Texas § 714.001 DEPTH OF GRAVES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.

Texas Statutes

§ 714.001 — DEPTH OF GRAVES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.

Texas § 714.001

Code HSHealth and Safety Code

This text of Texas § 714.001 (DEPTH OF GRAVES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tex. Health and Safety Code Code Ann. § 714.001 (2026).

Text

Sec. 714.001. DEPTH OF GRAVES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.

(a)The body of a decedent may not be buried in a manner so that the outside top surface of the container of the body is:

(1)less than two feet below the surface of the ground if the container is not made of an impermeable material; or

(2)less than 1-1/2 feet below the surface of the ground if the container is made of an impermeable material.

(b)The governing body of a political subdivision of this state may, because of subsurface soil conditions or other relevant considerations, permit, by ordinance or rule, burials in that political subdivision at a shallower depth than that required by Subsection (a).

(c)This section does not apply to burials in a sealed surface reinforced concrete burial vault.

(d)A person commits an offense if the

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Sec. 714.001. DEPTH OF GRAVES; CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) The body of a decedent may not be buried in a manner so that the outside top surface of the container of the body is:
(1) less than two feet below the surface of the ground if the container is not made of an impermeable material; or
(2) less than 1-1/2 feet below the surface of the ground if the container is made of an impermeable material.
(b) The governing body of a political subdivision of this state may, because of subsurface soil conditions or other relevant considerations, permit, by ordinance or rule, burials in that political subdivision at a shallower depth than that required by Subsection (a).
(c) This section does not apply to burials in a sealed surface reinforced concrete burial vault.
(d) A person commits an offense if the person buries the body of a decedent in violation of this section or in violation of an ordinance or rule adopted under this section.
(e) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $100 or more than $200.