If you’re trying to figure out how to bury cremated remains, you’re not alone. Many families choose cremation for flexibility, and then realize they still want something that feels permanent and visitable—a cemetery place, a niche, a cremation garden, or a memorial structure that future generations can find without guessing. The options are real and common, but each one comes with its own rules, fees, and “fit” requirements.
This guide explains the most common cemetery choices for cremated remains, how to find a cemetery that offers what you want, what niche sizes typically require (and why “standard” is a myth), and the costs families most often encounter—plot or niche rights, opening and closing, permits and death certificates, and whether an urn vault required policy applies. It’s general information (not legal advice), and it’s designed to help you ask the right questions before you buy anything irreversible.
The Three Main Cemetery Paths for Cremated Remains
Most families end up choosing one of these options, sometimes with a blended plan (for example: a niche for the primary urn, plus small keepsakes for close relatives).
Burying an urn in the ground
This is what most people mean when they say “bury the ashes.” The urn is placed below grade in a cremation plot, an urn garden, or sometimes within an existing family grave if the cemetery allows it. This option tends to feel familiar: it provides a place to visit, and it often pairs with a flat marker or headstone.
Placing the urn in a columbarium niche
A columbarium niche is an above-ground compartment designed to hold an urn. Families often like this option because it offers permanence without an in-ground grave. Many cemeteries offer single niches, double niches, and family niches, and the niche front is typically engraved or marked.
Choosing a cremation garden or mausoleum-based option
“Cremation garden” can mean a landscaped section with cremation plots and flat markers, a memorial wall, bench memorials, or a mausoleum building that includes niches (and sometimes crypts). The best way to think about this category is “a cemetery-designed cremation section,” which usually comes with its own rules about markers and placement.
If you want a broad overview of how cemeteries structure these options (urn gardens, niches, benches, memorial walls), Funeral.com’s guide Cremation Cemetery Memorial Options is a helpful orientation.
How to Find a Cemetery for Cremated Remains
Families often search for “cemetery for cremated remains” and expect a single directory that solves it. In practice, it’s usually a short process of calling and confirming what a cemetery offers.
Start with the cemeteries closest to the places that matter to your family—near home, near a family plot, or near a church/community. Then ask one simple question: “Do you offer cremation burial in the ground, niches, or both?” From there, you can narrow quickly.
If your family is planning for a specific cemetery where relatives are already buried, ask whether the existing plot allows urn burials and how many. Many cemeteries allow urns in a full-size plot, but the allowed number and placement rules vary.
If you are a Veteran family, include VA and state veterans cemeteries in your search. The VA National Cemetery Administration (NCA) offers burial benefits for eligible Veterans and certain family members, and cremated remains can be placed in multiple ways. The VA’s “Burial Benefits for Veterans and their Families” guide notes that burial options may include burial of cremated remains in a columbarium niche, in-ground, or in a scatter garden. It also states that national cemetery burial benefits are provided at no cost and include the gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care. See Burial Benefits for Veterans and their Families (VA PDF).
In-Ground Urn Burial: What to Expect
When you bury urn in cemetery, the practical flow is usually: the cemetery confirms the right of interment (your space), schedules an interment time, opens the space, places the urn (sometimes inside an urn vault), and closes the space afterward. Some families hold a brief graveside committal; others prefer a quiet placement with no ceremony.
The part that surprises families most is not the burial itself. It’s the cemetery’s container requirements.
Do you need an urn vault?
Some cemeteries require an outer burial container (an urn vault or urn liner) for cremation burials. This isn’t because your urn is “not strong enough.” It’s usually about long-term maintenance and preventing settling. The Federal Trade Commission explains the larger principle clearly: outer burial containers are not required by state law anywhere in the U.S., but many cemeteries require them to prevent the grave from caving in. See The FTC Funeral Rule (Consumer Advice).
If a cemetery requires an urn vault, it adds a second fit requirement: your urn’s exterior dimensions must fit inside the vault’s interior space. This is why families are often advised to confirm cemetery rules before buying a personalized or non-returnable urn. Funeral.com’s guide Urn Vaults Explained walks through how vault requirements change what “fits” means.
How many urns can be buried in one plot?
This is one of the most common planning questions, and the honest answer is: it depends on the cemetery and the section. Many cemeteries do allow multiple urns in a single grave space, especially when that grave space was originally designed for a casket burial. But policies vary based on plot size, whether a casket is already present, and whether each urn must be placed in its own vault.
For a concrete example of how this can be stated in writing, the University of Virginia Cemetery & Columbarium notes that each of its columbarium vaults may accept up to four urns depending on urn size, and provides recommended urn dimensions if four are planned. See UVA Cemetery & Columbarium: Interment & Engraving. That example is not a universal rule, but it illustrates what you want from any cemetery: a clear “how many, and what size” policy.
If your family expects multiple future placements, ask the cemetery to describe how they map urn placements within the plot (where each urn is positioned) and whether future placements require additional fees.
Columbarium Niches: What Niche Size “Typically” Requires
A columbarium niche is often the most straightforward option for families who want permanence without an in-ground grave. But niche planning has one rule that prevents most headaches: measure first, then fall in love. “Standard niche size” is often repeated as if it’s universal, but niche dimensions vary widely by cemetery, by wall, and even by niche location.
For a commonly cited benchmark, Cremation.com notes that a typical 9″ x 9″ x 9″ cremation niche purchased pre-need averages $750 to $2,800, and explains that indoor niches may cost more than outdoor ones. See Cremation.com: Cremation Niches.
That “9-inch cube” is a useful mental anchor, but it is not a guarantee. Some niches are wider than they are tall. Others are deeper. Some accept one urn; others accept two. Some publish a “door pass-through” size that is smaller than the interior, which matters because an urn can fit inside but still not pass through the opening.
If you want a practical, cemetery-friendly way to ask for measurements, Funeral.com’s guide Columbarium Niche Fit: How to Measure the Space and Choose an Urn That Actually Fits explains which dimensions to request (interior height, width, depth) and why the opening size can be misleading.
What fees come with niche placement?
Many cemeteries charge more than just the niche right. You may also see an inurnment fee (staff time to open the niche, place the urn, secure the front panel, and update records), engraving fees for the niche faceplate, and perpetual care/endowment care charges.
If you want a plain-English explanation of what these fees cover (and how to compare cemetery quotes), Funeral.com’s guide Cemetery Fees Explained breaks down opening and closing, inurnment fees, and maintenance charges.
Costs to Expect: The Common Line Items Families Encounter
Cemetery and niche costs vary dramatically by region and cemetery type, but the fee categories are remarkably consistent. Thinking in categories helps families compare quotes without feeling blindsided.
| Cost category | What it usually covers | How it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Right of interment (space) | The right to place remains in a specific plot, cremation garden space, or niche | “Cremation plot,” “urn garden space,” “niche purchase,” “right of interment” |
| Opening and closing (in-ground) | Labor and equipment to open the space and restore it afterward | “Opening/closing,” “interment fee,” “grave preparation” |
| Inurnment fee (niche) | Staff time to open niche, place urn, secure faceplate, update records | “Inurnment,” “niche placement fee” |
| Urn vault/liner (if required) | Outer container required by some cemeteries for in-ground urn burial | “Urn vault,” “urn liner,” “outer burial container” |
| Marker/inscription | Flat marker, headstone, niche plate engraving, foundation or setting | “Marker,” “inscription,” “setting,” “foundation,” “bronze/granite plate” |
| Administrative items | Permits, certified death certificates, cemetery administration fees | Often separate, sometimes “cash advance” items |
To put some general ranges around the most common fees (not promises—just typical consumer ranges), Trigard notes that opening and closing fees often average $400 to $800, with higher-end cemeteries charging $1,000 or more. See Trigard: Cost to Bury Cremated Remains in a Cemetery. For niche purchase ranges, Cremation.com’s $750–$2,800 estimate for a typical 9″ niche is a widely repeated benchmark. See Cremation.com: Cremation Niches.
If you want a practical budget narrative that explains why cemetery bills include multiple layers (and how to compare them), Funeral.com’s Cemetery Fees Explained is designed for that.
VA National Cemetery Cremation: What “No Cost” Means (and What It Doesn’t)
Veteran families often ask whether the VA covers cremation. The answer is nuanced. The VA does not pay for cremation directly in the sense of paying a funeral home’s cremation fee. The VA’s burial benefits are about the cemetery and memorialization side: the place and the markers. The VA’s burial benefits guide states that national cemetery burial benefits are provided at no cost and include the gravesite, opening and closing, a headstone or marker, and perpetual care. It also notes that burial options may include cremated remains in a columbarium niche, in-ground, or in a scatter garden. See VA NCA Quick Guide (PDF).
That same guide also clarifies that the VA does not pay for cremation directly and that items or services obtained from a funeral home are generally at the family’s expense, though some families may be eligible for a burial allowance. See the FAQ section in the VA guide.
If VA national cemetery burial is part of your plan, the VA guide lists the National Cemetery Scheduling Office contact pathway, including a scheduling phone number (1-800-535-1117) and references to submitting discharge documentation. See VA NCA Quick Guide (PDF). If you’re considering Arlington National Cemetery, note that Arlington has separate eligibility rules from VA national cemeteries; Arlington explains that eligibility differs and that many veterans may be eligible for above-ground inurnment even when in-ground burial is more restricted. See Arlington: Establishing Eligibility.
What to Ask Before You Buy an Urn for Burial or a Niche
Many families make the urn purchase first because it feels like progress. The most stress-free approach is to ask the cemetery questions first, then shop with those requirements in hand.
These questions cover most situations without turning the call into an interrogation:
- Do you offer in-ground urn burial here, a columbarium niche, or both?
- If we bury the urn in the ground, is an urn vault or liner required?
- If we choose a niche, what are the interior height, width, and depth (and is the opening smaller than the interior)?
- How many urns can be placed in one plot or one niche in this section?
- What fees apply: opening/closing, inurnment, inscription/engraving, setting/foundation, endowment care?
- Are there rules about urn material (metal, ceramic, wood) or sealing requirements?
If you’re buying online, remember that capacity (cubic inches) is only half the story when placement is involved. Funeral.com’s Choosing an Urn Online guide shows how to read listings for capacity, exterior dimensions, closure type, and personalization rules.
Choosing an Urn That Fits the Plan
Once you know the destination, shopping becomes calmer. If you’re choosing a primary urn for one person’s full remains, start with full size urns. If your family is sharing small portions, keepsake urns are designed for symbolic amounts, while small urns can hold larger partial portions for a second household.
If your plan includes a biodegradable burial in a green section (or a nature-forward plan), browse biodegradable urns, but confirm the cemetery’s policy first. Some conventional cemeteries require outer containers that can conflict with biodegradable intent, while green burial grounds may prohibit vaults entirely.
If you want a simple capacity refresher before you buy, Funeral.com’s Urn Size Calculator Guide explains the common “cubic inches per pound” guideline and when it’s wise to size up for peace of mind.
A Calm Bottom Line
You can bury cremated remains in a cemetery in more than one way: in-ground urn burial, a cremation garden space, or a columbarium niche. Each option comes with different rules and different costs. The most common “surprise” costs are opening and closing (for in-ground burial), inurnment fees (for niches), and whether an urn vault is required. The FTC’s guidance is a helpful reality check: vaults and outer burial containers aren’t required by law, but cemeteries may require them for maintenance and ground stability. See The FTC Funeral Rule.
If you take one planning step early, let it be this: get the cemetery’s requirements in writing (or at least clearly stated) before you purchase a customized urn or commit to a niche. That single step prevents most rework and keeps your family’s attention where it belongs—on remembrance, not logistics.
