California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) determines eligibility for burial in a California Veterans Cemetery in accordance with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) requirements for National Veterans Cemeteries.

Veterans, service members, spouses, and dependents may be eligible for burial as well as other benefits if they meet one of these requirements:

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is a Veteran who didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is a service member who died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty for training.

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is the spouse or minor child of a Veteran, even if the Veteran died first.

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran.

For more info, please contact the Cemetery office directly at (831) 393-9371.

Yes, the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery offers services similar to those offered by its national counterparts to veterans and their families. Please contact the Cemetery office for full details.

The Eligibility for Burial Benefits Determination (VSD-002) is required to determine the eligibility for burial in the Central Coast Veterans Cemetary, or any California State Cemetery. Please refer to the form for further info, including what additional materials you will need.

To download the form please click here.

No, State Veterans Cemeteries do not make funeral arrangements, provide mortuary services or perform cremations.

There is no interment fee for eligible veterans. There is an interment fee for eligible spouses and dependent children, which is due at the time of interment. Please refer to CalVet’s Fee Waiver policy for more info.

Any additional expenses associated with the internment (such as a burial permit and funeral home expenses) are the responsibility of the veteran and/or family. Please contact your local County Veterans Service Office (CVSO) with questions concerning burial allowance and survivor benefits. A directory of CVSOs can be found here.

Please note that State Veterans Cemeteries do not make funeral arrangements, provide mortuary services, or perform cremations, and such services are at the expense of the family.

For further info on scheduling and burial services, please refer to the Protocol for Scheduling and Burial Services by clicking here.

All gravesites are assigned; they may not be reserved or selected in advance. Assignments are made without regard to rank, the branch of service, or other considerations.

Eligible dependents (spouse/child) are placed at the same gravesite as the veteran. In the case of two eligible veteran spouses, each individual will be entitled to their own gravesite, if desired. Adjacent gravesites may be requested/reserved for such veterans; please ask cemetery staff for more information at the time of scheduling by calling (831) 393-9371 .

Please refer to the Monument Information and Inscription form for more info by clicking here.

The Committal Shelter could serve as a space for service gatherings; however, it may provide insufficient protection during inclement weather. There are no indoor spaces for gatherings or services onsite.

Monterey County generally experiences mild winters and summers, but we do experience heavy storms at times, bringing substantial rains and winds to the area. It’s generally breezy at the Cemetery.

Please directly contact the Cemetery office for more information on contingency planning in the event of bad weather during a burial service.

You must submit the Request for Disinterment (Form VSD-003).

Please note, the California Code of Regulations, Title 12, Section 464, allows disinterment in special circumstances, only, such as if the next of kin was not aware that the person had purchased a plot in a different cemetery.

Disinterment from a state veterans cemetery will be approved only when all living immediate family members of the decedent and the person who initiated the interment give their written consent, or when a court order directs the disinterment.

For more information, please click here to download the request form.

Yes, news media must contact cemetery staff in advance to obtain approval prior to conducting a news story or covering a committal service or interment. Requests must include the reporter’s affiliation, proposed topic, and media deadline.

Approvals are contingent on the news media outlet providing the cemetery management contact info in the story. Cemetery management may impose restrictions on news media in order to comply with the wishes of family members, to maintain decorum, or to enforce CalVet policy.

Cemetery staff may be contacted by calling (831) 393-9371 .

Yes, for visitation, pets, flowers, memorabilia, or other related policies, please refer to the Visitation Info section by clicking here.

The Cemetery sits on fairly flat terrain and is generally navigatable to those with limited mobility. However, please contact the Cemetery’s office for any specific accommodation concerns.

The office may be reached by calling (831) 393-9371.

A gravesite location kiosk is available on site to help you locate a particular gravesite or niche. The kiosk is available near the Cemetery office, which is located to your right just upon entering. Cemetery staff on-site can be of further assistance.

If you liked to know the location before your visit, CalVet’s gravesite locator is available online. Please visit https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov/ngl/index.jsp.

The Cemetery is located at 2900 Parker Flats Road Seaside CA 93955 and is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Directions can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Cemetary office can be contacted at (831) 393-9371.

The Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) services the Monterey County area. Please note direct flights options to Monterey are limited. Please visit https://www.montereyairport.com/ for more info.

Alternatively, Monterey Airbus offers a shuttle service between Monterey, the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJO) and the San Francisco International airport (SFO). Please expect a commute time of three to four hours. Please visit https://www.montereyairbus.com/ for more info. Car rental services are also available at both SJO and SFO. It’s an hour to two-hour drive, respectively, if traveling by private vehicle. Please note traffic to and from the San Francisco Bay Area can be heavy at times. Please account for extended commute times, especially between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays.

Commuter train service is also available by Caltrain between San Francisco to Gilroy. You can then take the MST 55 bus From Gilroy to Monterey. Please visit https://www.caltrain.com/ for more info.

Private bus service to and from the San Francisco Bay Area is also available by FlixBus. Visit https://www.flixbus.com/.

Parking is available near the Cemetery office (close to the entrance). Limited parking is also available at other locations on the grounds.

The Cemetery is within reach of the Monterey-Salinas Transit system. Please expect some walking. Visit https://mst.org/ for more info.

Rideshare car services are also available via Uber or Lyft.

Please note that Monterey County is not a big or suburban city environment. Expect some wait time for public transportation or rideshare services.

For transportation options to and from the closest airports, please refer to the FAQ regarding airports.

There are several accommodations within five miles of the Cemetary. There are also several more options from within a reasonable driving distance. For more info on lodging and other amenities, please visit https://www.seemonterey.com/.

Please note lodging may be limited, especially in the summer. The Big Sur Half Maraton, the California Rodeo Salinas, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Monterey Car Week/Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance are just a few local events that bring flocks of visitors to and around the Monterey area. Please plan accordingly.

Monterey County generally has a temperate climate; however, this varies greatly depending on what part of the County you are in due to micro-climates determined by varying local geography.

For the most part, visitors can expect mild to moderate warm dry summers and wet winters. Occasionally, atmospheric storms from off the coast may sweep through the area during the winter, bringing heavy winds and rain.

When you visit the Cemetery, please plan on bringing a jacket, as the area can be breezy and cool at times.

For current forecasts, please visit https://ksbw.com/weather.

Currently, the State of California operates three veteran cemeteries, including the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.

The Northern California Veterans Cemetery, located near Redding, California, primarily serves the veteran population in the eighteen Northern-most California counties.

​​​The Yountville Veterans Cemetery is located on 11 acres of oak-covered hills in the northwest corner of the Yountville Veterans Home.

For more info on the other two state cemeteries, please visit the CalVet website by clicking here.