Clay County: Checking Veteran Status Before an Indigent Cremation

Clay County's contracted funeral home for its Unclaimed Decedent Disposition Program must check with VA's National Cemetery Scheduling Office whether a person was a veteran entitled to VA burial before a direct cremation at county expense, and file the VA forms for the burial benefits.

Also called: unclaimed remains, indigent burial, cremation, national cemetery, chapter 406, UDDP, Jacksonville National Cemetery.

For: Veteran or service member, survivor.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

Clay County, FLCounty

Chapter 406 of the Florida Statutes charges every county with the disposition of unclaimed and indigent bodies. Clay County does it through a contracted funeral establishment under its Unclaimed Decedent Disposition Program, about 60 cases a year, for deaths in Clay County where no legally authorized person is willing and able to pay. The veteran check. The County's request for proposals for the 2026 contract (RFP 25/26-105, ranked by the Board on September 22, 2026) requires the contractor, before any cremation, to determine whether the person was a veteran eligible for burial or benefits through VA, by contacting the National Cemetery Scheduling Office (1-800-535-1117), which can take 48 hours or more, and to prepare the VA forms needed to obtain the veteran's burial benefits. A family that cannot pay for a veteran's funeral should contact Veterans Services (904-529-4256) about VA burial benefits and burial in Jacksonville National Cemetery.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Clay County: Checking Veteran Status Before an Indigent Cremation
Gate	Rule
Unclaimed or indigent deceased veterans	For a person who died in Clay County with no one able to pay for the disposition. No rating is needed.

Sources

Updated

Last updated 2026-10-02.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.