Disinterment

Burial Records Before 1977

If someone was buried at Hart Island, their death certificate will list "City Burial" or "Hart Island" as the location of disposition.

You can get a copy of a death certificate from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene or from the City's Municipal Archives, depending on the year of death.

The records available online only have information for burials after 1976.

Request to Remove Remains of the Deceased from Hart Island

Upon confirming that a loved one is buried on Hart Island, families may make arrangements with a licensed funeral home to request a disinterment for the purposes of reburial elsewhere, such as in a private cemetery or cremation. HRA does not charge a fee to locate, disinter and release the remains of the deceased to the authorized funeral home. Disinterment may not be possible in all cases, due to factors such as time since burial.

To arrange for relocation and reburial or cremation of your loved one, you must contact a licensed funeral director, who will charge a fee for services. The funeral director will help with obtaining a disinterment permit from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Office of Vital Records. Once a permit is granted, the funeral director must mail the following documents to HRA's Office of General Support Services – via the CMTS (Cemetery Management Tracking System), and General Support Services – Hart Island Division will schedule and communicate the disinterment via the CMTS application. Also coordinate with the funeral home for transfer of the remains will be conducted via the CMTS Funeral Home Portal. For more information, please contact the General Support Services – Hart Island Division by calling 929-221-6860. Business hours are Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM. 

Financial assistance may be available for costs associated with the reburial or cremation of low income decedents after disinterment from Hart Island. For more information and assistance, please contact the Office of Burial Services.