Burial rights
For the use of a grave, you pay burial rights. You can apply for, renew, transfer or relinquish burial rights. The term of the burial right starts on the day you are assigned a grave by the local authority.
Transfer of burial rights
Burial rights can be transferred to another person. This is possible:
- with the rightholder’s permission;
- after the rightholder has passed.
Transferring burial rights ensures these rights are retained. The new rightholder can also have someone else buried in the grave.
The burial rights for specific graves can be transferred to:
- natural persons;
- legal entities.
The new rightholder is often an heir or family member of the current rightholder or of the person buried in the grave.
If the current rightholder is still alive, they must grant permission and sign the transfer form.
The cemetery manager must approve the transfer.
Renewing burial rights
Do you want to renew the burial rights?
- Be sure to apply before the final date. If we have your address details, we will notify you at least 1 and at most 2 years in advance that the burial rights will lapse.
- Renewal is usually not mandatory, but it may be necessary. For example, if you want to bury someone in a grave with less than 15 years of burial rights remaining.
- You renew the burial rights of a private grave for a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 years.
Relinquishing burial rights
If you do not renew the burial rights, they will automatically end on the expiry date. You can also relinquish burial rights earlier. You will then lose the rights you have to a grave at that time. You decide on the date from which you relinquish the rights to the grave.
Issuance of burial rights
If you are granted burial rights by the local authority, they are for a minimum of 15 years. You can also opt for a longer period. There is no maximum period, but indefinite grave rights are not possible.
Allowing grave rights to lapse
The local authority can cancel burial rights if the rightholder:
- has passed away and the burial rights have not been transferred within 1 year;
- has severely neglected the grave;
- fails to pay for the burial rights in time.
The local authority will notify you before cancelling the burial rights. The burial rights will lapse automatically on the agreed date. The burial rights can also lapse sooner, if the rightholder waives their burial rights.
Charges
| Burial rights per year | Charges |
|---|---|
| 1st section Noorderbegraafplaats 1 deep | €303.40 |
| 1st section Noorderbegraafplaats 2 deep | €379.25 |
| Other cemeteries and 2nd section Northern Cemetery 1 deep | €151.70 |
| Other cemeteries and 2nd section Northern Cemetery 2 deep | €189.62 |
| Children’s grave 1 deep | € 75.85 |
| Children’s grave 2 deep | €94.81 |
| Urn grave | €151.70 |
| Urn alcove | € 75.85 |
| Transitional arrangement extension 1st department established before January 1, 2010 | €193.19 |
| Transitional arrangement extension 1st department established before January 1, 2010 2 deep | €241.48 |
| Dig up, clear and shake | Charges |
|---|---|
| Clearing a grave or exhuming an individual corpse | €1043.30 |
| Clearing a child’s grave or exhuming an individual child’s body | €521.65 |
| Exhumation of a corpse within the period of grave rest | €2086.60 |
| Exhumation of a child’s body within the term of grave rest | €1043.30 |
| Exhumation of ash canisters from a grave | €299.17 |
| Removing ash canisters from an urn niche | €149.55 |
| Excavation and reburial of ash canisters from a grave in the event of a burial | €299.17 |
| Provision of a bone coffin | €163.75 |
| Provision of a coffin | €573.23 |
Laws and regulations
The following regulations can be found on the website Overheid.nl (local) (opens in new tab):
- Municipal Cemeteries Management Regulation
- Municipal Cemeteries Implementation Decree
- Burial Rights Ordnance
Questions
Contact the City of Leeuwarden.
Quick to:
Transfer of burial rights
Burial rights can be transferred to another person. This is possible:
- with the rightholder’s permission;
- after the rightholder has passed.
Transferring burial rights ensures these rights are retained. The new rightholder can also have someone else buried in the grave.
The burial rights for specific graves can be transferred to:
- natural persons;
- legal entities.
The new rightholder is often an heir or family member of the current rightholder or of the person buried in the grave.
If the current rightholder is still alive, they must grant permission and sign the transfer form.
The cemetery manager must approve the transfer.
Renewing burial rights
Do you want to renew the burial rights?
- Be sure to apply before the final date. If we have your address details, we will notify you at least 1 and at most 2 years in advance that the burial rights will lapse.
- Renewal is usually not mandatory, but it may be necessary. For example, if you want to bury someone in a grave with less than 15 years of burial rights remaining.
- You renew the burial rights of a private grave for a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 years.
Relinquishing burial rights
If you do not renew the burial rights, they will automatically end on the expiry date. You can also relinquish burial rights earlier. You will then lose the rights you have to a grave at that time. You decide on the date from which you relinquish the rights to the grave.
Issuance of burial rights
If you are granted burial rights by the local authority, they are for a minimum of 15 years. You can also opt for a longer period. There is no maximum period, but indefinite grave rights are not possible.
Allowing grave rights to lapse
The local authority can cancel burial rights if the rightholder:
- has passed away and the burial rights have not been transferred within 1 year;
- has severely neglected the grave;
- fails to pay for the burial rights in time.
The local authority will notify you before cancelling the burial rights. The burial rights will lapse automatically on the agreed date. The burial rights can also lapse sooner, if the rightholder waives their burial rights.
Charges
| Burial rights per year | Charges |
|---|---|
| 1st section Noorderbegraafplaats 1 deep | €303.40 |
| 1st section Noorderbegraafplaats 2 deep | €379.25 |
| Other cemeteries and 2nd section Northern Cemetery 1 deep | €151.70 |
| Other cemeteries and 2nd section Northern Cemetery 2 deep | €189.62 |
| Children’s grave 1 deep | € 75.85 |
| Children’s grave 2 deep | €94.81 |
| Urn grave | €151.70 |
| Urn alcove | € 75.85 |
| Transitional arrangement extension 1st department established before January 1, 2010 | €193.19 |
| Transitional arrangement extension 1st department established before January 1, 2010 2 deep | €241.48 |
| Dig up, clear and shake | Charges |
|---|---|
| Clearing a grave or exhuming an individual corpse | €1043.30 |
| Clearing a child’s grave or exhuming an individual child’s body | €521.65 |
| Exhumation of a corpse within the period of grave rest | €2086.60 |
| Exhumation of a child’s body within the term of grave rest | €1043.30 |
| Exhumation of ash canisters from a grave | €299.17 |
| Removing ash canisters from an urn niche | €149.55 |
| Excavation and reburial of ash canisters from a grave in the event of a burial | €299.17 |
| Provision of a bone coffin | €163.75 |
| Provision of a coffin | €573.23 |
Laws and regulations
The following regulations can be found on the website Overheid.nl (local) (opens in new tab):
- Municipal Cemeteries Management Regulation
- Municipal Cemeteries Implementation Decree
- Burial Rights Ordnance
Questions
Contact the City of Leeuwarden.