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If the Veteran has died, arrange the burial through the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Scheduling Office’s time-of-need process. If the Veteran is still living, request a pre-need eligibility determination instead. A pre-need decision can simplify later paperwork, but it does not reserve a cemetery or gravesite.
The family or a funeral director can coordinate the request. Gather the Veteran’s DD214 or other discharge papers, the deceased person’s and next of kin’s identifying information, and the preferred cemetery and disposition details. Send available records, then call the Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711).
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Choose the correct VA process first
VA uses two separate processes. The right one depends on whether the person is living or has died.
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|---|---|---|---|
| The Veteran is living and planning ahead | Pre-need eligibility determination | VA reviews whether the person and eligible family members may qualify for burial in a VA national cemetery. | It does not reserve a cemetery, gravesite, niche, or future date. |
| The person has died | Time-of-need burial request | VA reviews eligibility, checks available space, and schedules the interment or inurnment. | It cannot guarantee the family’s preferred cemetery when space is unavailable. |
After death, VA’s direction is straightforward: “You’ll need to schedule a burial instead.” Do not submit a new pre-need application for someone who has already died.
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How to arrange a burial after the Veteran’s death
The following sequence keeps the cemetery request, funeral arrangements, and documentation moving together. A family member can do it, or a funeral director can help complete the VA scheduling steps.
1. Decide who will coordinate
The next of kin, another authorized family representative, or the funeral director may contact VA. Decide early who will be the main point of contact so that the Scheduling Office receives one consistent set of details.
VA recommends arranging funeral or cremation services with a provider. A funeral director can coordinate those services while also helping the family with the national-cemetery request. Using a funeral director is not required to contact VA, but the provider may reduce the amount of paperwork the family has to manage during the first days after death.
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Find the DD214 or another official separation or discharge document before calling. These papers help VA verify service and discharge character. If the family cannot locate them, call the Scheduling Office anyway and explain that the records are missing. VA says eligibility review may take several days without discharge documentation and that the office can help look for records.
Send whatever discharge documentation is available rather than delaying the request while searching indefinitely. Keep the original papers; send a copy or scan unless VA specifically asks for an original.
3. Prepare the deceased person’s information
The Scheduling Office asks for identifying and family information. Assemble this checklist before the call:
- Full name of the deceased
- Gender
- Social Security number or military service number
- Date of birth
- Relationship to the Veteran whose service establishes eligibility, when the deceased is a spouse or dependent
- Marital status
- Date of death
- County and ZIP code where the person died
Depending on the circumstances, VA may also request a death certificate, proof of relationship, or proof of dependent status. Do not assume that a family relationship alone completes the review; have supporting documents ready if the office requests them.
4. Prepare the next-of-kin information
The caller should have the next of kin’s:
- Name and relationship to the deceased
- Social Security number
- Telephone number
- Mailing address
If a funeral director is handling the call, provide written authorization or the relationship information the office needs to identify the person acting for the family. Keep a written record of the representative’s name and every confirmation number or instruction given during the call.
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5. Decide the burial details before contacting VA
VA will ask the family to make several choices. Discuss them in advance so that the request is complete:
- Preferred national cemetery: Name the cemetery the family wants, but understand that the preference depends on available space.
- Disposition: Choose casket burial or cremation.
- Container dimensions: Provide the casket or urn size.
- Memorialization: Select a government headstone, grave marker, niche cover, or medallion as applicable.
- Inscription and emblem: Provide any desired religious emblem or optional inscription details.
A pre-need decision or a family preference does not create a reservation. VA confirms eligibility and space when the time-of-need request is made.
6. Send discharge papers to the Scheduling Office
For a national-cemetery request, VA instructs families to send available discharge records in either of these ways:
- Fax: 866-900-6417
- Email: [email protected]
When emailing, put the deceased person’s name in the subject line. Use a clear scan and include the caller’s telephone number so the office can match the records to the application. Do not email unrelated medical or financial documents unless VA asks for them.
7. Call to confirm the application
After sending the records, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. The TTY number is 711. The scheduling page lists hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
During the call, provide the deceased person’s identifying information, confirm that the discharge papers were sent, state the preferred cemetery, and answer questions about disposition and memorialization. Ask what additional documents, if any, are needed and how the family will receive the scheduling decision.
If records were unavailable, tell the representative exactly what was searched for and provide any alternate service information. Eligibility review can take several days when VA must locate or verify discharge records, so ask how that timing affects the funeral provider’s planning.
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8. Request eligible honors and memorial items
For a Veteran or Reservist, the caller may request a burial flag and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. The family may also ask about military honors beyond Taps and the ceremonial folding and presentation of the flag. State these requests during the scheduling conversation so the office can explain what is available for the individual’s service and location.
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How pre-need planning works while the Veteran is living
A living person may ask VA for a pre-need eligibility determination. This is a planning decision, not a cemetery reservation.
Submit the pre-need application
Apply online or submit VA Form 40-10007 by mail or fax with the supporting documents VA requests. The application asks for personal and military history and the preferred VA national cemetery.
A DD214 or other separation document can help VA process the request. If the applicant does not have one, VA says it will try to find the service records. Applying without discharge papers may require additional time while VA verifies the service.
Applying for another person
If one person applies for another living person, the applicant must document an authorized relationship or role. Gather the documentation that shows why the applicant may act for the Veteran or other person before submitting Form 40-10007.
Understand the decision letter’s limits
A pre-need decision letter tells the family about the eligibility determination, but it does not identify or reserve a specific cemetery or gravesite. Space and cemetery operations are checked only when the family makes the time-of-need request after death.
At that point, give the Scheduling Office the pre-need decision letter and ask it to review the burial request. VA may review eligibility again because the person’s circumstances or the law may have changed since the pre-need decision.
What VA provides for an eligible national-cemetery burial
For an eligible burial in a VA national cemetery, VA lists these core benefits at no cost to the family when space is available:
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| Benefit | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Gravesite | A gravesite in a VA national cemetery, subject to available space. |
| Opening and closing | Opening and closing of the grave for the burial. |
| Perpetual care | Ongoing care of the gravesite by the cemetery. |
| Government memorial | A government headstone, marker, or medallion, as applicable. |
| Burial flag | Available to eligible Veterans or Reservists when requested. |
| Presidential Memorial Certificate | May be requested when the eligibility requirements are met. |
Funeral and cremation arrangements are made with a funeral provider. The listed cemetery benefits do not replace the family’s need to select a provider for services such as preparing the body, supplying a casket or urn, transporting the deceased, or conducting a funeral or cremation arrangement. Ask the provider for its written prices and payment schedule; the VA Scheduling Office determines the cemetery benefits and eligibility.
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Burial and cremation are both available choices
The VA request can cover either casket burial or cremation. The family should decide which option it wants before the scheduling call and provide the casket or urn dimensions.
Casket burial
For a casket burial, tell VA the casket size and request a gravesite. The cemetery’s available space and operating rules determine whether the preferred location can be used.
Cremation
For cremated remains, provide the urn size and ask about the appropriate niche, columbarium, or in-ground option at the selected cemetery. The memorialization choice may be a niche cover, marker, or medallion rather than a traditional upright headstone.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Because space varies by cemetery, do not purchase a container based solely on the family’s first-choice location. Confirm dimensions and the available interment option with the Scheduling Office and funeral provider.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who may be eligible
VA says Veterans, service members, spouses, and some dependents may qualify. A Veteran generally must have a discharge other than dishonorable. Other pathways include qualifying service members who died on active duty and eligible spouses and dependent children.
Eligibility depends on the person’s service, discharge, relationship, and circumstances. The National Cemetery Scheduling Office makes the determination for the specific request. A family should therefore submit the request even when an unusual service history or family relationship makes eligibility difficult to predict.
What to do when the preferred cemetery is unavailable
VA cannot guarantee the family’s preferred cemetery if space is unavailable. Tell the Scheduling Office which location is preferred and ask what alternatives are available. The office can explain the choices for another VA national cemetery or another available interment arrangement.
Do not treat a pre-need letter, a prior family burial, or an earlier conversation with a cemetery as a current reservation. Availability is checked at the time of need.
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Common problems and practical fixes
The DD214 cannot be found
Call the Scheduling Office and ask for help locating or verifying the service record. Provide the Veteran’s full name, service number or Social Security number, dates of birth and service if known, branch, and any copy or alternate separation document the family has. Expect the review to take several days when VA must locate records.
The family has not received a death certificate
Start the scheduling conversation with the information available and ask whether VA needs the death certificate for the particular relationship or benefit. If the office requests it, obtain it from the appropriate vital-records authority or funeral provider and send it using the method VA specifies.
A spouse or dependent is being buried
Provide proof of the relationship or dependent status if requested. The Veteran’s service may support the family member’s eligibility, but VA must verify both the qualifying service and the relationship.
The funeral date is approaching
Contact the Scheduling Office as soon as possible, send records before calling, and tell the representative the provider’s timing. Missing discharge records can add several days to the review, so waiting until the last minute can limit the available scheduling options.
The pre-need decision is several months or years old
Bring the decision letter to the time-of-need call, but expect VA to review the request again. Circumstances and the law may have changed since the original decision, and the letter does not reserve a cemetery or gravesite.
A printable preparation checklist
Use this list before calling:
- Confirm whether the person is living (pre-need) or deceased (time of need).
- Choose the family member or funeral director who will coordinate with VA.
- Locate the DD214 or another discharge document, or record the information needed for VA to search.
- Write down the deceased person’s name, gender, Social Security or service number, date of birth, marital status, date of death, county, and ZIP code.
- Record the next of kin’s name, relationship, Social Security number, telephone number, and address.
- Gather a death certificate, proof of relationship, or proof of dependent status if applicable.
- Choose a preferred VA national cemetery and identify an alternative if space is unavailable.
- Choose casket burial or cremation and confirm the casket or urn size.
- Select the headstone, marker, niche cover, or medallion and prepare any emblem or inscription request.
- Decide whether to request a burial flag, Presidential Memorial Certificate, or additional military honors.
- Fax records to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected] with the person’s name in the subject line.
- Call 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, to confirm the request.
Financial boundaries to clarify with the funeral provider
The VA benefits listed for an eligible national-cemetery burial cover the cemetery’s gravesite, opening and closing, perpetual care, and government memorial item at no cost to the family, with burial flags and Presidential Memorial Certificates available when eligible. Funeral or cremation arrangements are handled with a provider instead.
Before authorizing services, ask the provider for an itemized written estimate that separates its charges from the VA cemetery benefits. Confirm who is responsible for transportation, preparation, the casket or urn, ceremony-related services, and any optional items. This prevents the family from assuming that a no-cost cemetery benefit covers every funeral expense.
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Save the DD214 or other service record, the pre-need decision letter if one exists, copies of documents sent to VA, the date and method of transmission, the Scheduling Office representative’s name, and all instructions received. Give the same packet to the funeral director and the person who will attend the cemetery appointment. A complete record makes it easier to correct a missing document or answer a follow-up question without restarting the application.
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