California Veterans Cemeteries

California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet)

No cost burial for veterans; spouses and dependents pay a fee, waivable for financial hardship

California has three state veterans cemeteries: Northern California Veterans Cemetery at 11800 Gas Point Road, Igo (866-777-4533); Yountville Veterans Home Cemetery at 260 California Drive, Yountville (707-944-4815), which only takes Veterans Homes of California residents and their eligible dependents; and California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery at 2900 Parker Flats Road, Seaside (831-393-9371). Two Native American veterans cemeteries also receive VA funding: Yurok Veterans Cemetery at 28263 Bald Hills Road, Weitchpec (707-482-1350) and Big Sandy Rancheria Veterans Cemetery at 37387 Auberry Mission Road, Auberry (559-374-0066). Veteran burials are free. Spouse and dependent burials carry a fee, and your family or estate pays any other costs such as the burial permit and funeral home expenses. California waives fees for families in financial hardship.

Check eligibility

How to apply

Complete the CalVet Eligibility for Burial Benefits Determination before there is a need, so your eligibility is established in advance. If your family cannot afford the dependent burial fee, ask the cemetery staff about the fee waiver.

What you'll need

Your discharge paperwork, and a marriage certificate or dependent documentation for family members.

Eligibility

You were discharged from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable, died while serving on active duty, served at least 20 years in the National Guard or Reserves and are eligible for military retired pay or would have been except for death before age 60, or were a reserve component member activated for federal service
Your spouse and dependent children qualify through you, with dependent children limited to unmarried children under 21, under 23 if a full-time student at an approved school, or a child who developed a lifelong disability before age 21

Source

Official source