Dallas County Veterans Can Claim Free Headstones From VA
Federal records show nearly 182,000 such markers went to private cemeteries last year, and the deadline for certain eligibility rules dates back to 1990.
By Salma Farouk ·
The Department of Veterans Affairs is providing free headstones or grave markers to eligible veterans buried in private cemeteries, a benefit that includes delivery costs but excludes installation fees.
Federal data from fiscal year 2025 indicates the agency furnished 181,977 markers specifically for veterans interred in private cemeteries worldwide. This figure is part of a total 286,863 headstones and markers issued by the National Cemetery Administration during that same period.
The reminder arrives ahead of Veterans Day on November 11. The agency states that veterans with unmarked graves qualify regardless of their date of death. However, for graves that already have privately purchased markers, the veteran generally must have died on or after November 1, 1990, to receive a government marker.
Eligibility requires that veterans were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Certain members of the National Guard and Reserve may also qualify. Active duty service members who die while serving are likewise eligible. The VA offers both upright and flat styles, subject to specific cemetery restrictions.
Families or other applicants must handle the placement of the marker in private cemeteries. The federal government does not cover the costs of installation or foundation work. For families who already have a privately purchased marker, the VA offers an alternative medallion recognizing military service. This medallion applies to qualifying veterans who served on or after April 6, 1917.
Recipients generally must choose between the government-furnished headstone or marker and the medallion. Spouses and dependent children buried in private cemeteries do not qualify for separate markers, though their names may be inscribed on the veteran's marker if they meet specific criteria.
Applicants submit VA Form 40-1330 for headstones or markers, or VA Form 40-1330M for medallions. These forms require a copy of the veteran's discharge or other qualifying service records. The VA accepts applications online through AccessVA QuickSubmit, by mail, or by fax. Families are advised to confirm with their cemetery that it will accept the specific marker style and to arrange delivery and installation in advance.
In Texas, state veterans cemeteries exist alongside federal national cemeteries. The Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery was among the 20 busiest VA national cemeteries in fiscal 2025. Burial in a VA national cemetery covers the gravesite, opening and closing costs, perpetual care, and a government marker at no cost, unlike private burials.
The VA has furnished more than 16 million headstones and markers since 1973. The agency also issued approximately 495,951 Presidential Memorial Certificates in fiscal 2025. For questions about privately placed headstones, markers, and medallions, families can call 800-697-6947 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.
