Cemetery Department

Overview

Individuals caring for deceased relatives and friends are encouraged to plan carefully and communicate in advance with any facilities and agencies that may be involved, such as a hospital, hospice, nursing home, board of health, funeral home, crematory or cemetery, to avoid confusion about the law or other requirements. There are generally two options for final disposition of a body in Massachusetts: cremation, or burial in an approved cemetery. Cremation must occur in a crematory approved by both the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and burial must occur in a cemetery that has been approved by the local board of health and authorized by the municipal government (e.g., town meeting).