Most people only think about VA national cemetery eligibility after someone has died. The VA also lets you apply years in advance, get a written answer, and put that answer on file so no one has to figure it out later. That advance answer is called a pre-need eligibility determination.
What Does "Pre-Need" Actually Mean?
"Pre-need" means you're applying for burial eligibility before it's needed, as opposed to "at-need," when a family applies at the time of death while also handling a funeral, a death certificate, and everything else. The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) reviews your military service record and other details, then issues a written decision confirming whether you, your spouse, and your dependents qualify for burial or memorialization in a VA national cemetery.
This determination is about eligibility only. It does not reserve a specific gravesite, and it does not schedule a burial. Cemetery space is assigned at the time of need, not in advance, at most national cemeteries.
Who Can Apply for a Pre-Need Determination?
According to the VA, the following groups may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, and can apply for pre-need eligibility:
- Veterans who were not dishonorably discharged
- Active duty service members who died while serving
- Spouses and surviving spouses of eligible veterans
- Minor children of veterans, and in some cases unmarried adult dependent children
Separate eligibility categories exist for allied service members, National Guard and Reserve members, ROTC officers, NOAA and Public Health Service commissioned officers, WWII Merchant Mariners, Philippine Armed Forces veterans, and certain Hmong individuals who meet specific service requirements.
Not everyone qualifies. The VA excludes people with dishonorable discharges, former spouses whose marriage to the veteran ended in divorce or annulment, individuals who were drafted but never inducted, and anyone convicted of a capital crime or a Tier III sex offense. If any of those apply to your situation, read What Does a Dishonorable Discharge Mean for VA Burial Benefits? before you apply, since a pre-need application in a clearly ineligible case will simply be denied.
How Do You Apply?
You apply using VA Form 10007, the Application for Pre-Need Determination of Eligibility for Burial in a VA National Cemetery. The VA's cemetery administration site directs applicants to apply online through its portal, or to call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET; TTY 711) with questions about the process.
The application asks for the veteran's military service information, including dates of service and discharge status, along with basic identifying information for any spouse or dependents who should also be evaluated. The NCA uses this to verify eligibility against military and VA records.
Why Apply Now Instead of Waiting?
The VA's own reasoning for pre-need applications is worth repeating plainly: it exists to reduce delays and stress on a family at a difficult time. When eligibility is already determined and on file, a family doesn't have to track down discharge papers (DD Form 214), marriage certificates, or other proof while also arranging a funeral within days. The cemetery staff can pull the existing determination instead of starting eligibility review from scratch.
There's a secondary benefit too. Veterans who complete a pre-need determination become eligible to participate in the VA's "Your Story, Your Legacy" feature, which lets you add photos, a written autobiography, and a military service timeline to your Veterans Legacy Memorial page in advance, rather than leaving that task to family after death.
Does a Pre-Need Determination Guarantee a Specific Cemetery or Plot?
No. It confirms eligibility for VA national cemetery burial generally. It does not reserve a plot at a specific cemetery, and it does not set a burial date. Gravesite assignment happens at the time of need, when the family contacts the National Cemetery Scheduling Office to arrange the actual burial. If you want to understand what that scheduling step looks like, see How Do I Schedule a Burial at a National Cemetery?
A pre-need determination also doesn't by itself cover a spouse's eligibility for a separate benefit like the plot allowance for burial outside a national cemetery — that's a different application. If your family is weighing a private cemetery instead, read What Is the VA Plot Allowance and When Does It Apply?
What to Do About It
If you're a veteran reading this for yourself, or an adult child helping a veteran parent plan ahead, here's the practical sequence:
- Gather your discharge paperwork. You'll want your DD Form 214 or equivalent discharge document. If you can't find it, the National Archives can issue a replacement, but that takes time — start early.
- Confirm who else should be evaluated. If you have a spouse, include their information on the same application so their eligibility is determined at the same time as yours.
- Submit VA Form 10007. Apply online through the VA's national cemetery portal, or call 800-535-1117 if you need help completing it or want to check on an application already submitted.
- Keep the decision letter somewhere your family can find it. Store it with your will, funeral instructions, or other end-of-life paperwork — not in a safe deposit box your family can't access quickly.
- Tell your family it exists. A determination letter only helps if someone knows to bring it up when the time comes. Mention it to whoever is likely to handle your affairs.
A pre-need determination doesn't cost anything to apply for, and it doesn't obligate you or your family to use VA burial at all — you can still choose a private cemetery later. What it does is remove one more decision from a day when your family will already have enough to manage.