Families often come to Arlington with two feelings at once: deep pride, and the quiet pressure of “getting it right.” Arlington National Cemetery carries a weight that’s hard to describe until you are standing there, thinking about a parent, a spouse, or a sibling whose service shaped a life—and shaped yours. But Arlington is also practical. It runs on rules, documents, and timelines. When people search Arlington National Cemetery eligibility or who can be buried at Arlington, they are usually trying to answer one urgent question: “Do we qualify?” The sooner you can find a steady answer, the less stress you carry into the hard days of decisions.
This guide is designed to walk alongside you in plain language. We’ll explain the difference between in-ground burial (interment) and above-ground columbarium placement (inurnment), why Arlington burial requirements are stricter than many other cemeteries, what documents families typically need, and how to start early—even if the death has not occurred yet. Along the way, we’ll also talk about cremation decisions that often sit beside Arlington planning, including cremation urns, cremation jewelry, and what keeping ashes at home can look like while eligibility is being confirmed.
Why Arlington is different from most national cemeteries
A common point of confusion is that Arlington is not operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemetery system. Arlington’s funeral and burial program is administered by the U.S. Army, and its eligibility rules are separate and often more restrictive. Arlington explains directly that its eligibility requirements differ from VA-maintained national cemeteries, and that in-ground burial eligibility is the most stringent among U.S. national cemeteries. At the same time, Arlington notes that many veterans with at least one day of active service (other than for training) and an honorable discharge may qualify for above-ground inurnment. That distinction—interment versus inurnment—is where most families find clarity. Arlington National Cemetery
If your family is comparing options, it can help to keep a second “map” nearby. VA national cemeteries have their own scheduling office and their own eligibility rules. The VA’s scheduling guidance explains that discharge documents like a DD214 are typically needed to verify eligibility for burial in a VA national cemetery, and it also references choosing burial type, including cremation and urn size. Veterans Affairs
For many families, that comparison is not about “which is better.” It’s about which path is realistic and timely. Arlington may be the dream, but the VA national cemetery system may be the steady backup that still offers honor, dignity, and a permanent place of memory.
Interment vs. inurnment at Arlington
Arlington’s language matters here, because the cemetery treats these options differently.
Interment generally means in-ground burial in a gravesite. It can involve casketed remains or cremated remains placed in a gravesite. Interment eligibility is governed by federal regulation, and it is limited to specific categories of service, retirement status, decorations, and other qualifying criteria. Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
InurnmentLegal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
This is why families searching Arlington inurnment eligibility or Arlington columbarium rules often find hope even when interment is not available. If your loved one does not meet the narrower criteria for a gravesite, they may still qualify for a niche.
Who can be buried at Arlington
It’s tempting to look for one simple checklist. Arlington doesn’t really work that way. Eligibility depends on the category of service, the end of service characterization (honorable discharge matters), and the specific eligibility class.
The federal regulation that governs eligibility for interment at Arlington describes “primarily eligible” persons as including, among others, service members who die on active duty (with specific conditions), veterans retired from active military service and entitled to military retired pay, certain reservists on official retired lists entitled to retired pay, and veterans awarded specific high-level decorations such as the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and others listed in the regulation. It also includes certain former prisoners of war under stated conditions. Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
The regulation also describes “derivatively eligible” family members who may be interred with a primarily eligible person when space and conditions allow—often a spouse, and in some situations certain dependent children or parents, with important limitations. This is where families can feel blindsided: Arlington’s family eligibility is not the same as the VA national cemetery system, and it is not “automatic” for every family member of every veteran. Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
If you are trying to decide whether to lean toward Arlington or to plan a parallel path, Funeral.com’s guide on national cemetery eligibility can help you understand how VA national cemeteries work, how costs are typically covered, and how families coordinate benefits when Arlington is not available.
Inurnment eligibility and what “Columbarium rules” really mean
When families ask about Arlington columbarium rules, they are often picturing the physical niche: how big it is, whether an urn will fit, whether family can visit easily, and how a niche cover works. But the first “rule” is eligibility. Inurnment eligibility is broader than interment, and the regulation includes any person eligible for interment plus additional groups such as veterans who served on active duty other than for training (with an honorable discharge). Legal Information Institute (Cornell Law School)
That broader eligibility is one reason cremation has become a central part of modern veteran funeral planning. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, with burial projected at 31.6%. The Cremation Association of North America reports the U.S. cremation rate at 61.8% for 2024 and projects continued growth. Those trends show up in Arlington planning in a very human way: more families are choosing cremation because it can be simpler, more flexible for travel and timing, and sometimes more affordable—and because it can align with inurnment eligibility when interment is not available.
Eligibility is determined “at the time of need”
This is one of the most important lines on Arlington’s own site, and it’s easy to miss when you are skimming. Arlington states that eligibility is determined at the time of need (time of death) and cannot be verified by the cemetery or accommodated before that time. Arlington National Cemetery
That can feel frustrating if you are doing careful funeral planning in advance. But there is still meaningful preparation you can do now. You can gather documents. You can talk through family expectations. You can decide who will be the point person when the time comes. And you can build a “two-path plan” that honors Arlington as the first choice while making sure you are not left scrambling if eligibility is not confirmed.
The documents families typically need (and why they matter)
Families often assume Arlington is mostly about military service records. In reality, Arlington’s scheduling process is documentation-heavy because the cemetery must confirm both eligibility and the right person to authorize disposition decisions.
Arlington’s required documents page lists the core items needed before a service can be scheduled, including the last DD214 (or equivalent documentation showing honorable discharge and active duty service), a death certificate, and a cremation certificate if applicable. It also notes succession documents for the person authorized to direct disposition if someone is acting on behalf of the primary next of kin, and additional documentation for certain unmarried adult dependents. Arlington also includes a key practical note for cremated remains: Arlington requires certification of 100% of cremated remains and does not accept cremated remains by mail. Arlington National Cemetery
If you have been searching DD214 Arlington funeral, you are not alone. The DD214 is often the single document that unlocks the entire eligibility conversation, whether you are scheduling at Arlington or a VA national cemetery. If you need more context about how veteran benefits and memorial items work in practice, Funeral.com’s guide to VA burial benefits can help you understand how families typically coordinate headstones, flags, and reimbursements alongside cemetery planning.
How to start the Arlington process early without adding stress
Even though eligibility itself is confirmed at the time of need, starting early can still reduce chaos. Think of it as clearing brush before you walk the path.
First, locate the DD214 or equivalent service documentation, and make sure it reflects the final period of service and discharge characterization. Second, talk as a family about who will handle calls and paperwork. In Arlington language, the primary next of kin is central, and when families are blended or complicated, it helps to name a point person calmly before grief amplifies conflict.
Third, consider building a folder—digital and physical—with the documents you know you’ll need, plus contact information for the funeral home you would use. Arlington notes that scheduling depends on many factors, including the family’s ability to provide documents, the type of remains, military resources, and special requests. Arlington National Cemetery
This is also where a gentle “Plan B” can be a gift to your future self. If Arlington eligibility is not confirmed, a VA national cemetery, a state veterans cemetery, or a private cemetery with military honors may still provide a meaningful and official farewell. Funeral.com’s guide on military honors and veteran funeral benefits can help you understand what is typically available regardless of cemetery location.
Military funeral honors at Arlington
Many families also search military funeral honors Arlington because they want to know what the day will look and feel like. Arlington explains that military funeral honors at Arlington differ from those provided at other national cemeteries and describes three types of honors rendered there: military funeral honors, full military funeral honors with escort, and dependent honors. Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington’s military honors page also notes that every uniformed service member or veteran is eligible for military funeral honors, provided by the decedent’s branch of service, and outlines the typical elements (like a casket team, firing party, bugler, and flag presentation). It also explains who may qualify for “full” honors with escort based on rank and certain distinctions. Arlington National Cemetery
What families often don’t realize until late is that honors can be shaped by availability and scheduling realities. That’s not a sign that your loved one is being “less honored.” It’s simply how military resources work in real life. If you want a broader view of how honors are requested and how they can be coordinated in different settings, Funeral.com’s practical guide to veteran funeral benefits can be a grounding companion.
Cremation, urns, and inurnment: practical choices families face
Even when Arlington is the focus, cremation planning often becomes the quiet center of the conversation—because inurnment is a cremation option, and because cremation creates flexibility while paperwork is being verified. If your family is choosing cremation, you may find yourself searching for cremation urns for ashes and then realizing there are multiple needs: a secure primary urn, a niche-appropriate urn if Arlington inurnment is planned, and sometimes smaller keepsakes for family members who need a tangible connection.
A helpful way to think about it is “home base” and “shared remembrance.” Your home base might be a full-size or standard urn from Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection, chosen because it feels dignified in your home and secure for long-term keeping. Shared remembrance might be handled through keepsake urns, which are designed specifically for small portions when multiple loved ones want to keep a part close. Families with limited display space sometimes prefer small cremation urns or compact designs, especially when an urn needs to fit a niche or a smaller memorial area.
For some people, wearing remembrance feels more natural than displaying it. That is where cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces come in—not as a replacement for a memorial, but as a way to carry a symbolic amount in daily life, especially during travel for services or anniversaries.
If your family is considering a period of keeping ashes at home while eligibility and scheduling unfold, Funeral.com’s guide on keeping ashes at home can help you think through safety, placement, and the emotional side of having cremated remains nearby.
Costs and planning clarity
In the middle of Arlington questions, families often whisper another question: how much does cremation cost? Sometimes they ask because they prefer cremation. Sometimes because they’re trying to plan two paths at once—Arlington if eligible, and another cemetery if not—and they need to understand budget realities.
Cremation costs vary widely by region and by service level, and families may be comparing direct cremation against cremation with a viewing and funeral service. Funeral.com’s guide on how much does cremation cost breaks down common fees and ways to save without cutting corners on care. If you want a budget-oriented overview that also includes urn planning, Average Cost of Cremation and an Urn offers another steady entry point.
If Arlington isn’t an option, you still have meaningful choices
Sometimes, after the documents are reviewed, the answer is no. If that happens, it does not diminish your loved one’s service. It simply means Arlington’s capacity and policy limits do not align with your loved one’s category of eligibility. In those moments, families often need two things at once: a practical next step, and permission to grieve the disappointment.
Practically, a VA national cemetery may still be available, and in many cases it can provide a gravesite, opening and closing, perpetual care, and a government headstone or marker. Funeral homes familiar with veterans benefits can often help coordinate that transition. Funeral.com’s Burial in a National Cemetery guide can help you reset with clear steps.
Emotionally, it may help to remember that memorialization is not only about location. It is also about what you carry forward. Some families choose a cemetery burial or niche placement and still keep a small portion at home in keepsake urns or cremation jewelry. Others plan a ceremony around what to do with ashes later—perhaps a scattering in a meaningful place, or a water burial using biodegradable options when that fits the family’s values. If you’re weighing those possibilities, Funeral.com’s guide on what to do with ashes can help you compare the emotional and logistical realities without pressure.
A note for families carrying two kinds of grief
Sometimes Arlington planning happens in a season when other losses are present too. A family may be saying goodbye to a veteran and also grieving a beloved pet who was part of the household’s emotional fabric. If you’re carrying both kinds of grief, it’s okay to acknowledge it. Memorial choices can be small, but they can still matter. Funeral.com’s pet urns for ashes collection and its guide to pet urns for ashes can help families choose pet cremation urns that feel dignified and personal, including options that match a home memorial space alongside a loved one’s urn.
When to call, what to say, and how to keep it steady
If you are in the “time of need” window and trying to schedule Arlington funeral services, the most stabilizing thing you can do is gather documents first, then call with a calm, complete packet. Arlington emphasizes that documentation must be submitted and reviewed before scheduling can occur, and that scheduling timelines can depend on document verification and resource availability. Arlington National Cemetery
And if you are planning ahead, your best gift to your future family is simple: find the DD214, write down the names and contact information of the next of kin decision-maker, and talk openly about whether your loved one would prefer interment, inurnment, or a Plan B that still includes full honor and care. That is what funeral planning looks like at its most compassionate: not forcing decisions early, but clearing the path so grief doesn’t have to carry paperwork alone.
