Maryland Veterans Cemetery: Eligibility, Locations, and No-Cost Burial

Arranging burial for a veteran comes with layers of paperwork, entitlements, and costs that aren't obvious until you're in the middle of them. Maryland operates five state veterans cemeteries that provide eligible veterans — and their spouses — with burial at no charge for the plot and interment. These benefits are widely underused because families simply don't know they exist or assume they've already missed the window to apply.

Maryland's Five State Veterans Cemeteries

The Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families (DVMF) operates five state-funded veterans cemeteries:

Crownsville Veterans Cemetery — Located in Anne Arundel County near Crownsville, this is Maryland's larger veterans cemetery and handles both in-ground burials and cremation interment. It is the primary facility for veterans and their dependents in the Central Maryland region.

Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery — Located in Baltimore County near Owings Mills, this cemetery also serves veterans and eligible dependents with both in-ground burials and cremation interments.

Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery, Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery, and Rocky Gap Veterans Cemetery — These three cemeteries provide the same state cemetery program for eligible veterans and dependents in their respective regions.

These state cemeteries are operated and maintained by Maryland, not by the federal VA cemetery system. The federal National Cemetery system (administered by the National Cemetery Administration) is separate — eligible veterans may also use national cemeteries in the region, such as Baltimore National Cemetery or Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia, which are federally maintained.

Who Is Eligible for Burial

Eligibility for Maryland state veterans cemeteries extends to:

• Veterans who meet the National Cemetery Administration's eligibility requirements; additional Maryland residency rules apply to certain National Guard and Reserve members and their dependents
• Spouses of eligible veterans — including surviving spouses who die after the veteran
• Dependent children (unmarried minors, and dependent adults who are disabled)

Eligibility follows the National Cemetery Administration criteria. Maryland residency requirements also apply to certain National Guard and Reserve members and their dependents, so out-of-state status alone does not decide eligibility; confirm the applicable rule with DVMF.

What Is Provided at No Cost

For eligible veterans and their spouses, Maryland state veterans cemeteries provide at no charge:

• The burial plot
• Opening and closing of the grave (gravedigging)
• A government-provided grave marker or headstone (furnished through the federal VA's headstone/marker program)
• Perpetual care of the grave site

What is not covered: the funeral home's services, transportation to the cemetery, casket or urn, any separate service or reception, death certificates, or additional private grave markers.

The zero cost for the plot and opening is significant. At commercial cemeteries in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, burial plots frequently run from $2,000 to $8,000 depending on location, with opening and closing fees adding another $1,000 to $2,000. The state cemetery benefit eliminates these costs entirely.

Federal VA Burial Allowance: Separate Money

The Maryland state cemetery benefit and the federal VA burial allowance are two separate things that can be used together.

The federal VA burial allowance provides a monetary payment to help offset funeral expenses:

• $300 for veterans who die of a non-service-connected cause and are not receiving VA disability compensation
• Up to $2,000 for veterans who die of a service-connected cause

This cash allowance can be applied toward funeral home charges even when the actual burial occurs at a free state or national cemetery.

To claim the federal VA burial allowance, file VA Form 21P-530EZ (Application for Burial Benefits) with the VA Regional Office. The deadline is two years from the date of burial. The form requires the veteran's DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), the death certificate, and proof of burial costs.

The DD-214: The Essential Document

Every step in claiming veteran burial benefits requires the veteran's DD-214. This discharge document proves service, dates of service, and character of discharge.

If the family cannot locate the original DD-214, a copy can be requested through the National Archives' eVetRecs system (online at archives.gov), by fax, or by mail. Processing takes several weeks for non-urgent requests, but expedited processing is available if a funeral is imminent — the request must be marked urgent and the funeral home or surviving family can contact DVMF for assistance.

Scheduling at a Maryland State Cemetery

To arrange burial at a Maryland state cemetery, contact the Department of Veterans and Military Families directly. DVMF coordinates scheduling, verifies eligibility, and handles the paperwork to initiate the veteran's headstone or marker application through the federal VA.

DVMF can be reached through its main office and through county veterans service offices located across Maryland. The county veterans service officer (CVSO) is often the most efficient first contact — they are familiar with the documentation requirements and can help a family assemble everything needed quickly.

Surviving Spouse Burial

A surviving spouse who is not a veteran can still be interred alongside their veteran spouse at a Maryland state veterans cemetery, at no cost, using the same grave or an adjacent grave. The surviving spouse's eligibility derives from the veteran's eligibility. The application process for the surviving spouse's burial is identical — the family provides the veteran's documentation and the spouse's death certificate at the time of arrangement.

Because dependent eligibility follows applicable state and federal rules, confirm any remarriage question with DVMF before making arrangements.

Grave Markers and Headstones

The federal VA furnishes a grave marker or headstone for any eligible veteran buried in any cemetery — national, state, or private. The application is made through VA Form 40-1330 (Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker). The veteran's name, dates of service, branch, rank, and any religious emblem selected by the family are inscribed at no cost.

For privately purchased markers or upright monuments, the VA also offers a medallion option, which can be affixed to a privately purchased headstone at no cost to the family.

The Maryland Survivor Benefits Navigator covers the full sequence of veteran burial benefits — from claiming the federal allowance to coordinating with Maryland state cemeteries — alongside the broader survivor benefits claims process for military families.

Getting Help

The Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families and county veterans service officers provide free assistance navigating burial benefits. These services do not require hiring a veterans benefits attorney.

If the veteran also had service-connected disabilities, surviving spouses should simultaneously explore eligibility for VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), the Maryland property tax exemption for surviving spouses of 100% disabled veterans, and the Edward T. Conroy Memorial Scholarship for dependent children — all of which can be initiated during the same period as funeral planning.

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