Apply for a military burial

If you wish to be buried at the National Military Cemetery (NMC) of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), you may have a maximum of 2 persons per plot. Both individuals must meet the eligibility criteria and a plot will only be assigned if there are remains to be placed into it.

If remains are not available due to the nature of death, a plot and headstone is permitted, and an eligible family member may be interred in that plot. All gravesites are in sequential order and not by rank, service, unit, or personal preference

In the case of an urn burial, a small portion of the ashes may be kept by your family. Your family cannot formally bury those ashes with a grave marker elsewhere and is expected to keep them.

Eligibility

To be buried at the NMC of the CAF you must be:

• serving or honourably released members of the CAF (Regular and Reserve Force) and former services
• merchant navy veterans as defined by Veteran’s Affairs Canada
• immediate family members of eligible members include a:
  • spouse or common-law partner
  • father and mother
  • child
  • brother and sister
  • person who has undertaken the responsibilities of a father or mother

If a serving, former member or family is technically eligible for interment, your application may still be denied or your approval may be revoked by the Manager of the National Military Cemetery of the CAF.

Application

You may submit an application for interment at the NMC of the CAF before death.

What you can expect from the application process:

• All applications will be verified by Director of Casualty Support Management (DCSM) to confirm the eligibility of the applicant
• Your request will be acknowledged by formal letter informing you of either an approval or denial
• Copies of approved requests will be forwarded to Beechwood Cemetery
• Once you are notified that your application is approved, you can then make any arrangements with Beechwood staff to secure a plot and headstone

An application is made by completing a DND 2277 National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Armed Forces Registration Application for Section 103 or contacting DCSM.

Records held by the Canadian Armed Forces and /or Library and Archives Canada will be consulted in accordance with the Privacy Act to confirm your application information. Burial costs for serving members may be covered by the Department of National Defence in accordance with Compensation and Benefits Instructions 210.20 - Funeral and burial expenses for entitled serving members only. Otherwise, burial costs are the responsibility of the applicant, their family or estate. Re-interment into NMC of eligible members or family from other locations is permitted.

For costs see the National Military Cemetery rate table.

Contact

Mailing address

National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Armed Forces
Directorate of Casualty Support Management
National Defence Headquarters
101 Colonel By Dr
Ottawa ON  K1A 0K2

Telephone

• Toll free: 1-800-883-6094
• National Capital Region: 613-995-1457
• Worldwide via the Military network: CSN 995-1457
• TTY/TDD: 1-800-467-9877

Email

NationalMilitaryCemetery-CimetiereMilitaireNational@forces.gc.ca

Representatives are available Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm Eastern Standard Time. Telephone messages will be responded to during the same day or by the next business day.