How to get a VA military headstone or marker

Quick answerVA provides a headstone or marker for an eligible veteran’s unmarked grave in any cemetery, at no charge. In a private cemetery, though, the family arranges and pays to have it set.

EligibilityFederal law

Any deceased eligible veteran’s unmarked grave, in any cemetery worldwide, regardless of date of death.
If the grave already has a private headstone: a VA headstone or marker if the veteran died on or after Nov. 1, 1990, or a VA medallion if they served on or after Apr. 6, 1917.
Spouses and dependents qualify only if buried in a national, state veterans or military post/base cemetery.
Memorial markers (“In memory of”) are available when remains weren’t recovered, were buried at sea, donated to science or scattered.

Types

Upright headstones in granite or marble; flat markers in granite, marble or bronze; bronze niche markers for columbaria. A private cemetery must allow the style.

How to apply

In national, state veterans and military cemeteries, the cemetery orders the headstone using inscription details from the next of kin.
For a private cemetery, submit VA Form 40-1330, Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker.

Costs and timing

The headstone itself is free. National and military cemeteries set it at no cost, and some state veterans cemeteries charge a small fee. In a private cemetery, setting fees are at private expense. To check the status of an order for a private cemetery, call VA’s Applicant Assistance Unit at 1-800-697-6947 if 30 days have passed since the claim, or check with the cemetery or funeral home after 60 days.

Eligibility, types, setting costs, Form 40-1330, status-check timing. Source: VA NCA – Headstones, Markers and Medallions, checked Oct 29, 2026.

Veterans who served in more than one branchFederal law

VA will inscribe more than one branch of service if the applicant asks, as space allows.
“Reserve” and “National Guard” are not added to the branch. U.S. Army Reserve is inscribed as US ARMY or USA.
War service is optional and can list each qualifying war period. Serving during the period counts even without serving in that country, but a country name (such as Iraq) is inscribed only for in-country service. VA’s war-period list gives WWII as Dec. 7, 1941, to Dec. 31, 1946.
The highest rank can be inscribed even if it was earned in the Reserves or Guard. Rank and awards need supporting documents.
The legal name must match a federal or state document. VA does not accept a death certificate as proof of the legal name.

More than one branch permitted, subject to space; war service and country rules; documents for rank and awards. Source: VA NCA – Headstone and Marker Inscriptions, checked Oct 29, 2026.
Multiple branches on request; no Reserve/National Guard designation; legal-name proof; highest rank. Source: VA NCA Directive 3350, checked Oct 29, 2026.
War-period dates. Source: VA NCA – War Service Inscription Items, checked Oct 29, 2026.

We haven’t yet verified VA’s character limits, rules for combining merchant marine and another branch, or the process for correcting a marker, so they aren’t covered here.

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