Aberdeen City Council cemetery fees – burial lair now 25 years, not for life

Last updated 10 July 2026

Aberdeen City Council publishes burial, cremation and memorial charges effective from 1 April each year. The fees below reflect the schedule effective 1 April 2026. New burial lairs are available at Hazlehead, Newhills, and Dyce cemeteries.

Right of Burial term change: from 2 March 2026, a new Right of Burial lasts 25 years from the date it is granted, under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 (sections 14 and 16, in force 1 March 2026). Previously the right could run for a longer, less clearly defined term. Extensions of 10 years are available on application by the rights holder, renewable without limit – check with Bereavement Services before assuming a lair purchase covers an indefinite period. This does not apply retrospectively to lairs bought before 1 March 2026.

Lair purchase

Lair typeResidentNon-resident
Burial lair rights£1,273£2,340
Cremation casket lair rights£1,034£1,692

Burial and interment fees

ServiceResidentNon-resident
Burial – Monday to Friday£1,063£2,205
Burial – Saturday£1,416£2,730
Burial – Sunday or public holiday£1,594£2,992
Interment of cremation casket(s)/ashes – Monday to Friday£388£792
Interment of cremation casket(s)/ashes – Saturday£539£1,140
Burial of a person under 18 or a stillborn childNo chargeNo charge

Other burial-ground fees

ServiceFee
Transfer of lair rights£58
Duplicate lair certificate (including search)£69.60
Reservation fee for a lair at Hazlehead or Newhills (10-year period)£100
Administration fee if an unused lair is sold back to the council£64
Disinterment of a coffin£1,594
Disinterment of a casket of ashes£453
Search of burial ground records£20.40 per 15 minutes

Fees verified 2026-07-10, effective 1 April 2026. Source: Aberdeen City Council – burial charges.

About Aberdeen City Council burial grounds

Aberdeen City Council manages 17 cemeteries across Aberdeen. The most significant is Hazlehead Cemetery, which also serves as the primary site for new lair purchases alongside Newhills and Dyce. Aberdeen is one of Scotland’s largest cities, and the council’s bereavement services cover a diverse urban population. For burial arrangements contact Aberdeen City Council Bereavement Services on 01224 070121 or burials@aberdeencity.gov.uk.