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Jefferson City National Cemetery burial schedule and eligibility

Jefferson City, Missouri · VA national cemetery

Address, hours, directions and contact details: Jefferson City National Cemetery.

VeteranFunerals Editorial·3 min read·May 1, 2026·Facts checked

You can look up burials at Jefferson City National Cemetery on VA's daily burial schedule, which lists the committal services families have agreed to publish. Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged can be buried here, and so can their spouses and some dependent children. To schedule a burial, you or the funeral director call VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117. VA lists Jefferson City National Cemetery as closed to new burials, so ask the scheduling office whether an existing family gravesite can be used.

History of Jefferson City National Cemetery

The region around Jefferson City National Cemetery has a rich and international history. French explorers Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette first surveyed the mouth of the Missouri River in 1673. In 1682, the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, traveled down the Mississippi and claimed the extended area for France. In 1715, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac opened a lead mine in present-day Madison County, MO; Philip Renault, another Frenchman, worked the mines in this area with slaves until 1744. In the mid 18th century the first two permanent white settlements, St. Genevieve and St. Louis, were carved out of the region. Soon after 1789, the Spanish built the El Camino Real (the King's Highway) northward from New Madrid to St. Louis. It is still used today, designated as U.S. Highway 61.

In the early 1810s, Jefferson City, then known as Lohman's Landing, became an increasingly important trading post for immigrants beginning their westward journey on the Santa Fe and, later, Oregon trails. As part of a compromise plan between major population centers in the eastern and the western portions of the state, Jefferson City was chosen as the capital in 1821 and the legislature began to meet there five years later. In 1839 the site was incorporated as a city.

During the Civil War, the city's sentiments were divided between North and South. Jefferson City, however, saw little military action with one exception. On September 27, 1864, a guerrilla force commanded by William Anderson burned a train and killed 17 Union soldiers and several civilian passengers. Many of the soldiers had been wounded on the battlefield and were returning home. Later that day, a federal force followed Anderson and his men to their camp where a bloody battle took place. The Union troops were routed and forced to retreat. Almost 10 years later, the remains of the men who had died in the skirmish were reinterred in Jefferson City National Cemetery.

Burials in Jefferson City National Cemetery date to summer 1861; its original purpose was for the burial of Civil War soldiers from the surrounding area. The site of the cemetery, which local residents Israel and Mary Read sold to the government, was surveyed for classification as a national cemetery during the war. However, its official designation did not occur until 1867, after the war and approximately 350 interments were completed.

Visiting hours at Jefferson City National Cemetery

Visitation Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk. Office Hours: Cemetery maintained by Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Who can be buried at Jefferson City National Cemetery?

VA national cemeteries accept a veteran who didn't receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died on active duty or in training, the veteran's spouse or surviving spouse (even if they remarried), and minor or, in some cases, unmarried adult dependent children. National Guard and Reserve members qualify under narrower rules. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision in advance; it does not reserve a gravesite.

What does burial here include at no cost?

  • A gravesite in any VA national cemetery with available space
  • Opening and closing of the grave
  • A government-provided burial liner
  • A government-provided headstone or marker
  • Perpetual care of the gravesite

Veterans also receive a burial flag, a Presidential Memorial Certificate (presented to the next of kin at the burial) and military funeral honors, which include the playing of Taps and two uniformed service members who present the flag. The committal service is held at a committal shelter, not at the grave, and lasts about 20 minutes. National cemeteries have no viewing facilities, so the funeral itself is held elsewhere.

How do you schedule a burial at Jefferson City National Cemetery?

  1. Gather the veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, and the deceased's details (Social Security number, dates of birth and death, relationship to the veteran).
  2. Fax the discharge papers to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 866-900-6417, or email them to [email protected] with the deceased's name in the subject line.
  3. You or the funeral director call 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET) to request Jefferson City National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

VA lists Jefferson City National Cemetery as closed. Ask the scheduling office what, if anything, can still be arranged here, and about open national cemeteries nearby.

Where is the Jefferson City National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Jefferson City National Cemetery to see the committal services planned there. It only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them. To change or cancel a burial that's already scheduled, contact Jefferson City National Cemetery directly at 314-845-8320.

Headstone, flag and burial allowance

  • Government headstone or marker: tell the scheduling office which headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion you want when you schedule the burial.
  • Burial flag: VA Form 27-2008.
  • Burial allowance: For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2026, VA pays up to $1,032 toward burial and funeral costs and $1,032 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the burial allowance is up to $2,000. Claim it with VA Form 21P-530EZ. All benefits

After the funeral: survivor benefits and the estate

A surviving spouse, child or parent may qualify for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monthly VA benefit, for example when the death was service connected (VA Form 21P-534EZ). The veteran's estate is settled under Missouri law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Missouri and lists each county's probate court. For the rest of the paperwork, from Social Security to bank accounts, DeathUS has a step-by-step checklist of what to do when someone dies.

Funeral homes near Jefferson City National Cemetery

A funeral director usually arranges the burial with the cemetery. These are the closest funeral homes by straight-line distance. Each one links to its full listing on FuneralUS, our funeral home directory.

  1. 0.5 mi from the cemetery
  2. Freeman Mortuary
    Jefferson City, MO
    1.0 mi from the cemetery
  3. 3.7 mi from the cemetery
  4. 4.5 mi from the cemetery
  5. 5.2 mi from the cemetery
  6. 5.4 mi from the cemetery

Search all funeral homes by ZIP on FuneralUS

FAQ

Questions about burial at Jefferson City National Cemetery

  • Is burial at Jefferson City National Cemetery free?

    Yes, for eligible veterans, spouses and dependent children. VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a burial liner, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care at no cost. The funeral home's services, such as transport and any service before the burial, are arranged and paid for separately.

  • Can I reserve a gravesite at Jefferson City National Cemetery in advance?

    No. You can ask VA for a pre-need eligibility decision before a death, but VA says the decision letter doesn't name a cemetery or gravesite, because neither can be reserved in advance.

  • How do I schedule a burial at Jefferson City National Cemetery?

    Fax the veteran's discharge papers to 866-900-6417 or email them to [email protected]. Then you or the funeral director call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET). National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

  • Where can I see the burial schedule for Jefferson City National Cemetery?

    On VA's daily burial schedule at https://www.cem.va.gov/cem/dailyburialschedule/. It covers every national cemetery, but it only lists burials whose families agreed to publish them.

  • Are military funeral honors provided at Jefferson City National Cemetery?

    Yes, if you ask for them. Your funeral director, a Veterans Service Organization or the cemetery staff can arrange them. At minimum, two uniformed service members fold and present the burial flag at the committal shelter, and Taps is played.

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