How to claim the VA burial allowance for a veteran

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last reviewed Oct 30, 2026.

Quick answerVA helps pay burial and funeral costs if the veteran wasn’t dishonorably discharged and meets one of VA’s conditions, such as a service-connected death or receiving VA pension or compensation. For a death on or after Oct. 1, 2026 that wasn’t service connected, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and $1,032 for a plot. For a service-connected death on or after Sept. 11, 2001, the maximum is $2,000. Surviving spouses on VA’s records are paid automatically; others apply on VA Form 21P-530EZ.

Who can claimFederal law

You must be paying the burial and funeral costs and not be reimbursed by another organization, such as another government agency or the veteran’s employer. You can be the surviving spouse or legal-union partner, a child, a parent, the executor or administrator, another family member or friend, or a funeral home, cemetery or other organization.

Which veterans qualifyFederal law

The veteran must not have been dishonorably discharged, and one of these must be true. The veteran:

died from a service-connected disability
died while getting VA care, at a VA facility or one contracted by VA
died while traveling to or from VA-authorized care at VA’s expense
had a VA compensation or pension claim pending and would have been entitled to benefits
was receiving VA pension or compensation
was eligible for VA compensation or pension but received full military retirement or disability pay instead

No burial allowance is paid for someone who died on active duty, while a member of Congress, or while serving a federal prison sentence.

Who can claim; the veteran conditions; exclusions. Source: VA – Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits, checked Oct 30, 2026.

How muchFederal law

Type of death	Maximum
Service connected, death on or after Sept. 11, 2001	$2,000
Service connected, death before Sept. 11, 2001	$1,500
Not service connected, death on or after Oct. 1, 2026	$1,032 burial allowance + $1,032 plot or interment allowance
Not service connected, death Oct. 1, 2025 – Sept. 30, 2026	$1,002 + $1,002

VA may also reimburse the cost of moving the veteran’s remains for burial in a VA national cemetery, and in some cases when the veteran died in VA care or while traveling to it. Benefits apply to any legal type of burial, including cremation, burial at sea and donation to a medical school. Rates for earlier deaths are on VA’s page.

Burial and plot allowance amounts by date of death; transportation reimbursement; covered burial types. Source: VA – Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits, checked Oct 30, 2026.

DeadlinesFederal law

Service-connected death: no time limit for the burial or transportation allowance.
Not service connected: file within 2 years after the burial. There’s no time limit if the veteran died under VA care, or for the plot, interment or transportation allowance.
If VA upgraded a dishonorable discharge after death, file within 2 years of the change.

How to applyFederal law

Surviving spouse? If VA lists you as the veteran’s spouse, it pays a set amount automatically when it learns of the death. You don’t need to file.
Gather: the death certificate showing cause of death, itemized transportation receipts if you’re claiming them, and ideally the DD-214 or other separation papers. For a service-connected death, medical records help.
Apply online at VA.gov, or mail VA Form 21P-530EZ to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365.

Time limits; documents; automatic payment to surviving spouses; Form 21P-530EZ and mailing address. Source: VA – Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits, checked Oct 30, 2026.

No DD-214? Next of kin can request it from the National Archives; see military honors.

State veterans benefitsState law

Not yet verified: state burial benefits or state veterans cemeteries in New Hampshire, California, Texas, Florida and Ohio.

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