In Michigan Can You Legally Bury Someone In Your Backyard?

I was recently talking with a good friend who just like me and my wife lost a parent and had to go through the tough process of burying them.

If you've ever had to bury a loved one you know it can be expensive and overpriced.

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Average Michigan Funeral Cost

As a matter of fact, the average cost of a funeral in Michigan is $7,000.

I don't know about you but that's not pocket change.

At the end of the day, you're paying all this money for a wooden box that will be inside of a metal box that will be buried 6 feet in the ground.

In Michigan Can You Legally Bury Someone In Your Backyard?

So if you want to save money and bury a loved one in your backyard can you legally do it in Michigan?

To my suprise, it turns out it's possible to bury someone in your backyard in Michigan, but there are some legal requirements that must be followed.

Michigan state law allows for the creation of private burial grounds of less than an acre outside city or village limits.

However, there are some restrictions that must be followed, such as how far from your neighbor's property you can place a gravesite, how deep the grave must be, and how close to a water source such as a stream or a lake you can bury the body.

Do You Need To Buy A Casket?

In Michigan, there is no law that requires the use of a casket for burial.

If you choose to bury a body in your backyard in Michigan, you have several options for the container or burial method.

You can place the body directly in the earth without a casket

You can use a burial shroud

You can use an eco-friendly casket

You can even use a vault without a casket

If you have any more questions you can learn more about the Cemetery Regulation Act by clicking here