Transfer of grave ownership

Once a grave owner has died the grave ownership must be transferred to a living person in order to open the grave for any further burials and to have the memorial put back on to the grave.   

The grave ownership becomes part of a person’s legal estate once they have died. 

The grave owner can transfer the ownership of a grave to another person while they are living.  

There is a charge for transferring the ownership of a grave.

A grave owner has a will

If a grave owner has died and left a will, then the appointed executor of their will has the right to take on the ownership of the grave or to appoint someone else as the new owner. We will require:

• a change of ownership form to be signed

• a copy of the will for our records.

A grave owner does not have a will

If a grave owner has died and not left a will, then their next of kin will have the right to take on the ownership of the grave. We will require:

• a change of ownership form to be signed

• a statutory declaration signed and witnessed by either a solicitor or magistrate.

All paperwork and forms are statutory and will be issued by the cemetery office.