DD214 for funeral and burial benefits.
When a veteran passes, their family has access to a set of military honors and burial benefits earned through service. Most of them require a DD214. If you're reading this because you just lost someone, we're sorry, and we'll keep this practical.
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Get My DD214- Veterans with honorable or general discharges qualify for military funeral honors at no cost: flag, taps, and folding ceremony.
- Burial in a VA national cemetery is free for eligible veterans, including a grave site, headstone, and perpetual care.
- Reimbursement is available for some burial expenses: amounts vary based on service-connected circumstances.
- Funeral directors can request priority-handled DD214 retrieval through a special channel. Ask yours.
What benefits the DD214 unlocks.
Four distinct benefits, each requiring proof of service:
Military funeral honors
At minimum: two uniformed service members, folding and presentation of the American flag, and the playing of Taps (live or recorded). For more senior or decorated veterans, additional honors may include a rifle salute and a color guard. Funeral honors are free and provided by the deceased's branch of service.
Burial in a VA national cemetery
Eligible veterans (honorable or general discharge, with minimum service requirements) can be buried at any of the 155+ VA national cemeteries. The grave site, opening and closing of the grave, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and perpetual care are all provided at no cost. Spouses and dependent children may also be eligible.
Headstone, marker, or medallion (private cemeteries)
If the veteran is buried in a private cemetery, the VA provides a government headstone or marker (flat granite, upright granite, or bronze) at no cost. Or a bronze medallion that affixes to an existing privately-purchased headstone.
Burial allowance (partial reimbursement)
For service-connected deaths or veterans receiving VA pension at time of death, the VA may reimburse a portion of funeral and burial expenses. Amounts vary: for non-service-connected deaths, currently ~$948 in burial allowance and ~$948 in plot/interment allowance (private cemetery). For service-connected deaths, up to ~$2,000.
The DD214 timing problem.
Here's the practical issue: standard NPRC processing for a DD214 request is 8 to 12 weeks. Funerals typically happen within 7–14 days of death. The timelines don't match.
Three things help.
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1
Ask the funeral director first.
Funeral directors have access to a special priority DD214 request channel for burial purposes. They can fax NPRC directly with proof of death and get a response in days, not weeks. Most experienced funeral directors do this routinely.
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2
Look for any document at home first.
Check wallets, safety deposit boxes, important-papers files, military uniforms still hanging in closets. Many veterans tucked their DD214 somewhere safe. A photocopy of an old DD214 is enough for funeral honors and most burial requests. You don't need the original.
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3
Use alternate proof for honors.
For military funeral honors specifically, the branch's funeral honors program may accept other documentation: a VA Form 21-2008, a Veterans ID Card, prior military correspondence, or even a sworn statement from a fellow service member who served alongside the deceased.
After the funeral, you'll need the actual DD214 for survivor benefits.
Funeral honors and immediate burial benefits can often proceed without the original DD214. But VA survivor benefits, dependent education benefits, life insurance claims, and similar longer-running matters typically require the document. We can retrieve a copy from the National Archives while you focus on the immediate arrangements.
Who can request the DD214.
Eligible next-of-kin can request a deceased veteran's DD214 from the National Archives:
Other relatives (grandchildren, nieces, nephews, in-laws, friends) generally cannot request directly without specific authorization. If you're outside this list and need to handle arrangements, contact us. We can sometimes help via the funeral director's channel or by working with an eligible relative.
Frequently asked questions.
Do funeral homes always know how to request a DD214?
Can the veteran be buried in any national cemetery?
Does the spouse also get military honors?
How much does a military funeral cost the family?
Can I get retroactive burial benefits if the veteran was buried years ago?
We can help with the paperwork.
If you're managing arrangements for a loved one and need a DD214 for survivor benefits, we'll handle the retrieval while you focus on what matters.