Receiving approval from the Department of National Defence is an important milestone — but it is the beginning of the process, not the end. Understanding what comes next helps families plan with confidence and avoids uncertainty at a difficult time.
The approval notification
Once DND has reviewed and approved an application, the applicant receives a written notification confirming eligibility for interment in the National Military Cemetery. This document should be kept with other important personal records and its location made known to next of kin. It is the authorization that allows arrangements to be made with Beechwood Cemetery when the time comes.
No further action is required immediately
Approval does not initiate any cemetery arrangements. The approved file is simply held on record. The applicant continues their life as normal, and the file remains in place until it is needed. There are no ongoing requirements, no fees at this stage, and no need to reapply unless circumstances change significantly.
When the time comes: contacting Beechwood
At the time of need, the family contacts Beechwood Cemetery’s Family Services team directly. A Family Services Representative will guide the family through the remaining arrangements, including selecting the type of interment, coordinating the graveside service, arranging military honours, and ordering the headstone.
You don’t have to wait until the time of need to speak with Beechwood. Pre-planning your arrangements in advance allows you to make thoughtful decisions, record your wishes clearly, and spare your family from having to navigate those choices during one of the most difficult periods of their lives. Many families find that pre-planning brings genuine peace of mind, knowing that everything is in order and nothing will be left uncertain.
Burial costs
Burial costs in the National Military Cemetery are the responsibility of the applicant’s family or estate, with one important exception: CAF members who die while on active service may have funeral and burial expenses covered by the Department of National Defence. For all other applicants, costs are set by Beechwood Cemetery. The current price list, and an explanation of how the costs are put together, are on the cemetery and funeral home page.
The monument
All graves in the National Military Cemetery are marked with a uniform military monument. It is purchased from the cemetery at the same time as the lot — it is not optional, and it is not supplied free of charge. A single monument carries the inscriptions for up to two people, so it is bought once regardless of whether one person or two will rest there.
What the Government of Canada controls is the design, not the cost. The monument bears the service member’s name, rank, service dates, chosen military badge, and religious symbol if applicable. Only one badge per applicant is permitted, and eligibility for specific badges is determined by DND based on the service record. Inscriptions must be approved by National Defence before the monument is manufactured and installed. Families indicate their preferences as part of the original application.
Current monument pricing is on the National Military Cemetery price list.
Graves are assigned sequentially
Grave locations cannot be chosen in advance. Plots are assigned in sequential order as interments occur, regardless of rank, regiment, or personal preference. This is a deliberate policy — a final statement of equality among those who served. At the National Military Cemetery, a private and a general rest side by side.
Re-interment
For families whose loved one was buried elsewhere and who wish to have them moved to the National Military Cemetery, re-interment of eligible members is permitted. This process is coordinated through Beechwood Cemetery and DND, and the same eligibility criteria apply.
Questions about your own situation?
No two service records are identical, and the edge cases are the ones worth asking about rather than guessing at. There is no cost to ask and no obligation.