Can you be buried on your own land in Latvia? The law explained

A discussion spread on social media after a user expressed disappointment that she could not arrange to be buried on her own land in Latvia, in a spot she pictured surrounded by lilacs. Another commenter added that, as far as she understood the law, burying pets on private land was no longer allowed either. Other users pointed to past cases, such as a Catholic priest in Jelgava being buried next to a church.

What the law says

A new Cemeteries Law took effect in Latvia on April 29 this year, setting out the rules for burials. It defines a cemetery as a designated area for burying the deceased or placing urns in a columbarium, and states that the deceased must be buried in a cemetery. Burial plots are allocated by municipalities, and burial must take place in the assigned plot according to established procedure. Bodies must be buried at a depth of 1.5 to 2 meters, while urns must be buried at least 0.5 meters deep. In practice, this means a person cannot simply choose a spot on their own property and be buried there after death.

The law does allow for private cemeteries to exist, with management determined by the owner, though they must still meet the law's general requirements.

What about pets

Rules for pets differ from those governing human burial. Animal remains are regulated as animal by-products, subject to specific veterinary requirements for disposal. Latvia also has dedicated pet cemeteries. This means the claim that burying pets on private land is now completely banned does not fully match the actual regulations, although certain rules still apply.

Commenters also noted that regulations vary by country, citing the United Kingdom as an example where landowners with sufficient land may, in some cases, request permission to be buried on their property. No such option exists for human burial in Latvia, though commenters suggested that keeping or scattering ashes from an urn on private land is not directly prohibited.