What does burial in a VA national cemetery include?
When a Veteran, service member, or family member qualifies for burial in a VA national cemetery, they receive certain burial benefits at no cost to their family.
VA burial benefits include:
- A gravesite in any of our national cemeteries with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A burial liner provided by the government
- A headstone or marker provided by the government
- Perpetual (ongoing) care of the gravesite
At the time of need, the person planning the burial can also request other VA memorial items as well as military funeral honors provided by the Department of Defense. These items and honors have other eligibility requirements.
Download our National Cemetery Administration brochure (PDF)