Who regulates cemeteries in Texas?
The Texas Historical Commission or other state agencies do not enforce cemetery laws. This responsibility belongs to county and municipal law enforcement agencies. If you are aware of cemetery vandalism or desecration, contact your county sheriff or local police department.
Can you be buried without a casket in Texas?
No Texas law requires a casket for burial, although some cemeteries have rules specifying a certain type of container. Since Lisa is planning for burial on her own private land, she will not have to have a casket. Instead she can exercise her wish to be wrapped in biodegradable material.
Can I be buried in my backyard in Texas?
Can You Bury a Body at Home in Texas? There are no state laws in Texas prohibiting home burial, but local governments may have rules governing private burials. Before burying a body on private property or establishing a family cemetery, you should check with the county or town clerk for any zoning laws you must follow.
Can you have your own cemetery in Texas?
But according to the Texas health and safety code, a family or individual can declare their own cemetery on private land. So long as the land stays under 10 acres, it remains unregulated by the complex licensing rules of the funeral service commission. A body must be buried at least two feet below the surface.
Who is responsible for a grave?
The family which owns the Deed of Grant is responsible for the grave maintenance, subject to the rules of the authority which owns the cemetery and looks after the grounds. Some cemeteries can have quite strict regulations about things people are permitted to do and what is expected of them.
Can I bury a relative on my property?
Burial laws differ from state to state. For most states, the answer is “Yes,” you can be buried on your property. Only three states have outlawed home burial. They are Indiana, California, and Washington.
Is Green burial legal in Texas?
It is NOT legally required in any state unless there is public health concern. Even funeral home staff expose themselves to risk by working with these poisonous chemicals.
Is it illegal to bury a body without a casket?
Caskets and The Law No state law requires use of a casket for burial or cremation. If a burial vault is being used, there is no inherent requirement to use a casket. A person can be directly interred in the earth, in a shroud, or in a vault without a casket.
Can you put a headstone on a grave without the deeds?
Only the person named on the Deed of Grant to a cemetery plot is entitled to put a headstone on a grave, provided that the cemetery allows it. If you do not own the Deed of Grant and place a grave marker on the site, the Registered Grave Owner is legally entitled to remove it or have it removed.
What happens when the owner of a cemetery plot dies?
If the grave owner has died, you must transfer the ownership of the grave to a living owner before you arrange any further burials in the grave. You also need to transfer ownership to a living owner to erect a new memorial or carry out any additional works on the grave.