Survivors Pension and Aid and Attendance: a needs-based monthly payment for a low-income surviving spouse or child of a wartime veteran, with an added amount if the survivor needs daily help or is housebound. See Aid and Attendance and survivor pension.
CHAMPVA health coverage: health benefits for the spouse and children of a veteran who died from a service-connected condition, or who was rated permanently and totally disabled. See CHAMPVA health benefits.
DEA, Chapter 35 education benefits: education and training help for the spouse and children of a veteran who died from a service-connected condition or is permanently and totally disabled. Details are on the VA education benefits pages.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to be buried in a VA national cemetery?

No. For an eligible veteran, the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, perpetual care, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate are all provided at no cost. The funeral service, casket or urn, cremation, and transport to the cemetery are the family's responsibility.

Can a spouse be buried with the veteran?

Yes. An eligible spouse, surviving spouse, and minor dependent children can be buried in a national cemetery, and in some cases an unmarried adult child with a disability. An eligible family member can be buried there even if they die before the veteran, and their name can be added to the veteran's headstone at no cost.

How do I get the burial flag?

You apply with VA Form 27-2008, the Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes. A funeral home often handles this, or the next of kin can take the form to a VA regional office or many U.S. Post Office locations. Only one flag is provided per veteran.

Is there a deadline to claim the burial allowance?

For a service-connected death, there is no time limit to claim the burial or transportation allowance. For a non-service-connected death, you generally must file within two years after the veteran's burial or cremation.

Can I get a headstone for a veteran already buried in a private cemetery?

Yes, if the veteran is eligible. The VA furnishes a headstone or marker at no charge for an eligible veteran in a private cemetery, though the family pays to set it in place. If the grave already has a privately purchased headstone, a VA medallion can be requested instead.

Related Tools and Guides

DIC for Survivors

Tax-free monthly compensation for the survivors of a veteran who died of a service-connected condition.

Aid and Attendance and Pension

The needs-based survivor pension and the added amount for a survivor who needs daily help.

CHAMPVA Health Benefits

Health coverage for the spouse and children of a permanently and totally disabled or deceased veteran.

Benefits by Rating

Which benefits unlock at each rating level, including 100% Permanent and Total.

External references

VA. Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits. va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance
VA. VA burial benefits and memorial items. va.gov/burials-memorials
National Cemetery Administration. Burial and Memorial Benefits. cem.va.gov/burial-memorial-benefits
National Cemetery Administration. Headstones, Markers, and Medallions. cem.va.gov/hmm
VA. Burial flags to honor Veterans (VA Form 27-2008). va.gov · burial-flags
VA. Presidential Memorial Certificates. va.gov · presidential-memorial-certificates
VA. Application for Burial Benefits, VA Form 21P-530EZ. va.gov/find-forms/about-form-21p-530ez

Educational information, not advice. This page is general education about how VA burial and memorial benefits work. It is not legal, financial, or medical advice, and it does not determine anyone's eligibility. Eligibility and benefit amounts are decided by VA on a case-by-case basis, and dollar figures and rules change every year. Confirm current details with VA, the National Cemetery Scheduling Office, or an accredited representative before acting on anything here.