§ 12.5 Interments.

(a) Who may be interred. A person's eligibility for burial in a national cemetery is determined in accordance with the provisions of Federal statutory law. Interments are conducted in accordance with NPS policy and VA Policy. (b) Burial permit. (1) A burial permit is required in accordance with the laws and regulations of the State and local municipality within whose boundaries the cemetery is located. (2) The remains of a member of the Armed Forces who dies on active duty may be interred prior to receipt of a burial permit. (3) The superintendent shall process a burial permit in accordance with VA Policy. (c) Gravesite assignment. (1) Gravesite assignment and allotment are made according to VA Policy which specifies that only one gravesite is authorized for the burial of an eligible member of the Armed Forces and eligible immediate family members. Exceptions to this practice may be approved only by the Director. (2) The superintendent is responsible for the actual assignment of a gravesite. (3) The superintendent may not accept a new gravesite reservation. A gravesite reservation granted in writing prior to the adoption of the one-gravesite-per-family-unit restriction shall be honored as long as the person remains eligible. (d) Burial sections. (1) The superintendent of each national cemetery shall develop an interment plan for burial sections in keeping with the historic character of the national cemetery, to be approved by the Regional Director. (2) The superintendent shall specify gravesite dimensions that conform to the historic design of the national cemetery. (3) Expansion of a burial section is prohibited without the approval of the Regional Director. (4) An interment is authorized only within a burial section; the superintendent may not authorize an interment within a memorial section. (5) Cremated remains may be scattered in a national cemetery in conformance with the provisions of § 2.62 of this chapter and applicable State laws. (6) Expansion of a national cemetery outside the confines of its historic enclosure is prohibited.