Interment Permit 

Seward has four cemeteries in use today - City Cemetery, American Legion, Masons and Pioneers of Alaska. Regardless of which cemetery you choose, you are required to have an Interment Permit from the City. All City cemeteries are required to comply with the City code, at a minimum, and some have additional requirements. When you apply for an Interment Permit, you will be asked to identify your cemetery of choice. You can apply for an Interment Permit online at this link.

You will need the following information to fill out the interment permit: 

  • Name and Birth/Death Dates of the Deceased: There are spaces on the application for other information if you have it, such as the maiden name (if applicable) and place of birth and/or death.
  • State Burial - Transit Permit #: Every state issues a Burial Transit Permit, which acts as the official notification to the Bureau of Vital Statistics that a death has occurred. This permit number is required by the City of Seward on the Burial Permit application. Please bring the state permit number with you when you submit an application within the City.
  • Plot ID Number if being interred in the City Cemetery:  You can find the Plot ID number by using the Cemetery Map found on the Cemetery Maps webpage. The Plot ID number is labeled on the plot itself on the map. If you are looking to be buried in the American Legion, Pioneers, or Masons Cemetery, please contact those organizations. Their contact information can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage under, "Cemetery Contacts". The City is not responsible for plot assignments nor plot reservations within those cemeteries. Please note, we are currently still updating our available plots within the older sections of the City cemetery and plan to verify availability in the spring and summer of 2023 with the help of volunteers. For now, we ask those seeking a burial plot within the City cemetery to focus on the section east of the old Oddfellows cemetery as that area has plenty of available plots.

Burials

Standards for Burials

  1. Applicant will be responsible for city and state permits, burial plot openings, closings, site preparation, interments, disinterment's, and marker placement according to the regulations of Chapter 7.20
  2. Full-size plots shall be a maximum dimension of 5 feet, and a minimum depth of six feet, with a minimum of 42" of depth between the ground surface and the top of the casket or remains.
  3. Cremains plots shall be a maximum dimensions of 2 feet t 2 feet, and deep enough to allow 24" between the ground surface and the top of the urn or cremains.
  4. Only one deceased person shall be buried in one burial plot.
  5. Excavated materials shall not be placed, even temporarily, upon another grave site. Materials shall be placed or stored off site or in a vehicle. 
  6. The ground surface of all burial plots shall be maintained at the same elevation as the surrounding surface.

Columbaria

Use of Columbaria

  1. Applicant will be responsible for all required city and state permits.
  2. The cremains of more than one deceased person may be interred in one columbarium niche provided that the applicable fees and permit are paid and the urn is labeled with the permit number.
  3. Cremains muse be contained in a durable container such as a funerary urn.
  4. Applicant will be required to pay a niche marker fee to cover the cost for the city to have a plaque made and permanently placed on the niche door.
  5. The city will be responsible for opening and closing the niche at no additional cost to the applicant.
  6. Applicant is responsible to notify the city at least one week prior to the desired date for a niche opening and closing.

Deposit & Fees 

*Fees only apply to city owned cemeteries

Burials

  • Full Size Plot (Fee): $250 (Non-Refundable)
  • Cremains Plot (Fee): $250 (Non-Refundable)
  • Permanent Marker (Deposit): $1000 (Refundable upon installation)
  • Site Closure (Deposit): $300 (Refundable upon proper opening and closing of a burial plot)

Columbarium Niche

  • Columbaria Niche (Fee): $350 (Non-Refundable)
  •  Niche Marker (Fee): $200 (Non-Refundable)

 

Temporary markers made of wood, concrete or plastic are acceptable for up to one year from the burial date. Permanent markers are required to be placed within one year of the burial, and can be made of granite, synthetics approved for cemetery use, or cast bronze, brass or aluminum mounted in natural stone or concrete. Only one marker is allowed per gravesite, unless additional family burials are made within the same site (i.e. cremains, children or double burials). Minimum marker size required is 4 3/4" x 8 3/4" x 3" thick. Maximum marker size allowed is 799 square inches x 4" thick. Monuments may be no more than 60" high, including the base. The base should be 36" long x 18" wide x 8" deep. Markers must be inscribed in either raised or engraved letters of at least 1/4" deep/thick to include for the first and last name of the deceased and the year of birth and death.  

Decorations

Temporary boxes, fences or decorations are allowed up to 14 days following internment, or until the burial site seeded for grass or other maintenance is required. No permanent raised obstructions such as mounds, fences, curbing, rocks or large or crushed gravel are allowed. The ground surface must be left at the same elevation as the surrounding surface upon completion of the burial. 

Interment Reservations

Reservation Fees

  • Full Plot: $500
  • Cremains Plot: $250
  • Columbarium Niche: $350

To reserve a plot, please go to the City of Seward's OpenGov Portal. Click on "apply online" to begin the application process. Plot reservations are not transferable. The following information will be needed to fill out the form: 

  • Purchaser Information (Name, Mailing Address, Email, etc.)
  • Plot Reservation Information 
    • Cemetery (City Oddfellows or City East currently)
    • Plot ID # for each plot being reserved

Funeral Homes & Contractors

The City does not perform burial services. It is the responsibility of the loved ones to make arrangements for the burial site excavation and backfill services. These can be performed by a funeral home, private contractor or the loved ones themselves. It is also important that the ground is left clean and level upon completion of the burial.