Most families don’t begin with the words “urn vault.” They begin with a simpler question: what happens next after cremation? Then a cemetery mentions a requirement, or a funeral director asks how you want the urn placed. Suddenly you’re making decisions that feel both tender and technical—sometimes in the same phone call.
Cremation is increasingly common, which means more families are running into cemetery policies around cremation urns and burial. The National Funeral Directors Association projects a 63.4% U.S. cremation rate in 2025. The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) reports the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024 and projects 67.9% by 2029.
This guide focuses on one piece of that puzzle: the urn vault. We’ll explain when it’s commonly required, how to match the vault to your urn, which materials hold up best for burial, and how to compare long-term options like keeping ashes at home, a niche, or water burial. We’ll also cover shareable keepsakes and jewelry, since many families need more than one way to stay connected.
What an urn vault is, and why cemeteries use them
An urn vault (sometimes called an outer burial container) is not the urn itself. The urn is the vessel that holds cremated remains; the vault is the protective container that goes around the urn when it’s placed in the ground. Cemeteries often require outer burial containers to help keep the gravesite stable and easier to maintain over time. The Catholic Cemeteries Association notes that outer burial containers help protect what’s buried from the weight of the earth and help preserve the appearance of the gravesite.
That practical purpose matters, because it explains why a vault can be required even for a small burial. An urn vault policy is usually about ground stability and long-term maintenance standards, not about judging your choices or your grief.
Do you need an urn vault?
If you’re asking do you need an urn vault, the most accurate answer is: you need one if the cemetery requires it for the section you choose. Requirements can differ between cemeteries—and even between sections of the same cemetery—based on marker style (flat lawn markers versus upright monuments), landscaping, and how that area is maintained. In other words, a cremation urn vault requirement is usually a property policy, and the policy is the thing to confirm before you buy.
The five questions that prevent re-orders
- Is an urn vault required for in-ground cremation burial in this section?
- If required, is the vault provided by the cemetery or purchased separately?
- What are the maximum outside dimensions allowed for the urn and for the vault?
- Are there material restrictions (for example, no glass, or biodegradable-only in a green section)?
- Can more than one urn be placed in the plot (or is a companion urn allowed)?
If you’re still choosing style, start broad and narrow down once you have measurements. Browsing cremation urns for ashes can help you see what feels right—traditional, modern, simple, symbolic—without committing too early.
Matching vault size to urn size
The phrase burial urn vault size usually comes down to physical dimensions. Capacity tells you how much cremated remains an urn can hold. A vault match is about whether the urn’s outside dimensions fit inside the vault’s inside dimensions, with a little clearance for placement and the lid. If you want a plain-English walkthrough of vault types and what cemeteries typically ask for, see Urn Vaults Explained.
If you’re wondering how deep to bury an urn, let the cemetery answer it. Depth requirements vary by location, plot type, and cemetery standards, and you don’t need to guess. What you can do now is choose an urn with a secure closure and a shape that’s easy to place, then verify it meets the cemetery’s size limits. For a steady overview of sizing and materials, see Choosing the Right Cremation Urn.
Best urn material for burial and ground burial urns
Families often search for the best urn material for burial, hoping there’s one perfect answer. In reality, it depends on whether the urn will be placed inside a vault and what the cemetery allows. If a vault is required, you often have more flexibility because the vault handles much of the environmental protection.
Metal urns (often brass, bronze, or stainless steel) are sturdy for handling and long-term placement. Stone urns (including marble) are durable but heavy and sometimes constrained by niche measurements. Ceramic urns can be strong, but some cemeteries restrict breakable materials for in-ground placement. Wood urns are chosen for warmth and craftsmanship; when paired with a vault, they can be appropriate for burial, and they’re also popular for home display.
If your plan is eco-focused, choose an urn designed for the environment you’re using. “Biodegradable for soil” and “water-soluble for the ocean” are not always the same thing. For families choosing ground burial urns in a green burial section—or an urn meant to return to nature—start with Biodegradable & Eco-Friendly Urns for Ashes.
Long-term storage options beyond burial
Even when burial is possible, it isn’t always the most comforting plan. Many families consider a niche in a columbarium, a memorial garden, or keeping ashes at home. For niches, measurements are everything. If you’re searching for a columbarium niche urn, get the niche dimensions first, then choose an urn that fits comfortably and meets any material requirements. If a smaller footprint helps, small cremation urns can make placement and sharing simpler.
For home display, the questions are about daily life: stability, privacy, and what feels emotionally sustainable. Funeral.com’s guide to keeping ashes at home covers placement, household safety, and gentle etiquette when visitors have different comfort levels.
When relatives want different kinds of closeness, sharing can reduce pressure. Many families keep one main urn, then divide a symbolic portion into keepsake urns and wearable options like cremation jewelry. Wearable pieces—especially cremation necklaces—are designed to hold a very small, symbolic amount so a person can carry connection without needing a shelf or a display space. If you want to understand filling and sealing in more detail, Cremation Jewelry 101 walks through the basics.
Pet urns for ashes and pet cremation urns
The same placement questions can come up after pet cremation, especially if you plan to bury the urn in a pet cemetery or create a memorial garden at home where it’s allowed. If you’re choosing pet urns or pet urns for ashes, it helps to decide first whether the memorial will be displayed at home, placed in a niche, or buried—then choose a size and material that fits that plan. Families who want classic styles can browse pet cremation urns, while sculpted tributes can feel deeply personal in the pet figurine cremation urns for ashes collection. If sharing matters (for example, in a split household), pet keepsake cremation urns for ashes can offer each person a small place for love to land.
Water burial and what to do with ashes
Sometimes the most meaningful plan isn’t a permanent container—it’s a release. If you’re weighing what to do with ashes and water feels right, it helps to know the rules early. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that burial at sea under the general permit must take place at least three nautical miles from shore, and it prohibits placing non-decomposable materials (including plastic) into ocean waters.
If your family is considering water burial with a dissolving urn, Funeral.com’s Biodegradable Ocean & Water Burial Urns guide explains how water-soluble designs typically work. For the “why” behind the rules and what “three nautical miles” can look like in a real family ceremony, Water Burial and Burial at Sea adds helpful context.
Funeral planning, costs, and the urn decisions that come with them
It can feel unfair that a tender decision is also a financial one, but it often is. Cemetery interment fees, vault requirements, engraving, and the choice to add keepsakes can change the total. If you’re trying to budget and you keep coming back to how much does cremation cost, Funeral.com’s guide on how much does cremation cost breaks down common fees and explains what typically affects price the most.
If you’re planning ahead rather than reacting after a death, writing down a simple “ashes plan” can spare your family months of uncertainty later. For a practical path through funeral planning (including prepaid-plan considerations), How to Preplan a Funeral can help you put decisions in writing while you still have breathing room.
A calmer way to decide
An urn vault requirement can feel like a curveball, but it’s also solvable. Start with the cemetery’s measurements and rules. Choose an urn that fits the long-term plan—burial, niche, home, or release. If your family needs more than one kind of closeness, consider keepsakes or jewelry as a way to honor that difference. In time, the details will feel less sharp, and the memorial will simply feel like love taking a shape.
