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VA National Cemetery

Bay Pines National Cemetery

10000 Bay Pines Boulevard · St. Petersburg, FL 33708

Bay Pines National Cemetery is a VA national cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida. Burial is free for eligible veterans, their spouses and dependent children.

Source: National Cemetery Administration (cem.va.gov), retrieved May 2026

History of Bay Pines National Cemetery

Bay Pines National Cemetery is located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Center (VAC) in Pinellas County, about 9 miles west-northwest of St. Petersburg, Fla.

On March 15, 1933, the cemetery was dedicated and officially opened as a burial ground for those who died in the Bay Pines hospital and domiciliary. The 21-acre site was laid out in 42 symmetrical sections. The first interment was made on April 25, 1933, and by January 1964, all available gravesites had been used. In 1984, in order to gain more grave space, the hedges that divided the center of the cemetery were removed and the space between the sections was utilized.

The cemetery was transferred from the Veterans Administration to the National Cemetery System on May 28, 1984, and reopened for interments on July 2, 1984.

The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 27, 2012, as part of the Bay Pines Veterans Administration Home and Hospital Historic District.

Monuments and Memorials A large monument constructed of pink Etowah marble in 1937 is dedicated to "the memory of those who served their country" and stands at the entrance to the cemetery grounds.

A polished granite bench, dedicated to the memory of World War I veterans, sits opposite the cemetery entrance, facing the new POW/MIA monument.

A maple tree planted in Section 53 in 1976 commemorates the country's bicentennial.

Directions

From Tampa International Airport/St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport by taking Interstate 275 south approximately 20 miles to St. Petersburg. Take Exit 25 (38th Avenue North) and go west on 38th Avenue North about five miles to Tyrone Boulevard. Turn right onto Tyrone Boulevard and proceed approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left at 95th (this is the east entrance to the VA property). Follow that road about ¼ mile and the cemetery will be on the left.

Flowers and grounds rules

Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time. Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial are limited to three for casket burials and one for cremation burials. Flowers will be removed when they become unsightly or it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.

A limited number of floral containers are located in bins in front of the burial sections, they are available as a courtesy. These containers are recycled, please do not remove them from the cemetery.

Who can be buried at Bay Pines 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 Bay Pines 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 Bay Pines National Cemetery and a date. National cemeteries hold burials Monday through Friday.

Where is the Bay Pines National Cemetery burial schedule?

VA posts a daily burial schedule for every national cemetery. Search it for Bay Pines 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 Bay Pines National Cemetery directly at 727-319-6479.

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 Florida law; our sister site ProbateUS explains how probate works in Florida 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.

Nearest cemeteries

The three veterans cemeteries closest to Bay Pines National Cemetery, by straight-line distance:

Funeral homes near Bay Pines 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. 2.0 mi from the cemetery
  2. 2.5 mi from the cemetery
  3. 3.0 mi from the cemetery
  4. 3.3 mi from the cemetery
  5. 3.5 mi from the cemetery
  6. 3.6 mi from the cemetery

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