The law doesn't require a burial vault. The cemetery might.
That's the whole answer in two lines, and it's worth knowing before you sit down to choose one. If the cemetery you've picked has a rule, a grave liner usually satisfies it. If it doesn't have a rule, you may not need any container at all.
What a vault is, and what a grave liner is
Both are boxes that go in the ground around the casket. The federal Funeral Rule groups them under one name, "outer burial container," which covers burial vaults, grave boxes and grave liners.
The difference is how much of the casket they enclose. The FTC describes a grave liner as a concrete cover that fits over the casket. Some liners cover the top and sides. A vault is a liner that closes in the casket completely.
Both exist for the same practical reason. In the FTC's words, grave liners "minimize ground settling," so the ground over the grave stays more even.
Why cemeteries ask for them
Without a container, the ground over a grave can sink. The FTC describes this as the grave caving in, and many cemeteries require an outer container to prevent it. It's a cemetery rule, set by the cemetery, and it isn't a law.
Federal rules say so plainly. Every funeral home that sells these containers must print this statement next to their prices:
"In most areas of the country, state or local law does not require that you buy a container to surround the casket in the grave. However, many cemeteries require that you have such a container so that the grave will not sink in. Either a grave liner or a burial vault will satisfy these requirements."
The FTC's consumer guide goes further and says outer burial containers aren't required by state law anywhere in the US.
Cemetery rules differ, so ask the cemetery directly: "Do you require an outer burial container, and will a grave liner meet the requirement?" Get the answer in writing if you can.
What the funeral home must tell you
The Funeral Rule gives you a few specific protections here.
- If the funeral home sells outer burial containers and doesn't list them on its General Price List, it must show you a separate container price list before you see the containers. If you don't see lower-priced ones on the list, ask about them.
- A funeral home can't tell you that the law or a particular cemetery requires a container when that isn't true.
- If the funeral home says a law or cemetery rule makes you buy something, it must explain that requirement in writing on the itemized statement you get before you pay.
- It can't claim a vault will protect the body from what's in the soil when that isn't true, or that any product will delay natural decay for a long or indefinite time.
If a container is offered with extra features, you can ask what each one actually does and decide whether it's worth it to you. Choosing the plainer option is fine.
Where to buy one, and other costs
The Funeral Rule says a funeral home can't make you buy one item as a condition of selling you another. Cemeteries are a separate matter, and the FTC suggests asking what restrictions a cemetery puts on vaults bought somewhere else before you buy.
Keep the cemetery's own fees in view as well. The FTC lists setting grave liners and vaults among typical cemetery services, along with opening and closing the grave. Ask whether that charge is included or added on.
As of Oct 23, 2026, the funeral home's part of an immediate burial in California had a median price of $3,395 across 222 price lists we've checked, and that figure doesn't include a vault, a grave liner or any cemetery charge.
The Funeral Rule only covers cemeteries that sell both funeral goods and funeral services, so a cemetery without its own funeral home doesn't have to follow the price list rules. You can still ask for its prices in writing.
| Grave liner | Burial vault | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Top and sides of the casket, or the top only | The whole casket, all sides |
| Meets a typical cemetery rule? | Yes, per the Funeral Rule disclosure | Yes |
| Required by state law? | No | No |
| Where prices appear | The funeral home's price list, or the cemetery's | The same |
Green burial and other ways around it
If you'd rather not use a container at all, look for a cemetery that doesn't require one. Green burial, also called natural burial, generally avoids embalming chemicals, concrete vaults and other materials that don't break down, according to VA's description.
VA is piloting green burial sections at three national cemeteries: the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix, Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs and Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. In those sections there's no vault or liner, and VA tells families plainly that the remains are likely to shift sooner as the earth moves over time. That's the tradeoff of going without one.
Cremation changes the question too. If you're burying an urn, ask the cemetery what container, if any, it requires.
For veterans buried in a VA national cemetery, the government provides the burial liner at no cost to the family.
Frequently asked questions
Does any state law require a burial vault?
The FTC says no state law in the US requires one. The federal disclosure funeral homes use says "in most areas of the country," and any home that tells you a law applies must explain that in writing on your itemized statement.
Is a grave liner enough if the cemetery requires a vault?
Under the Funeral Rule's required disclosure, either a grave liner or a burial vault satisfies a cemetery's container requirement. If a cemetery tells you only a vault will do, ask it to show you that rule in writing.
Does a sealed vault keep the body from decaying?
A funeral home can't claim a product will delay natural decay for a long or indefinite time, or that it protects the body from the soil when it doesn't. Ask exactly what a seal does before you pay extra for it.
Can I skip a vault in a regular cemetery?
Only if that cemetery doesn't require an outer container. Ask before you buy the plot, since the rule comes with the cemetery you choose.
Sources
- FTC: The FTC Funeral Rule
- eCFR: 16 CFR Part 453, the Funeral Rule
- FTC: Complying with the Funeral Rule
- FTC: Funeral Terms and Contact Information
- FTC: Buying a Cemetery Site
- VA National Cemetery Administration: Green Burial Section Pilot
- VA: What Does Burial in a VA National Cemetery Include?