VA Burial Allowances — Burial, Plot and Transportation Benefits
VA burial allowances are money toward the cost of a veteran's funeral, burial, plot and transportation. They are separate from burial in a national cemetery and from headstones, flags and certificates, which national cemetery eligibility covers. This guide covers which allowance applies, who can be paid, what VA.gov lists as the current amounts, the deadlines, and how to apply.
The rules below come from 38 U.S.C. 2303, 2307 and 2308 (U.S. Code, 2024 edition, on govinfo) and 38 CFR 3.1700 to 3.1712 as published on eCFR (current through October 26, 2026), and from VA.gov's burial allowance page, all read on October 28, 2026.
The five burial benefits
38 CFR 3.1700(a) lists them: a burial allowance based on a service-connected death, a burial allowance based on a non-service-connected death, a burial allowance for a veteran who died while hospitalized by VA, a plot or interment allowance, and reimbursement for transporting the remains.
"Burial" means every legal way of disposing of remains, including cremation, burial at sea and donation to a medical school (3.1700(b)(1)).
Which allowance applies
| Allowance | Who it covers | Amount VA.gov lists | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service-connected death | The veteran died as a result of a service-connected disability. VA presumes this if the veteran was rated totally disabled at death, not counting a rating based on individual unemployability, unless it has evidence to the contrary | Up to $2,000 for a death on or after September 11, 2001 ($1,500 before) | 38 U.S.C. 2307; 38 CFR 3.1704 |
| Non-service-connected death | On the date of death the veteran was receiving VA pension or compensation, would have been receiving compensation but for military retired pay, or had an original claim, a claim to reopen or a claim a survivor can substitute into pending that would have been granted effective before death | $1,032 for a death on or after October 1, 2026 | 38 U.S.C. 2303(a); 38 CFR 3.1705 |
| Death while hospitalized by VA | The death was not service-connected and the veteran was properly admitted to a VA facility, was in a VA-authorized non-VA hospital, a nursing home at VA expense or a state home with VA payment, or was traveling under prior authorization at VA expense for care. Short absences are covered: up to 96 hours authorized or 24 hours unauthorized | $1,032 for a death on or after October 1, 2026 | 38 U.S.C. 2303(a); 38 CFR 3.1706 |
| Plot or interment | The veteran was eligible for burial in a national cemetery but was not buried in one | $1,032 for a death on or after October 1, 2026 | 38 U.S.C. 2303(b); 38 CFR 3.1707 |
| Transportation | The cost of moving the remains, described below | Some or all of the cost; the rule limits it to reasonable, usual and customary charges (3.1709(d)) | 38 U.S.C. 2303(a), 2308; 38 CFR 3.1709 |
VA.gov prints a year-by-year table for earlier deaths, such as $1,002 for a death from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. The service-connected allowance replaces the non-service-connected one, but VA can add the transportation benefit and the state or tribal cemetery plot allowance (3.1704(a), (c)). VA pays the maximum unless, on the date it learns of the death, it has evidence the expenses were lower (3.1704(a), 3.1705(a)).
The plot or interment allowance
There are two kinds (3.1707):
| Where the veteran is buried | Who VA pays, and when | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A state or tribal veterans cemetery | The state, agency or tribal organization that provided the plot or interment free, in a cemetery or section used only for people eligible for national cemetery burial, certain reserve members and certain others | 3.1707(b) |
| Any other cemetery | The claimant who bought the plot, if the veteran qualified for the non-service-connected or hospitalized allowance, was discharged from active service for a disability incurred or aggravated in line of duty, or had a disability at discharge that would have justified a disability discharge | 3.1707(c) |
"Plot" means the final resting place, whether a grave, mausoleum vault or columbarium niche, and interment costs can include removal of the remains for burial (3.1707(d)). If a government agency or the veteran's employer paid part of the plot or interment costs, VA pays up to the lesser of the statutory amount or the costs minus those payments (3.1711(a)).
Transportation
VA pays reasonable transportation costs, such as shipment by common carrier, permits and a shipping case (3.1709(d)). It pays them in two situations, and the two can't be paid for the same costs.
| Transport to | When | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| The place of burial | For a death in a State, when the veteran qualified for the non-service-connected or hospitalized allowance or the remains were unclaimed | 3.1709(b) |
| A national cemetery or a covered state or tribal veterans cemetery | When the veteran died of a service-connected disability or died outside a State. The payment can't exceed the cost of transport to the national cemetery with available space nearest the veteran's last residence | 3.1709(c) |
Who can be paid
VA may pay a set burial benefit automatically to an eligible surviving spouse when it learns of the death (3.1702(a)). VA.gov says a surviving spouse listed on the veteran's VA profile does not need to file for that amount.
For other claims, VA pays the first living person to file in this order: the surviving spouse; the survivor of a state-recognized legal union; the veteran's children, of any age; the parents; then the executor or administrator of the estate, or a person acting for the estate (3.1702(b)(1)). VA pays one person and does not divide the benefit (3.1702(b)(3)). VA.gov's eligibility list also includes a family member or friend who is not the executor, and a representative of a funeral home, cemetery or other organization. If the remains are unclaimed, VA pays whoever provided the burial and transportation (3.1702(b)(2), 3.1708).
When VA won't pay
| Situation | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Certain deaths | VA.gov says it does not pay burial allowances for a death on active duty, while serving as a member of Congress, or while serving a federal prison sentence |
| Discharge | VA.gov says the veteran must not have received a dishonorable discharge. If the discharge is later corrected, the non-service-connected allowance can be claimed within two years of the correction (3.1703(a)(2)) |
| Other federal payment | VA won't pay the non-service-connected allowance when another federal law specifically provides for the burial expenses. It still pays when a law only allows the expenses to come from money due to the veteran, such as Social Security (3.1711(b)(1)) |
| Escheat and forfeiture | VA won't pay if the money would escheat to the state for want of heirs (3.1710), and forfeiture rules can bar payment (3.1712) |
Deadlines
Apart from the discharge-correction rule above, the only time limit in the rules is for the non-service-connected allowance: VA must receive the claim within two years after the burial (3.1703(a)). VA.gov lists no time limit for a service-connected death (for the burial or transportation allowance), for a non-service-connected death in VA care, for the plot or interment allowance or transportation, or for a state or tribal organization claiming the plot allowance.
How to apply
VA.gov lists two ways: online, or by mail on VA Form 21P-530EZ, Application for Burial Benefits, sent to Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365.
VA needs the claim, proof of death and a statement that you paid burial, plot or transportation costs (3.1703(b)(1)). For transportation, send documents, preferably on letterhead, showing who paid, the veteran's name, the specific costs and the dates of service (3.1703(b)(2)). VA.gov asks for the death certificate including the cause of death, recommends the veteran's DD214, and for a service-connected death suggests the veteran's medical records. VA can rely on the service and disability evidence it used for compensation or pension during the veteran's life (3.1703(b)(3)).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the VA burial allowance?
VA.gov lists up to $2,000 for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001. For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, it lists a $1,032 burial allowance and $1,032 for a plot. The non-service-connected amounts are adjusted each fiscal year (38 U.S.C. 2303(c)), and VA.gov keeps a table for earlier dates of death.
Do I have to file if I am the surviving spouse?
Maybe not. 38 CFR 3.1702(a) lets VA pay a burial benefit automatically to an eligible surviving spouse, and VA.gov says a spouse listed on the veteran's VA profile does not need to file for that amount. You can still claim additional benefits, such as the plot allowance, transportation or the service-connected allowance.
Is there a deadline?
Only for the non-service-connected burial allowance, which must be claimed within two years after the burial (38 CFR 3.1703(a)). VA.gov lists no time limit for a service-connected death, a death in VA care, or the plot and transportation allowances.
Does VA pay for cremation?
Yes. 38 CFR 3.1700(b)(1) defines burial to include all legal methods, including cremation, burial at sea and donation to a medical school.
Can the funeral home be paid?
VA.gov lists a representative of a funeral home, cemetery or other organization among those who may be eligible. If the remains are unclaimed, VA pays the person or entity that provided the burial and transportation (38 CFR 3.1702(b)(2)).