Maryland Office of Cemetery Oversight

The Office of Cemetery Oversight’s offices are open and serving our customers through our online licensing resources, via e-mail and telephone, and by limited in-person appointments. Please note, walk-in assistance is not available. We can be reached using our contacts page for e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of individual staff members; or

Use Labor’s Central Scheduling System to meet with a representative from one of our boards or commissions. Please select the type of appointment you need from our list of available in-person services using the drop-down menu on the scheduler. You will receive an e-mail confirming the date and time of your appointment.

Appointments are available Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at our offices located at 1100 N Eutaw Street, 5th Floor Baltimore, MD 21201. Please arrive at least 10 minutes early before your scheduled appointment time.

Mission
The Office of Cemetery Oversight was established in Title 5 of the Business Regulation Article of the Maryland Annotated Code by the Maryland Legislature in August 1997. It was placed under the regulatory authority of the Department of Labor. The office provides high standards of performance in the death care industry; enhances healthy economic competition; promote consumer confidence in burial goods, products, and services; and provides structure and oversight to pre-planning arrangements. The Office provides a responsive complaint/resolution process for consumers and operates a fair and effective regulatory enforcement system for cemeteries, monument dealers and sellers of burial goods, and crematories that are subject to its regulatory authority.

Purpose
The primary objective for the office is to register and monitor Maryland sole proprietorships, individuals, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies operating cemeteries, as well as businesses providing burial goods and services to consumers, including monuments and memorials. The Office also regulates and provides registration for crematories under its jurisdiction in the state.

Responsibilities of the Office include the investigation and mediation of consumer complaints involving registrants and permit holders. To protect Maryland citizens from unfair and unscrupulous practices, the office determines and enforces the ethical standards related to the operation of cemeteries and those related to the provision of burial goods and services within the state.

News and Updates

^New New Online Licensing Payment Process

The Office of Cemetery Oversight is excited to announce our new online payment process that will begin on Thursday, June 15, 2023. Payments can now be accepted for your initial and/or renewal business and individual applications by check or credit card.  Please visit our online portal to begin the online payment process.  Your payment link can be found on your initial / renewal invoice (Businesses Only) or your initial invoice and renewal application (Individuals Only). Once your payment has been received you will receive a message via text and/or email letting you know that your payment has been received. 
For individuals only, once you have completed your renewal application payment you will need to forward your completed application to our e-mail for approval. For assistance, please contact the Office of Cemetery Oversight  at 410-230-6229.

^New Registration Search:  What's New?

The Office of Cemetery Oversight has updated its online "Registration Search" to include Family, Religious, Local Government, Veteran and Abandoned cemetery information. The Registration Search feature is located on our website under "Features" located in the left-hand sidebar of the page on computer browsers or at the top of the page on mobile devices.

New Law in Effect: Perpetual Care Trust Funds

Effective October 1, 2021, Maryland has a new law concerning the method of distribution from a cemetery’s perpetual care trust fund. House Bill 5 (HB5) and Senate Bill 192 (SB192) titled “Cemeteries-Perpetual Care-Distribution From Perpetual Care Trust Fund,” were passed into law during the 2021 legislative session.

To read more about the new law, please see one of the following links on the Maryland General Assembly’s website:

2021 Maryland Laws Ch. 241 (HB5) or 2021 Maryland Laws Ch. 242 (SB192)

Instructions on how to submit your perpetual care trust fund report can be found on our website.

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Available

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many families struggling with the grief of losing loved ones along with the financial stress of having to bear the cost of unexpected funeral arrangements.

Proposed Regulations Currently Open for Public Comment

There are no proposed regulations by the Office of Cemetery Oversight at this time.

To register your comments with the office, please contact us at:

Contact the Office
Maryland Office of Cemetery Oversight
1100 N. Eutaw Street, Room 121
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: 410-230-6229
E-mail: DLOPLCemeteryOversight-LABOR@maryland.gov