CINCINNATI — The Ohio Department of Commerce is asking those visiting cemeteries this Memorial Day weekend to do their part by both helping to keep the spaces beautiful — and filing a report when they're not.
The Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing oversees the registration of over 4,000 cemeteries across the state to make sure those cemeteries are appropriately maintained.
Family cemeteries that have not had burials in over 25 years do not have to be on the registry, however.
There are a few steps Ohioans can take if they arrive at a cemetery and find it in disrepair.
First, you should report the issue directly to cemetery management. If the issue continues to goes unaddressed, you can file a complaint with the Ohio Cemetery Resolution Commission — a 9-person commission that helps resolve complaints against registered cemeteries.
"This solemn occasion offers an opportunity to spot potential safety issues at our state's many cemeteries and bring them to light so they can be addressed," said Daphne Hawk, superintendent of the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing.
To submit a complaint, there's a form online that you can fill out.
From there, the Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing will determine whether the complaint falls within its jurisdiction. If it does, the Division will send written notice to the owner or person responsible of the cemetery within seven days of the case being opened.
"We would always encourage individuals to first report these concerns to cemetery management for resolution," said Hawk. "However, if an issue persists and is not addressed, individuals may choose to file a complaint with the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission to seek a fair outcome."
The Division also helps get smaller cemeteries run by nonprofits additional funding to help with upkeep. The Cemetery Grant Program is accepting applications for fiscal year 2026 up until July 1, 2025. That program is intended to help cover the costs of maintenance and operation of cemeteries, or the training of cemetery personnel. Each year, the Cemetery Grant Program awards over $100,000 to eligible nonprofit cemeteries.
According to the Ohio Cemetery Dispute Resolution Commission, there are minimum maintenance guidelines for all cemeteries registered in Ohio:
Grounds and Structure
- Cut grass and trim around all markers and/or monuments once per month during the growing season.
- Have a plan in place to remove underbrush, leaves, tree seedlings, and dead trees and flowers.
- Remove trash and funeral flowers once a month (artificial flowers once a year).
- Sod or seed graves as necessary within one year of interment.
- Foundations for new markers that have been ordered should be set within one calendar year.
- Roads, buildings, structures, and fencing should be maintained and repaired as needed.
- Cemetery perimeter should be marked either physically or recorded at the county.
Management/Maintenance of Rules, Regulations, and Records
- Electronic or paper cemetery records pertaining to interment, entombment or inurnment right owners and interment, entombment or inurnment records indicating the deceased name, place of death, date and location of the interment, entombment or inurnment should be maintained in the cemetery's office. Paper copies of records required for the verification of interment, entombment or inurnment rights and cemetery interment, entombment or inurnment records as indicated above should be maintained in a fireproof container within the cemetery office. If possible duplicate copies of all cemetery records should be maintained off-site. It is permissible to maintain records in an electronic format so long as the electronic copies are true copies of all the original documents.
- All graves or lots should be identified by a map that is stored in the office of the cemetery per ORC Section 1721.09.
- Effective March 19, 2015, newly developed lots should be pinned and owners’ names should be recorded so that family lot positions are clearly identifiable and able to be located.
- Cemeteries should conduct all interments within seven days of the date of the order unless waived by the next of kin or other responsible party.
- Rules regarding flowers and decorations should be posted at the cemetery.
- The vault or any other burial container should be placed at least twelve inches below grade.
- The cemetery’s rules and regulations should be provided upon request.
- Cemetery management contact information should be posted at the main public entrance of the cemetery and at the onsite office, if one exists.
