How to Request a Government Headstone or Marker (VA Form 40-1330)

What the VA provides — at no cost

The headstone or marker is inscribed with the veteran's name, branch of service, dates of birth and death, and (optionally) a religious emblem from the VA's catalog of 80+ approved emblems including all major faiths plus secular options.

• Upright marble headstone (24 inches tall × 13 inches wide × 4 inches thick) — the most common style at VA national cemeteries.
• Flat granite marker (24 × 12 × 4 inches) — used at VA national cemeteries with flat-marker sections, and at private cemeteries that prohibit upright stones.
• Flat bronze marker (24 × 12 × 3/8 inches) — used at private cemeteries; mounted on a separate concrete base provided by the cemetery.
• Niche marker (8.5 × 5.5 × 7/8 inches bronze) — for cremated remains in a columbarium niche.
• Medallion (5-inch, 3-inch, or 1.5-inch bronze) — affixed to an existing private headstone to identify the deceased as a veteran. Available in five styles representing wartime service eras.

How to apply: VA Form 40-1330

1. Download VA Form 40-1330 from va.gov/burials-memorials/headstones-markers-medallions/.
2. Section A: Veteran's information (name, service number, dates of service, branch).
3. Section B: Type of headstone or marker requested.
4. Section C: Inscription — name, dates, branch, optional religious emblem (one of the 80+ approved by the VA), optional epitaph (45 characters maximum, in addition to the standard inscription).
5. Section D: Cemetery information — name, address, section/lot/grave assignment if known.
6. Section E: Applicant signature and certification.
7. Mail to the Memorial Programs Service or upload via VA.gov.

Religious emblems and epitaphs

The VA maintains a catalog of approved religious emblems for headstones and markers. Major faiths (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism), denominational variants (Latin Cross, Eastern Orthodox Cross, Catholic Cross), secular options (atomic atheist symbol, humanist symbol), and military-tradition emblems (eagle, infantry crossed rifles) are all included. New emblems are added on petition; the most recent additions include Wiccan pentacle (2007 after court order), Heathen Hammer of Thor (2013), Sandhill Crane spiritual symbol (2019).

The optional epitaph is 45 characters maximum (including spaces) and appears below the standard inscription. Common choices: "Beloved Husband and Father", "Always Faithful", branch mottos, scriptural references. The epitaph must comply with VA standards — no profanity, no political content, no graphic imagery.

Timeline expectations

Same-day — burial scheduling at a VA national cemetery once documentation is in place. The National Cemetery Scheduling Office can issue a burial date within 30–60 minutes of a complete file.

24–72 hours — typical VA national cemetery burial date once scheduled.

60–90 days — burial allowance claim payment after a complete VA Form 21P-530EZ submission.

90–120 days — government headstone or marker shipment after VA Form 40-1330 approval.

6–8 weeks — Presidential Memorial Certificate processing after VA Form 40-0247 submission.

4–6 weeks — DD-214 replacement from the National Personnel Records Center during normal demand. Peak demand (around Memorial Day, Veterans Day) can push this to 8–10 weeks.

Where to get help

VA Burial Benefits help line: 1-800-827-1000 — 8am–9pm Eastern, weekdays. Operators can pre-screen eligibility and answer specific questions.

National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 1-800-535-1117 — 24/7, for active funeral arrangements only. Not for general questions.

DoD Honors Coordination: 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667) — for honors requests inside 72 hours of service time.

Veterans Service Officers (VSO) at VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, DAV, or county Veterans Affairs offices — file claims and appeals at no charge.

VA.gov — official documentation, downloadable forms, claim status tracking.

If the claim is denied

Burial-benefit denials are unusual but not unheard of. The most common reasons are character-of-discharge disputes (the VA records show a discharge type the family disputes), missing service records (the National Personnel Records Center could not produce the DD-214), or eligibility timing (the veteran fell short of the 24-month service requirement).

If the claim is denied, the family has one year from the date of the denial letter to file a Notice of Disagreement. The form is VA Form 21-0958. The appeal goes to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, which reviews the case de novo.

Engaging a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) for the appeal is strongly recommended — they file at no charge, know the case-law landscape, and can spot documentation gaps the family may have missed. About 35% of contested burial-benefit appeals result in reversal at the Board level.