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burialstate

Veterans Memorial Cemetery — Free Plot, Three Ways to Meet Residency

Two state cemeteries, at Bear and Millsboro. No fee is charged for the plot or interment of an eligible veteran. Residency can be met at death, by three cumulative years, or by residence when entering the armed forces.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

Two state cemeteries, at Bear and Millsboro. No fee is charged for the plot or interment of an eligible veteran. Residency can be met at death, by three cumulative years, or by residence when entering the armed forces.

What it's worth: No fee for the plot or interment of an eligible veteran

  • The eligibility material states that no fee is charged for any plot and the interment provided to an eligible veteran or member of the armed forces, and that the Commission may establish reasonable fees for burial of members of the immediate family.
  • Residency is met in any one of three ways: legal residence at the time of death; three or more cumulative years of legal residence, which need not be consecutive and need not include the time of death; or legal residence at the time of entering the armed forces.
  • A reservist qualifies on more than 180 days of active federal service. Active duty for training alone does not count.
  • A spouse becomes eligible on the pre-qualification of the eligible veteran. Dependent children qualify if under 21 and unmarried, or with a verifiable lifelong dependency on the veteran.
  • The two cemeteries are at 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear and 26669 Patriots Way, Millsboro. Both take casketed and cremated remains.

Who is entitled to it

  • The cemetery eligibility page turns on an honorable discharge from the armed forces.
  • Your home is in this state.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Pre-qualify while you can. A spouse’s eligibility flows from the veteran’s pre-qualification, so leaving it until the time of need puts that at risk.
  2. 2Check the residency test against your own history before ruling yourself out — three cumulative years at any point in your life is enough, whatever your address is now.
  3. 3Contact the cemetery office for your county: Bear on 302-834-8046, Millsboro on 302-934-5653. Offices are open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  4. 4Ask what the current fee is for a spouse or dependent interment — the statute permits the Commission to set one, and the amount is not published.
Form
Burial Application / pre-qualification
File with
Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear or Millsboro
Documents you will need
dd214
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
Worth knowingResidence at the time of entering the armed forces is a door that stays open for life. Someone who joined up from here and never came back still meets the residency half of the test.
Worth knowingThe Bear and Millsboro cemeteries double as walk-in drop-off points for the Veterans Trust Fund application, so a family already in touch with one office is in touch with both programmes.
Known gapThe fee for a spouse or dependent interment is not published. The eligibility material says only that the Commission may establish reasonable fees, and no schedule was found on the pages read here.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.