---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1490"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1490"
heading: "Transportation of remains: certain retired members and dependents who die in military medical facilities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1490"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 75 — Deceased Personnel"
  - "Subchapter II — Death Benefits"
---

# §1490. Transportation of remains: certain retired members and dependents who die in military medical facilities

- (a) Subject to [subsection (b)](#b), when a member entitled to retired or retainer [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) or equivalent [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15), or a [dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2) of such a member, dies while properly admitted under [chapter 55](/usc/10/chstA/ptII/ch55.md) of this title to a medical [facility](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2) of the [armed forces](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-4), the [Secretary concerned](/usc/10/2801.md?p=c-5) may transport the remains, or [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) the cost of transporting the remains, of the decedent to the place of burial of the decedent.
- (b)
  - (1) Transportation provided under this section may not be to a place further from the place of death than the decedent’s last place of permanent residence, and any amount paid under this section may not exceed the cost of transportation from the place of death to the decedent’s last place of permanent residence.
  - (2) Transportation of the remains of a decedent may not be provided under this section if such transportation is authorized by sections [1481](/usc/10/1481.md) and [1482](/usc/10/1482.md) of this title or by chapter 23 of title 38.
- (c) **Definition of Dependent.—** In this section, the term “[dependent](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2)” has the meaning given such term in [section 1072(2) of this title](/usc/10/1072.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 98–94, title X, § 1032(a)(1), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 671; amended Pub. L. 100–26, § 7(k)(3), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 284; Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VI, § 626(a), (b)(1), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1379, 1380; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 562(a), (b), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1483.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2003—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–136, § 562(a)(1), struck out “located in the United States” after “armed forces”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–136, § 562(a)(2), struck out “outside the United States or to a place” before “further”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–136, § 562(b), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows: “In this section:

“(1) The term ‘United States’ includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories and possessions of the United States.

“(2) The term ‘dependent’ has the meaning given such term in section 1072(2) of this title.”

1991—Pub. L. 102–190, § 626(b)(1), amended section catchline generally. Prior to amendment, section catchline read as follows: “Transportation of remains of members entitled to retired or retainer pay who die in a military medical facility”.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–190, § 626(a)(1), inserted “, or a dependent of such a member,” after “equivalent pay”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–190, § 626(a)(2), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “In this section, the term ‘United States’ includes the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the territories and possessions of the United States.”

1987—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–26 inserted “the term” after “In this section,”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title V, § 562(c), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1483, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply only with respect to persons dying on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 24, 2003].”

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 98–94, title X, § 1032(b), Sept. 24, 1983, 97 Stat. 672, provided that: “Section 1490 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to the transportation of the remains of persons dying after September 30, 1983.”