Cemetery Regulations: What's Included in the Cemetery Rules?

The term “cemetery regulations” encompasses all the rules and guidelines concerning the operation of a cemetery. This includes regulations on grave sizes, resting periods, and how a grave can be designed and planted. Additionally, each cemetery regulation in the UK includes the specific fees applicable to that particular cemetery.

The regulations are also referred to as a rule catalog.

Below, we have summarized all the essential information regarding cemetery regulations. As a prospective leaseholder of a grave site, it is advisable to be familiar with the key contents of the relevant cemetery regulations.

What Does the Cemetery Ordinance State?

The burial laws allow each municipality to create its own cemetery regulations.

These cemetery ordinances always indicate for which cemeteries the regulations apply and who is allowed to be buried there. Generally, every member of a municipality has the right to be buried in the local cemetery.

The cemetery ordinance also governs the maintenance of graves. This includes the rules for designing graves, grave sizes, the spacing between graves, and the planting of graves. There may also be specific regulations regarding the types of headstones and the materials permitted.

The general cemetery ordinance also provides information about the resting periods, which can vary. Typically, the resting period is 20 years for ashes and 25 years for bodies.

Furthermore, the cemetery ordinance specifies the opening hours of a cemetery.