How long do you own your grave plot for?

Generally speaking, local authorities will only sell the exclusive right to a grave space for a certain number of years; this typically lasts for between 25 and 100 years. When the lease is due to expire, the grave owner will be sent a letter, inviting them to renew for further periods.

Can you sell your plot back to the cemetery?

“There’s not really an established resale market.” If you no longer want the property, first talk to someone at the cemetery to make sure you have the legal right to sell. If you bought with someone else, each owner must agree to a sale. You can ask if the cemetery will buy back the burial plot, although many won’t.

Do you have to be the owner of a cemetery plot?

Owning the deed to a cemetery plot does not make you the owner. Instead, it simply gives you a right to use the plot. In most cases, the cemetery management company remains the owner of the plot itself, so reviewing the company’s rules and regulations is critically important.

What’s the average cost of a burial plot?

In general, the average price for a cemetery plot ranges from $500- $10,000 (though infant and child graves tend to cost less). Plots in public cemeteries and rural graveyards are usually cheaper than plots in private cemeteries and urban locations. In addition, the location of the burial plot within the cemetery can also affect the total cost.

Can a burial plot be inherited or sold?

Cemetery plots can be inherited or sold just like any other piece of land, although cemetery management may have specific requirements that must be met before a transfer can be finalized. Just like real estate values, the location of a burial plot has a significant effect on the overall price.

What happens when you sell a lot to a cemetery?

This agreement transfers title to the cemetery and requests that the cemetery issue a new conveyance of the lot or space directly to the purchaser. The price paid to the owner must not be more than the cemetery would charge for the sale of a similar lot or space.

How do you find out who owns a cemetery plot?

Call or visit the cemetery office where you seek the plot information. Tell the clerk the grave location or plot information if known. If the grave location and plot are unknown, provide the name of the deceased buried in the grave site. Request information on the owner of the grave site or plot.

How long do you own a burial plot?

To reiterate, all this ultimately depends on the rules and regulations where you live, as well as the cemetery you choose. For more specific information on how long you own a burial plot after it is used, we recommend that you contact a cemetery near you now to learn more.

Who is the record owner of a cemetery?

Even when all internment spaces are occupied it is still good for a surviving family member to be the record owner. As owner, the living family member can deal with issues related to the care and maintenance of the family plot and other issues where the cemetery needs to involve an owner.

What is the title to a cemetery plot in California?

Title to a cemetery plot is either in the form of a deed to real property or a certificate of ownership issued by the cemetery. In California, the owner and also the owner’s spouse each have a vested right of internment if when they were married there were at least two available internment spaces.