Burial Options Explained: Types, Costs and How to Choose

The main burial options in the US are traditional in-ground burial, direct (immediate) burial, above-ground entombment in a mausoleum, green burial, burial of cremated remains, home burial where local rules allow it, and burial at sea. Burial is usually billed twice, once by the funeral home and once by the cemetery. Few parts of a burial are required by law, so you can often choose a simpler version.

What are the main burial options?

The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) projected that 31.6% of U.S. dispositions in 2025 would be burials and 63.4% cremations, with cremation reaching 82.3% by 2045. Burial is still chosen by about a third of families, and many cemeteries offer more than one option.

What is traditional in-ground burial?

In a traditional burial the body is placed in a casket, usually after a viewing or funeral service, and buried in a grave in a cemetery. Most cemeteries require a vault or grave liner around the casket. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA), a nonprofit consumer group, notes that few of these elements are required by law. Our guide to traditional burial walks through each step, and our guides to casket prices and burial vaults cover the biggest purchases.

What is direct burial?

The FTC defines immediate burial as burial "without formal viewing, visitation, or ceremony with the body present, except for a graveside service." Because it skips the viewing and the funeral-home ceremony, it usually costs less than a full-service burial. You still pay the cemetery for the grave, opening and closing, and any vault or liner the cemetery requires, and you can hold a memorial gathering separately. See what is direct burial and direct burial cost.

What is above-ground burial?

A mausoleum is a building where caskets are placed in crypts above ground, and a columbarium is a structure with niches for urns. The FTC lists crypts and niches for cremated remains in mausoleums and columbariums among cemetery purchases. Availability and prices depend entirely on the cemetery. See above-ground burial, mausoleum burial and columbarium niches.

What is green burial?

The Green Burial Council describes green burial as returning the body directly to the earth through natural decomposition, with no toxic embalming, only biodegradable caskets, shrouds or containers, and no burial vault. It certifies three kinds of cemetery: hybrid cemeteries that offer a green section inside an existing cemetery, natural burial grounds on land reserved for natural burial, and conservation burial grounds protected by both burial and conservation law.

Interest is growing. The NFDA's 2025 report found 61.4% of consumers interested in exploring green funeral options, up from 55.7% in 2021. Not every region has a green cemetery, so check find a green burial cemetery, natural burial grounds and green burial vs traditional burial.

Can cremated remains be buried?

Yes. Cremation and burial are not opposites. The FCA says ashes may be buried, scattered, placed in a columbarium niche or kept at home, and that some cemeteries permit more than one container in a regular grave or sell smaller, lower-cost plots in an urn section. Ask whether a family grave already owned can take an urn. See interring ashes in a cemetery and cremation plot vs burial plot.

Can you be buried on private land?

Sometimes. The FCA says most states allow burial on private property outside city limits, but you must check your municipality's zoning requirements and get any necessary permits. Unless you have established a family cemetery, the land may be sold for other purposes, and while courts generally recognize a right of access for descendants, that is not guaranteed. Rules differ a lot by state, so start with the county or state health office. See home burial laws in the USA and our home burial guide.

What are the rules for burial at sea?

The EPA sets the rules. Remains that are not cremated must be placed at least three nautical miles from land in water at least 600 feet deep, and in certain areas off Florida, at least 1,800 feet deep. Cremated remains must be placed at least three nautical miles from land. The EPA recommends that a casket have at least twenty 2-inch holes, at least 300 pounds of total weight and at least six durable stainless steel bands, chains or natural fiber ropes. You must notify the EPA within 30 days of the burial. See our burial at sea guide.

Can veterans be buried in a national cemetery?

Burial in a VA national cemetery is open to members of the armed forces who met a minimum active-duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A veteran's spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children and, under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible. The VA provides a gravesite in any national cemetery with available space, opening and closing, perpetual care, a government headstone, marker or medallion and a burial flag at no cost. See national cemetery eligibility and veterans burial benefits.

What about human composting, aquamation and body donation?

These are not burial, but people weigh them against it. Natural organic reduction (human composting) and alkaline hydrolysis (aquamation) are legal in a growing number of states, and availability depends on where you live. Body donation requires an accepted program and is not always possible. See where human composting is legal, aquamation availability by state and body donation programs.

How much do burial options cost?

A burial is billed in two parts: the funeral home's General Price List (services, body care, casket, transport) and the cemetery's charges. The FCA's ranges (brochure revised December 2020, so older and often lower than current prices) are:

Cemetery prices vary by location. Ames, Iowa's municipal schedule, effective July 1, 2026, lists an adult grave at $1,123 including $224.60 for perpetual care, and a weekday adult opening and closing at $1,123 ($1,563 on weekends and holidays, plus a $250 winter surcharge). See cemetery plot costs and opening and closing grave fees.

What does the law require?

• Embalming. The FTC says it is not required by law except in certain special cases. The FCA says no state requires it when burial or cremation will take place within two days, and refrigeration is an alternative in most states.
• Vault. The FTC Funeral Rule notes that in most areas state or local law does not require an outer burial container, but many cemeteries do.
• Casket. You can buy a casket elsewhere, and a funeral provider cannot refuse it or charge a fee. See buying a casket online.
• Funeral home. The FCA's 2020 brochure says nine states require a funeral director: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York.
• Cemeteries. The Funeral Rule does not cover cemeteries and mausoleums unless they sell both funeral goods and funeral services, so ask the cemetery for its own written price list and rules.

How do you choose a burial option?

1. Start with the person's wishes and faith. Some traditions require burial in the earth or within a set time. See religious cemetery requirements.
2. Check what is available nearby. Not every cemetery offers a mausoleum, a green section or an urn garden. See choosing a cemetery.
3. Get written price lists. Collect General Price Lists from funeral homes and a written list from the cemetery, and compare the same items. See the FTC Funeral Rule.
4. Check cemetery rules. Ask about vaults, markers and decorations before you buy. See cemetery rules and regulations.
5. Decide which parts of a funeral you want. You can buy goods and services separately and do not have to accept a package.

What help is there with the cost of a burial?

The FCA says many states offer burial assistance for people who were receiving government assistance such as Medicaid, SSI or SSD at death, and suggests contacting your local Department of Social Services. Survivors of Social Security recipients may receive a one-time $255 lump sum, according to the FCA; check the Social Security Administration for who qualifies. Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Officers Benefits also offer burial assistance. See government funeral help and what to do if you cannot afford a grave.

What to do next

1. Write down the person's wishes, including faith, cemetery and type of burial.
2. Ask for price lists from the funeral home and cemetery.
3. If you are planning ahead, share your choices with family and keep them somewhere they can find them. See pre-planning your funeral.