Who Is Eligible for Burial in a VA National Cemetery
Veterans who did not receive a dishonorable discharge may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, and so may many spouses and dependent children. The details depend on the type of service and the discharge. This page walks through the groups, the discharge rules, and how to check ahead of time.
Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged may be eligible, though minimum service requirements can apply. Service members who died on active or training duty, and the spouses and dependent children of eligible veterans, may also be eligible. Guard and Reserve members may qualify in certain cases, such as entitlement to retired pay. You can ask the VA for an eligibility decision before a death occurs, which spares your family from working it out under pressure.
Who is eligible
| Group | Eligible when | What families should know |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans | Discharged under conditions other than dishonorable | People who enlisted after September 7, 1980 (or became officers after October 16, 1981) generally must have served at least 24 continuous months or the full period they were called to serve, unless they died on active duty. |
| Service members who died on active duty or in training | At death | Includes those who died during training duty. |
| Spouses and surviving spouses | Of an eligible veteran | Eligibility does not depend on which spouse dies first. Ask the VA about a specific situation, such as a remarriage. |
| Minor children and dependent adult children | Of an eligible veteran | An unmarried adult child with a qualifying disability may be eligible. The VA asks for documentation of the disability and when it began. |
| National Guard and Reserve members | Certain cases | Such as being entitled to retired pay at death, or a service-connected disability or death. Ask the VA whether the service record qualifies. |
| Other groups the VA lists | See the VA’s eligibility page | Members of allied forces who were U.S. citizens, ROTC members who died in training, NOAA commissioned officers, Public Health Service officers, WWII Merchant Mariners, Philippine Armed Forces veterans who are U.S. residents or citizens, and certain Hmong individuals. |
Sources: VA.gov, burial eligibility; VA.gov, headstone and marker eligibility (for the 24-month requirement).
Discharge conditions
A dishonorable discharge rules out burial in a national cemetery. For other-than-honorable or bad conduct discharges, the VA reviews the case, and families may be able to qualify through the military’s discharge upgrade process.
Whichever discharge applies, the proof is the DD-214 or separation papers. If you do not have them, the National Archives holds military personnel records.
Who is not eligible
The VA lists these exclusions:
- A former spouse who was divorced from the veteran.
- A person who was drafted but never entered service.
- A person convicted of a capital crime with a final sentence.
- A person convicted of a Tier III sex offense who is subject to a life-minimum requirement.
- A person convicted of subversive activity after 1959, unless pardoned.
These are complex, and the VA decides each case. If something in a family’s situation looks like it might apply, call the VA rather than assuming.
Checking eligibility ahead of time with VA Form 40-10007
A veteran, or someone applying for them, can ask the VA for a pre-need eligibility decision. It answers the question while the veteran is alive, so the family is not waiting on it later.
- How: apply online at VA.gov, or send VA Form 40-10007 by mail to the NCA Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547.
- What to include: Social Security number, date of birth, military history, the cemetery you prefer, and a copy of the DD-214 (optional, but it speeds things up).
- Applying for someone else: include proof you are authorized, such as VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a.
The VA says it cannot guarantee burial in your preferred cemetery. The program also does not apply after a death, and it does not cover state, territory, or tribal veterans cemeteries, Arlington National Cemetery, or the U.S. Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery. For the Utah Veterans Cemetery, call its office.
Source: VA.gov, pre-need eligibility.
Documents that may help
These are the documents the VA names. Which ones you need depends on the case.
- The DD-214 or other discharge papers. The main proof of service and discharge. If you can’t find them, the National Archives holds military personnel records.
- For a pre-need application: the veteran’s Social Security number, date of birth, military history, and preferred cemetery.
- For an adult child with a disability: documentation of the disability and when it began.
- If you apply for someone else: proof you are authorized, such as VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a.
Sources: VA.gov, pre-need eligibility; VA.gov, burial eligibility.
National cemeteries in Utah
VA national cemeteries are run by the VA’s National Cemetery Administration. Utah has two VA national cemetery locations, and only one accepts new casket burials. The state veterans cemetery in Bluffdale is a separate system with its own rules, covered in our Utah Veterans Cemetery guide.
| Cemetery | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Utah National Cemetery, Cedar City 2181 W. 1600 South, 435-267-2710 | Open | VA lists new burial of caskets in a gravesite. Ask about options for cremated remains. |
| Fort Douglas Post Cemetery, Salt Lake City | Closed to new burials | Later burials may be possible where family members are already buried there. |
| Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park, Bluffdale 801-254-9036 | Open (state cemetery) | Not a VA national cemetery. It has its own eligibility and fees. |
Cedar City is a considerable drive from Salt Lake County. Ask the funeral home how transporting the veteran would be handled and priced, and see burial allowance and transportation for what the VA may reimburse.
Source: VA location finder (cemeteries).
What a national cemetery provides
At a VA national cemetery, an eligible veteran’s grave, the opening and closing of the grave, the liner, and ongoing care cost nothing to the family. A government headstone or marker is also provided. The funeral home’s charges are separate.
Where to get official help
National cemetery eligibility questions
Is a spouse eligible even if the veteran died first?
Can someone with an other-than-honorable discharge be buried in a national cemetery?
Is a divorced spouse eligible?
Do National Guard members qualify?
Can we apply before someone dies?
“Can the VA confirm this veteran’s eligibility for national cemetery burial before we make arrangements?”
Ready to put this into a plan?
Your Wayfinder Plan can help organize the options you’re considering and what to ask. For a decision on eligibility or a claim, go to the agency itself: apply for a pre-need decision on VA.gov, or call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-800-535-1117 at the time of need.