Glossary
What is burial plot?
A burial plot is a specific space in a cemetery reserved for a burial. When you buy a plot you are purchasing the right to be interred there — the right of interment — not the land itself, and cemetery rules govern markers, vaults, and how many remains a plot may hold.
Plot prices vary widely by cemetery and location and are billed separately from the funeral home. Beyond the plot itself, expect charges for opening and closing the grave, a required vault or grave liner, and a marker.
Some plots allow more than one interment — a double-depth grave, or cremated remains added to a casket grave. Always confirm the cemetery's rules before buying.
Related terms
Interment
Interment is the act of placing a body or cremated remains in their final resting place, most often by burying a casket in the ground or entombing it in a crypt. The cemetery fee to open and close the grave is commonly called the interment charge.
Opening and closing fee
The opening and closing fee is what a cemetery charges to dig and refill a grave — or to open and reseal a crypt or niche — for a burial or entombment. Billed separately by the cemetery, not the funeral home, it commonly runs $1,000 to $3,000 and is easy to overlook.
Burial vault
A burial vault is a sealed outer container, usually concrete or reinforced material, that encloses the casket in the grave. It supports the soil above and helps keep the ground level. Many cemeteries require a vault or a grave liner.
Perpetual care
Perpetual care, also called endowment care, is the ongoing upkeep of a cemetery — mowing, landscaping, and general maintenance. A portion of what you pay for a plot goes into a perpetual care fund whose earnings pay for that maintenance over the long term.
Headstone
A headstone is the marker placed at a grave to identify the person buried there, usually inscribed with their name and dates. Also called a grave marker or monument, it can be a flat marker set level with the ground or an upright stone, and is bought and installed separately from the funeral.
Common questions about Burial plot
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This definition is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. See our editorial standards.