Cemetery Property: What You’re Buying
Buying a grave or niche is usually called buying cemetery property. In a Utah city cemetery, what you actually receive is a right to use that space for burial. This page explains the types of space, what they cost locally, and the papers to keep.
Two Salt Lake County city cemeteries publish grave prices: $1,100 to $1,200 for residents, and $2,200 to $3,000 for non-residents. Buying the plot doesn’t include opening and closing the grave, a marker, or an outer burial container. Those are separate charges.
You buy the right to be buried, not the land
Utah law says that when a city or cemetery maintenance district sells a cemetery lot (after April 29, 1985), it sells only the right to be buried there. The city keeps ownership of the land. Private cemeteries write their own contracts, so read what yours says you are buying.
Utah law also lets a city cemetery reclaim a lot that has gone unused for 60 years (or 20 years if unkept and next to kept areas), after giving notice. Keep your records and contact details current with the cemetery.
Types of cemetery property
- Grave or plot
- An in-ground space for one casket burial.
- Double-depth grave
- One grave with two burials stacked, often used by couples. Riverton lists separate fees for the first and second burial.
- Cremation plot
- A smaller in-ground space for cremated remains.
- Niche
- A space in a columbarium wall for an urn. See niches and columbariums.
- Crypt
- An above-ground space in a mausoleum.
Burial plot costs in Salt Lake County
| Space | West Jordan City Cemetery | Riverton City Cemetery |
|---|---|---|
| Grave (resident / non-resident) | $1,100 / $2,200 | $1,200 / $3,000 |
| Infant or cremation plot | Not listed separately | $400 / $600 |
| Niche | $1,200 to $6,000, by size and row | Not listed |
West Jordan fee schedule through June 30, 2027. Riverton City Cemetery page, checked September 26, 2026. Salt Lake City Cemetery’s fee page does not list a grave price.
Salt Lake City Cemetery told us it has no plots left to sell, though it still holds burials. Plots there are bought from current owners, who sell them privately, often through listings such as KSL Classifieds or Facebook Marketplace (phone, September 29, 2026).
We didn’t find published prices for most private cemetery graves or mausoleum crypts in Salt Lake County, though some cemeteries post pricing online. For example, Khadeeja Cemetery, a Muslim cemetery in the county, offers a total burial package that includes the burial plot, mortuary charges, burial services, and headstone, not a plot-only price. Prices may change. Families should contact the cemetery team directly to confirm current charges; current contact information is available at utahmuslims.com/cemetery. Plot availability, advance reservations, adjoining spaces, and other arrangements depend on each cemetery’s current policies. Ask each cemetery for a written price to confirm current figures.
The space is only part of the bill
At many cemeteries, once you buy the space, the burial itself brings more charges: opening and closing, often an outer burial container, and a marker with its setting or permit fee. Some cemeteries offer inclusive packages. Charges already included in a package should not be added again when calculating the total. See how cemetery costs work and opening, closing and interment.
Limits and transfers
Cemeteries set their own rules on how many spaces one household can buy and whether spaces can be transferred or sold back. Riverton, for example, limits each household to four plots. Ask before you buy, and get any transfer in writing through the cemetery office.
Papers to keep
- The deed, certificate, or right-of-interment document
- The exact location: section, lot, and space number
- A receipt showing what was paid and what was included
- The cemetery’s rules in effect when you bought
Tell family members where these papers are kept.
“What exactly am I buying, and what will still need to be paid when the burial happens?”
Ready to see how these choices apply to your situation?
Your Wayfinder Plan can help organize the options you’re considering and give you a clearer picture of what to ask and compare.
Build My Wayfinder Plan- Right to be buried, not the land: Utah Code 8-5-7. Unused lots: Utah Code 8-5-1.
- Prices and limits: West Jordan fee schedule; Riverton City Cemetery; Salt Lake City Cemetery fees.
- Khadeeja Cemetery: Islamic Society of Greater Salt Lake (ISGSL), Cemetery Committee; reviewed and approved by ISGSL (Sr. Alia Rauf, Cemetery Committee Chair) by email on October 7, 2026; utahmuslims.com/cemetery. ISGSL’s review applies only to the Muslim funeral and Khadeeja Cemetery information it reviewed. It does not imply ISGSL’s endorsement of Wayfinder, its services, or information about other faiths or providers.
Prices are published examples from individual cemeteries, not averages. This page is general information, not legal advice.