Burial plans are often made in a hurry, in the hardest week of a family's life. VA offers a way to take one big question off the table ahead of time. Through a pre-need eligibility determination, VA says you can "find out in advance if you're eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery," which makes "the burial planning process easier for your family members in their time of need." This guide explains how pre-need works, what VA provides at no cost, and how families get headstones, markers, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
Key Takeaways
- VA's pre-need program lets veterans, spouses, and some adult dependent children learn ahead of time if they're eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery.
- The form is VA Form 40-10007. A DD214 or other separation papers can help VA process it faster.
- A pre-need decision does not guarantee a specific cemetery. Burial in a specific national cemetery is scheduled at the time of need.
- VA lists a gravesite, opening and closing, a grave liner, a headstone or marker, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and perpetual care at no cost in VA national cemeteries.
- Veterans buried in private cemeteries may get a government headstone or marker if they meet VA's rules, using VA Form 40-1330.
- Family members and close friends can request a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and VA accepts multiple requests.
Table of Contents
- Why Plan Burial Benefits Early
- VA Pre-Need Eligibility Determination
- What Burial in a VA National Cemetery Includes
- Headstones, Markers, and Medallions
- The Presidential Memorial Certificate
- Ask the Navigator
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
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Why Plan Burial Benefits Early
When a veteran dies, someone must make burial decisions quickly. If no one knows whether the veteran qualifies for a national cemetery, or where the discharge papers are, the family has to sort it out under stress. A pre-need decision answers the eligibility question while the veteran can still help.
Who is eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery
VA lists these groups:
- Veterans who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge
- Service members who died while on active duty
- Spouses and surviving spouses of eligible veterans
- Minor children of veterans, and in some cases unmarried adult dependent children
Planning is part of a legacy
Burial wishes belong with the rest of a veteran's legacy papers: a will or trust, beneficiary designations, and insurance. For related steps, see how to change a VA beneficiary designation and VA life insurance options.
VA Pre-Need Eligibility Determination
The form is called the Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery, VA Form 40-10007. The version posted on VA.gov is dated September 2022.
Who can apply
VA says these people can apply:
- Veterans and service members
- Spouses of eligible veterans
- An adult dependent child of a veteran (disability documents are required)
- An authorized representative applying for an eligible person
What a pre-need decision does and doesn't do
The form itself is clear: "A Pre-Need determination of eligibility does not guarantee burial in a specific VA national cemetery. Burial in a specific VA national cemetery will be scheduled at the Time of Need." VA's website adds, "We can't guarantee that you'll be buried in your preferred cemetery." What the decision does is confirm eligibility in advance, so the family doesn't have to prove it later.
How to apply, step by step
- Find the veteran's DD214 or other separation documents. VA says including them can speed up processing.
- Gather personal information, including Social Security number and military history.
- Complete VA Form 40-10007 online at VA.gov, or on paper.
- If applying by mail, send it to NCA Evidence Intake Center, PO Box 5237, Janesville, WI 53547. VA also accepts it by fax to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office.
- Wait for your pre-need decision letter. VA says it will contact you if it needs more information.
- Keep the letter safe, share your wishes with family, and give a copy to your funeral director.
At the time of need
VA says that at the time of need, "the person arranging your burial should call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (TTY: 711) and select 4 to request a burial." VA's pre-need page lists hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET, and says the family will need your pre-need decision letter at that time.
What Burial in a VA National Cemetery Includes
VA's burial benefits quick-start guide lists these at no cost:
- A gravesite in any of VA's 155 national cemeteries with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- A grave liner
- A headstone or marker (no application needed)
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate (no application needed)
- Perpetual (ongoing) care of the gravesite
The burial flag
The same VA guide says families apply for a burial flag using VA Form 27-2008. It is available through VA regional benefit offices, post offices, or funeral directors.
Other burial benefits
For other burial benefits families may be able to claim, see our guide to VA burial benefits families can claim.
Headstones, Markers, and Medallions
Not every veteran is buried in a national cemetery. VA also provides memorial items for some graves in private cemeteries.
Veterans in private cemeteries
VA says a veteran or service member may be eligible for a government headstone or marker if they "died on or after November 1, 1990, and their grave is currently marked with a privately purchased headstone," or if they were buried in an unmarked grave anywhere in the world.
Spouses in private cemeteries
VA says spouses and dependent children buried in private cemeteries are not eligible for their own government headstone. They "may be eligible for an inscription on the Veteran's headstone or marker in a private cemetery."
How to apply and what it costs
The form is VA Form 40-1330, Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker. A family member, personal representative, accredited VSO representative, or a person legally responsible for unclaimed remains can apply. VA accepts it online through QuickSubmit, by mail, or by fax. VA's quick-start guide says headstones, markers, and medallions are provided at no cost, but "some private cemeteries charge a setting or installation fee." For help, VA lists the Applicant Assistance Unit at 800-697-6947, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern.
The Presidential Memorial Certificate
VA's guide describes it as an "engraved paper certificate signed by the current President, honoring the memory of the deceased Veteran."
Who can request one
VA says "the next of kin, family member, or close friend of the Veteran or Reservist (or an authorized service representative)" may apply. The veteran or reservist must be eligible for burial in a national cemetery. VA adds, "We'll accept multiple requests for a PMC," so more than one family member can have a copy.
How to request it
The form is VA Form 40-0247. VA lists five ways to send it: online, by mail, through QuickSubmit, in person at a VA regional office, or by fax. Include copies of the veteran's discharge documents and death certificate. VA warns, "Don't send original documents since we can't return them." If you haven't received the certificate within four months, VA suggests contacting it. VA's quick-start guide lists the PMC phone line as 202-632-7300, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern.
Ask the Navigator
Not sure whether you or your spouse qualifies, or which form comes first? Ask AVOY Veteran Navigator AI™ at avoyvet.com, and take the free Veteran Legacy Checklist to see what your family should have in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pre-need decision reserve a gravesite?
No. VA Form 40-10007 says a pre-need determination "does not guarantee burial in a specific VA national cemetery." The specific cemetery is scheduled at the time of need.
Can my spouse apply for pre-need eligibility?
Yes. VA lists spouses of eligible veterans among those who can apply.
Who calls VA when the veteran dies?
VA says the person arranging the burial should call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 and select 4.
Can a veteran in a private cemetery get a VA headstone?
It may be. VA lists veterans who died on or after November 1, 1990, with a privately purchased headstone, and veterans in unmarked graves anywhere in the world. The form is VA Form 40-1330.
How many Presidential Memorial Certificates can a family get?
VA says it accepts multiple requests, so more than one family member can request one.
Sources
- Pre-need eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery — VA.gov
- After you apply for pre-need eligibility — VA.gov
- VA Form 40-10007 (September 2022) — VA.gov
- Eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery — VA.gov
- VA Welcome Kit Quick Start Guide: Burial Benefits — VA.gov
- Veterans headstones, markers, and medallions — VA.gov
- Presidential Memorial Certificates — VA.gov
- About VA Form 40-0247 — VA.gov
Educational information only — not legal, tax, financial, or medical advice, and not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Estate and probate rules vary by state; an estate attorney in your state can confirm what applies. For VA benefits help, contact a VA-accredited VSO (often free), claims agent, or attorney.
