How Cemeteries Are Regulated Across Florida

Florida has a well-defined legal framework for burial grounds, yet most of the real work happens at individual cemeteries, county offices, and funeral homes. If you are arranging a burial, buying a plot, or looking for a relative's grave, it helps to know which body answers which question. This page explains how the system fits together and where to start.

At the state level, the Florida Department of Financial Services houses the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. The division licenses cemetery companies, examines their trust accounts, and accepts consumer complaints. A companion body, the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services, adopts rules and disciplines licensees. Both operate under Chapter 497 of the Florida Statutes.

Chapter 497 covers the sale of burial rights, preneed contracts, and endowment care. A cemetery that promises ongoing upkeep must set aside part of its sales in a trust, so mowing and repairs can continue after the last plot is sold. That rule matters most in older cemeteries, where ownership often changes hands over the decades.

A separate law, Chapter 872, protects graves and human remains from disturbance. If a crew uncovers an unmarked burial during construction, the discovery must be reported, and the State Archaeologist in the Division of Historical Resources may become involved. Florida's long settlement history, from Spanish-era St. Augustine to much older Native American sites, makes such finds more common than many people expect.

Not every burial ground carries a state license. Some church cemeteries, family plots, and government-run cemeteries fall under different rules. Ask any cemetery directly whether it holds a Florida license, and call the state division if the answer is unclear.

Metro Cemeteries in South Florida, Tampa Bay, and Jacksonville

Florida's largest cemetery clusters follow its population. Our listings show the heaviest concentrations in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Duval County, and Hillsborough County. Those counties contain Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, and Tampa. In each one you will find large commercial memorial parks beside small historic burial grounds, often within a few miles of each other.

Many metro cemeteries are run by regional or national operators with full-time offices. Carriage Services At Lauderdale Memorial Park Cemetery sits at 2001 Southwest 4th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale and answers at 954-745-2140. In Hollywood, Hollywood Queen of Heaven Cemetery is at 1500 South State Road 7, phone 954-921-8607. Tampa Myrtle Hill Cemetery, at 4002 North 50th Street, takes calls at 813-626-3161. In Jacksonville, Cosmo Cemetery is listed at 11120 McCormick Road.

Ground conditions shape what you will see. South Florida's high water table and low elevation make traditional in-ground burial harder, so mausoleums, crypts, and entombment buildings are common. Many cemeteries also require a concrete grave liner or vault to keep the soil from settling. That requirement usually comes from the cemetery's own rules rather than from state law, so ask what applies to your plot.

Metro cemeteries often schedule several services a day. Ask for a time slot as early as you can. Afternoon thunderstorms are routine across Florida in summer, and many families choose morning services for that reason, and to avoid the worst of the heat.

Panhandle, North Florida, and Smaller-Town Cemeteries

Away from the big coastal metros, cemetery services work differently. In the Panhandle and north Florida, many offices are small, staffed part-time, and reachable mainly by phone. Pensacola Memorial Gardens Cemetery, at 7433 Pine Forest Road in Escambia County, can be reached at 850-944-0355. In Tallahassee, Tallahassee Memory Gardens Cemetery at 1660 North Monroe Street answers at 850-431-6220. Gainesville's Forest Meadows Cemetery-Central, at 4100 Northwest 39th Avenue in Alachua County, is at 352-376-9552.

Bay County shows how storms affect grounds and paperwork. Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Cemeteries, at 2403 Harrison Avenue (listed in our data under Panama), serves the Panama City area at 850-763-4694. Hurricane Michael struck that coast in October 2018. If you depend on old deeds or plot maps, ask any cemetery how its burial records are stored and backed up.

St. Augustine, the nation's oldest continuously occupied European-founded city, has burial grounds that span several centuries. St Augustine Memorial Park Cemetery, at 2600 Old Moultrie Road in St. Johns County, is a modern option and takes calls at 904-797-4990. Historic sections elsewhere in town can have limited records and strict preservation rules, so expect more questions and slower answers.

In rural counties, a cemetery may be run by a church, a county commission, or a volunteer association rather than a licensed company. Those places often have no website and no posted hours. Expect to leave a message, and expect plot maps that were drawn by hand. Patience and a clear description of the section or family name will get you further than a general request.

What to Gather Before You Contact a Florida Cemetery

A few documents and questions save repeat calls. Whether you are buying a plot, scheduling an interment, or checking an old record, have these items ready:

When you reach the office, ask for a written price list covering opening and closing fees, vault or liner requirements, marker size and material rules, and any perpetual care charge. Ask whether the cemetery limits flowers, decorations, or flat versus upright monuments. Those rules differ widely between neighboring cemeteries, even within the same county.

Finally, remember hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. A storm warning can delay a service or close a cemetery for days. Confirm a backup date, and give the cemetery a phone number where you can be reached quickly.

Government cemeteries in Florida include facilities administered by the VA's National Cemetery Administration, state veterans cemeteries funded through state and federal partnerships, and local municipal and county cemeteries operated by city and county governments throughout the state.

Cemetery locations are available in 148 cities across Florida. They are spread across 53 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, where established municipal cemeteries have served their communities for generations and maintain extensive historical burial records.

Veterans in Florida may be eligible for burial in a state veterans cemetery at little or no cost. Contact the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs or Veterans Services to confirm eligibility requirements and available state-operated facilities.

Cemetery by Counties

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Families and genealogists in Florida can often request burial records from municipal cemetery offices or search online databases maintained by state archives and historical societies. Many Florida counties have digitized older cemetery records that are available through county clerk or public library genealogy collections.

Browse Cemetery by county across Florida to find the nearest location.

Veterans Burials, Cremation, and Records in Florida Cemeteries

Florida's retiree population and military bases mean veterans burials are a major part of the picture. National cemeteries are run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not by the state. Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, South Florida National Cemetery near Lake Worth, Jacksonville National Cemetery, and Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola are among those serving the state. Eligibility depends on military service records, usually a DD Form 214. A funeral director can submit the request, and the VA can review eligibility ahead of time.

Cremation is widely used in Florida, but it carries its own steps. A medical examiner must approve cremation, and a waiting period after death generally applies. Funeral directors coordinate this. Afterward, cremated remains can go into a columbarium niche, a cremation garden, or a family plot. Palm Royale Cemetery Mausoleum & Chapel, at 6780 Vanderbilt Beach Road in Naples, lists a mausoleum and chapel and can be reached at 239-354-5330.

On the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, mid-sized counties carry steady cemetery activity. In Pinellas County, Hellview Cemetery at 510 49th Avenue North in St. Petersburg answers at 727-525-2139. In Volusia County, Deland Oakdale Cemetery at 725 North Florida Avenue is at 386-734-0626, and Edgewater New Smyrna Cemetery at 1210 John Anderson Drive in Ormond Beach is at 386-441-1144. Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Cemetery, at 1589 Colonial Boulevard in Lee County, takes calls at 239-243-0014. Indian Springs Cemetery in Punta Gorda is at 941-575-3600.

For records, start with the cemetery office, then the funeral home that handled the service. Many Florida cemeteries will search by name and year of death if you call.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cemeteries in Florida

The Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services, part of the Florida Department of Financial Services, licenses cemetery companies and enforces Chapter 497 of the Florida Statutes. The Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services writes the rules. If you have a problem with a licensed cemetery, such as a missing refund, a misplaced marker, or neglected grounds, you can file a complaint with the division. The department's consumer helpline is 1-877-693-5236. Before filing, gather your contract, receipts, and notes on every call or letter. Cemeteries run by churches or governments may be handled differently, so ask which agency has authority.

A death certificate must be filed with the Florida Department of Health, and a burial-transit permit is issued before final disposition. In most cases the funeral director files both, which is one reason families rarely handle them alone. The cemetery will also want proof that you own the plot or have authority to buy one, plus the family's written consent for the opening. If the death falls under a medical examiner's review, expect extra time. Cremation needs medical examiner approval too. Ask the cemetery for its own checklist, since each one adds forms of its own.

Much of South Florida sits low, with a shallow water table, particularly in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. Deep graves can fill with groundwater, and heavy summer rain can soften the soil. Cemeteries respond with above-ground crypts, mausoleums, and concrete liners or vaults that keep the ground level. The vault requirement usually comes from the cemetery's own policy rather than state law, so rules differ from one place to the next. Ask about the cost of the liner, since it is often billed separately from the plot and the opening fee.

Chapter 497 gives buyers a window to cancel preneed contracts for burial services and merchandise, generally 30 days from signing, with a full refund. After that period, refund terms depend on the contract and on how the funds were placed in trust or insurance. Read the cancellation clause before you sign, and get a copy of every page. Burial rights to a plot are a separate purchase from merchandise, so ask which parts of your agreement can be refunded and which are final. If a seller refuses a legitimate refund, contact the state's cemetery division.

Florida does not impose a blanket ban on burial on private property, but local rules decide what is practical. County and city zoning, health department requirements, and water-table concerns all come into play. Chapter 872 also protects graves once they exist, which affects later sale or development of the land. Before you plan anything, call the county planning and zoning office and your county health department. Note that a burial-transit permit and death certificate are still required. Recording the grave location in your property records can prevent confusion for future owners.

Begin with the cemetery office. In Orlando, Baldwin-Fairchild Cemeteries at 301 Northeast Ivanhoe Boulevard takes calls at 407-897-3795. Give the full name, approximate death year, and any family connection. If you do not know the cemetery, check a death certificate, funeral program, or obituary for the name of the funeral home, then ask that business where the burial took place. Florida restricts cause-of-death details on recent death records, but names and dates are easier to confirm. For very old or abandoned burial grounds, county historical societies and local libraries often hold maps and burial lists.