Canada’s National Military Cemetery · Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa
Who qualifies, what it costs, and how to apply.
A plain-language guide to burial in the National Military Cemetery — eligibility, the DND application, military funeral honours, and the two arrangements families most often confuse. Written by a funeral director at Beechwood.
Formulaire en français (PDF)About the cemetery
Canada’s most sacred military ground.
Situated at the heart of Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, Canada’s National Military Cemetery is the country’s foremost burial ground for those who served the Canadian Armed Forces with honour. It was established through a partnership between the Beechwood Cemetery Foundation, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Department of National Defence, and Veterans Affairs Canada.
The cemetery brings together those who died on active service, those whose death was related to service, and those who served honourably and chose to rest among their comrades. It is not simply a cemetery — it is a national focal point of honour.
The National Military Cemetery is managed by the Department of National Defence and holds 12,000 spaces for both traditional interments and cremated remains. Graves are assigned in sequential order — not by rank, regiment, or personal preference — a deliberate statement of equality in service.
“This cemetery brings together all those who rest here who died on active service, whose death was related to service, or who served honourably and chose to rest amongst their comrades in these sacred grounds.”— Dedication plaque, September 13, 2007
Key dates
- 1919Sections 19 and 29 established by the Soldiers’ Aid Commission after the First World War.
- 1944Veterans Affairs Canada purchases Section 27 for the Second World War dead.
- 2001The National Military Cemetery opened by the Department of National Defence.
- 2003Expanded to its current eight acres.
- 2007The National Military Cemetery formally dedicated, 13 September.
- 2009Beechwood designated Canada’s National Cemetery, 5 March.
The military sections
A century of service, gathered in one place.
Beechwood holds several military burial sections, each representing a different era and administrative stewardship. Three are historic and closed. The National Military Cemetery is the active one, and it is where applications today are directed.
Sections 19 & 29
Established following the First World War by the Soldiers’ Aid Commission, these sections hold the majority of Canada’s First World War dead, including veterans of the Second World War. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains the graves. No interment spaces remain available in either section.
Commonwealth War GravesSection 27
Purchased by Veterans Affairs Canada in 1944, this section is home to war dead and veterans of the Second World War and later conflicts. A Cross of Sacrifice erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission stands at its centre. Burials are administered via the Last Post Fund — call 1-800-465-7113 for eligibility.
Veterans Affairs CanadaThe National Military Cemetery
The active military burial ground at Beechwood, opened by DND in 2001 and expanded in 2003 to its current eight acres. Open to all eligible serving and honourably released CAF members and one designated immediate family member. Graves are assigned sequentially, regardless of rank.
Primary active section · DNDEligibility criteria
Who may be interred here.
Interment in the National Military Cemetery is an earned honour, restricted to those who have served Canada in the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada’s Merchant Navy.
- Serving CAF members — Regular Force and Reserve Force, in good standing.
- Honourably released CAF members — those released under honourable conditions from either Regular or Reserve Force.
- Canada’s Merchant Navy veterans — those who served in the Merchant Navy during wartime.
- One immediate family member — each eligible applicant may designate one immediate family member to share their plot: spouse, common-law partner, parent, sibling, or child.
- In-service deaths — CAF members who die while serving are automatically eligible regardless of release status.
Approval may be denied or revoked by the Director of Casualty Support Management. Graves are assigned sequentially and cannot be pre-selected by rank, regiment, or personal preference.
The process
How to apply for interment.
Applications go directly to the Department of National Defence for eligibility review. Applying early — before it becomes urgent — gives families peace of mind and time to plan properly.
Download and complete Form DND 2277-E
The official registration application for the National Military Cemetery. Both the applicant and any designated family member must sign the form.
Submit to the Director of Casualty Support Management
Send the completed form to DND’s DCSM office in Ottawa by mail or electronically. DND will verify eligibility using military service records.
Receive eligibility determination
DND reviews and approves or declines the application. Upon approval, the applicant is authorized to make cemetery arrangements.
Coordinate with Beechwood Cemetery
A Beechwood family services representative will assist with all arrangements, including burial costs, headstone coordination, and military honours.
Military honours
A farewell worthy of their service.
All eligible CAF members interred in the National Military Cemetery are entitled to a military presence at their graveside service. The following honours may be provided subject to availability, with five working days’ notice requested.
Flag ceremony
A Canadian flag is draped over the casket throughout the service. At its conclusion, the flag is ceremonially folded and presented to the next of kin in recognition of the service member’s dedication to Canada.
The Last Post
The Last Post — the solemn call that marks the end of day and symbolizes eternal rest — is sounded by a military bugler. It remains one of the most moving elements of a Canadian military funeral.
Honour guard
A military honour guard may be provided to escort the casket or urn and stand in formation during the graveside service, attending in full dress uniform with mourning band.
Military padre
A military chaplain may conduct or assist with the service, ensuring proper ceremonial protocol is observed while meeting the spiritual and pastoral needs of the family.
Piper
A military piper may be requested to play at the graveside service — a tradition with deep roots in Canada’s military culture, particularly meaningful for families with regimental heritage.
Medals and decorations
The service member’s medals and decorations are displayed at the funeral ceremony as a formal acknowledgment of their service, and may be presented to the family in recognition of that record.
Ready to apply
The application is the first step.
Applying for interment in the National Military Cemetery doesn’t mean arrangements are being made today. Many veterans and their families complete the application well in advance — simply to ensure the option is available when the time comes.
The process begins with Form DND 2277-E, submitted directly to the Department of National Defence. Once eligibility is confirmed, you can plan arrangements with confidence — without navigating the paperwork under pressure.
Form DND 2277-E
Official registration application — National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces.
Download the application Formulaire en français (PDF)
Completed forms are submitted directly to the Director of Casualty Support Management, DND — Major-General Georges R. Pearkes Building, 101 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa ON K1A 0K2.
DND direct line: 1-800-883-6094
Not sure if you qualify? Ask me first — it takes two minutes.
Before you arrange anything
Cemetery and funeral home are two separate arrangements.
Beechwood is one address, but the cemetery and the funeral home are two different organizations doing two different jobs. Buying a grave in the National Military Cemetery secures your resting place. It does not arrange for anyone to take you into their care when you die.
That second arrangement is needed whatever you choose — from a direct cremation with no service at all, right through to a full traditional funeral. It is made separately, and billed separately.
Resources & articles
Answers to the questions families ask most.
Am I Eligible? A Plain-Language Guide to Qualifying for the National Military Cemetery
Sorting through DND policy language can be frustrating. Here is a clear breakdown of who qualifies — and what to do when a situation is complicated.
Read article → CeremonyWhat to Expect: The Military Funeral Ceremony at Beechwood
From the flag presentation to the Last Post, a military funeral at the National Military Cemetery follows a protocol that honours the service member and brings meaning to those left behind.
Read article → Pre-PlanningPlanning Ahead: Why CAF Members Apply Before They Need To
Many serving and retired members apply years in advance — not because they are thinking about dying, but because they want their wishes clearly on record.
Read article → Merchant NavyMerchant Navy Veterans and the National Military Cemetery
Canada’s Merchant Navy veterans made sacrifices that went unrecognized for decades. Today, they hold a place of honour in the National Military Cemetery. Here is what families need to know.
Read article → ProcessWhat Happens After DND Approves Your Application?
Approval is the beginning, not the end. This article walks through what comes next — burial costs, headstone coordination, and arranging with Beechwood.
Read article →
Who wrote this
If something here isn’t clear, call me.
I’m a funeral director at Beechwood Funeral Home and Cemetery in Ottawa, and I work with veterans’ families going through the National Military Cemetery process. I built this site myself, because the official information is spread across several places and families kept arriving with the same questions.
There is no cost to ask and no obligation. If you would rather talk to someone before filling in a form, that is usually the quicker route.