Burial Vaults Explained: What They Are, What They Cost, and Whether You Need One

A burial vault is a rigid container, usually concrete, steel or fiberglass-type material, that goes in the grave and encloses the casket. No state law requires one, but many cemeteries do, to keep the ground from sinking as the casket and body break down over time. The Funeral Consumers Alliance says prices run from about $700 for a simple concrete grave liner to over $15,000 for a fancy metal-clad vault.

What is a burial vault?

A burial vault is one kind of outer burial container. Federal regulations define that term as any container designed to be placed in the grave around the casket, including what are commonly called burial vaults, grave boxes and grave liners. In practice, vaults and liners give different amounts of coverage.

A vault does not preserve the body. Its job is structural. The cemetery wants the earth above the grave to stay level, so that mowers and visitors are safe. The Funeral Consumers Alliance explains that a vault stops the grave from sinking in after the body and casket decompose, which makes the lawn easier to mow with heavy equipment.

What is the difference between a vault and a grave liner?

Most cemeteries that require an outer burial container will accept either a liner or a vault. Our side-by-side guide to grave liners and vaults explains the choice in more detail.

What are burial vaults made of?

Florida law gives vaults made of concrete, steel, fiberglass or copper as examples of outer burial containers. The Funeral Consumers Alliance describes vaults as concrete, steel or lightweight fiberglass-type, and contrasts a simple concrete liner with a fancy metal-clad vault.

The material and the extras (a metal lining, a seal, a decorative finish) mostly decide the price. Two plain facts help when comparing. The container's purpose is to support the soil, and the Funeral Rule limits what sellers may claim about preservation. See the section below.

Is a burial vault required?

Not by law. The FTC says outer burial containers are not required by state law anywhere in the US, though many cemeteries require them to prevent the grave from caving in. So the requirement, if there is one, comes from the cemetery's own rules.

The Funeral Rule protects you here in three ways. If a funeral home sells outer burial containers, it must let you see a written price list before it shows you any (unless the prices are on its general price list). That list must say that in most areas the law doesn't require a container around the casket, that many cemeteries do, and that either a grave liner or a burial vault will satisfy them. And it may not claim that the law or a cemetery requires something when it doesn't. If a provider says a cemetery requires a vault, it must put that requirement in writing on your statement of goods and services.

Our guide on cemetery rules and regulations covers what else a cemetery may require.

Does a burial vault protect or preserve the body?

No. The Funeral Rule makes it a deceptive practice for a funeral provider to represent that funeral goods or services will delay the natural decomposition of human remains for a long-term or indefinite time. It is also deceptive to claim that goods have protective features or will protect the body from gravesite substances when that isn't true.

Some vaults come with seals or linings, and sellers may describe them as protective. Treat words like "sealed" or "protective" as selling points to question, not promises about what happens in the ground. Ask for any warranty in writing and read what it covers.

How much does a burial vault cost?

Published figures give a range rather than a single price:

The cemetery's own fees come on top. Some charge a handling or installation fee, and the opening and closing fee is separate. See opening and closing grave fees. For the bigger picture, the average funeral cost breakdown shows where an outer burial container fits in a burial budget.

Where can you buy a burial vault?

You can usually buy one from the funeral home, from the cemetery, or from an independent vault company. The Funeral Consumers Alliance says you may find it less expensive to buy one from a third-party company than from a funeral home or cemetery.

The Funeral Rule gives you a right to see a written outer burial container price list before you choose, but it does not cover third-party sellers or cemeteries without a funeral home. Before you buy elsewhere, ask the cemetery what restrictions it places on vaults purchased elsewhere, as the FTC advises. Policies differ from one cemetery to the next, so get the answer in writing.

For a list of what a funeral home must itemize, see our guide on the general price list and the FTC Funeral Rule.

Do you need a vault for ashes?

Burying cremated remains is a different question. Some cemeteries ask for a rigid outer container, often called an urn vault, to support the soil above an urn. Florida law calls it a cremation interment container, defined as a rigid outer container of concrete, steel, fiberglass or something similar that supports the earth above the urn. Green-Wood lists an extra $707 for interring cremated remains in an urn vault at extra depth. Other cemeteries accept an urn directly in the ground or in a niche.

Ask the cemetery what it requires before you buy an urn or a container. Our guides on urn vaults for burial and interring ashes in a cemetery cover your options.

When might you not need a vault?

• VA national cemeteries. The FTC says there are no charges for opening or closing the grave, for a vault or liner, or for setting the marker in a national cemetery. See national cemetery eligibility.
• Green burial grounds. The Green Burial Council says certified green cemeteries bury without vaults, using a biodegradable container. Our green burial guide explains the options.
• Faith traditions that call for earth burial. The Funeral Consumers Alliance notes that some religious traditions require burial directly in the earth without a vault, and some cemeteries set aside areas for this. If this applies to you, ask the cemetery early.
• Mausoleum entombment. A crypt is itself an enclosure for the casket under Florida law. Our mausoleum burial guide explains how entombment works.

What to do next

1. Ask the cemetery in writing whether it requires an outer burial container, and what types it accepts.
2. Ask the funeral home for its outer burial container price list, and compare it with the cemetery's and an independent seller's.
3. Choose the least expensive container that meets the cemetery's rule unless you have a reason to spend more.
4. Add the cost to your budget with the plot, opening and closing and marker. See cemetery plot costs.