Title 68 - Cemeteries, morgues, and human remains
- 68.04 - Definitions.
- 68.04.020 - "Human remains," "remains."
- 68.04.030 - "Cremated human remains."
- 68.04.040 - "Cemetery."
- 68.04.050 - "Burial park."
- 68.04.060 - "Mausoleum."
- 68.04.070 - "Crematory."
- 68.04.080 - "Columbarium."
- 68.04.100 - "Interment."
- 68.04.110 - "Cremation."
- 68.04.120 - "Inurnment."
- 68.04.130 - "Entombment."
- 68.04.140 - "Burial."
- 68.04.150 - "Grave."
- 68.04.160 - "Crypt."
- 68.04.165 - "Outer burial container."
- 68.04.170 - "Niche."
- 68.04.190 - "Cemetery authority."
- 68.04.210 - "Cemetery business."
- 68.04.230 - "Lot" or "plot."
- 68.04.240 - "Owner of interment rights."
- 68.04.250 - "Interment right."
- 68.04.260 - "Scattering garden."
- 68.04.270 - "Scattering."
- 68.04.280 - "Multiple interment."
- 68.04.900 - Construction -- Title applicable to state registered domestic partnerships -- 2009 c 521.
- 68.05 - Funeral and cemetery board.
- 68.05.010 - Definitions.
- 68.05.020 - "Board" defined.
- 68.05.024 - "Department" defined.
- 68.05.028 - "Director" defined.
- 68.05.030 - "Endowment care," "endowed care" defined.
- 68.05.090 - Administration and enforcement of title.
- 68.05.095 - Program administrator or manager.
- 68.05.100 - Rules.
- 68.05.105 - Authority of the board.
- 68.05.115 - Sale or transfer of cemetery authority or creation of a new cemetery -- Penalty for noncompliance.
- 68.05.120 - Actions to enforce law -- Attorney general.
- 68.05.150 - Examination of funds -- Powers, duties.
- 68.05.155 - Prearrangement sales license.
- 68.05.160 - Action required when authority fails to deposit minimum endowment amount or comply with prearrangement contract provisions.
- 68.05.170 - Order requiring reinvestment in compliance with title -- Actions for preservation and protection.
- 68.05.173 - Revocation, suspension of certificate or license.
- 68.05.175 - Permit or endorsement required for cremation.
- 68.05.180 - Annual report of authority -- Contents -- Verification.
- 68.05.190 - Examination of reports.
- 68.05.195 - Burial or scatter of cremated remains -- Permit.
- 68.05.205 - Fees.
- 68.05.210 - Proof of applicant's compliance with laws and financial responsibility.
- 68.05.215 - Certificates -- Regulatory charges--Expiration.
- 68.05.225 - Sales licenses -- Terms -- Fees.
- 68.05.235 - Reports -- Failure to file.
- 68.05.240 - Interment, certificate of authority required -- Penalty.
- 68.05.245 - Crematory permits or endorsements -- Terms -- Fees.
- 68.05.254 - Examination of endowment funds and prearrangement trust funds.
- 68.05.259 - Payment of examination expenses.
- 68.05.290 - Board members' immunity from suits.
- 68.05.300 - Unprofessional conduct -- Disciplinary action.
- 68.05.310 - Prearrangement sales -- Disciplinary action.
- 68.05.320 - Board action against authorities -- Administrative procedures.
- 68.05.330 - Violation -- Penalty -- Unfair practice -- Other laws applicable.
- 68.05.340 - Board action against authorities -- Cease and desist orders.
- 68.05.350 - Delaying board action pending administrative proceedings.
- 68.05.360 - Board action against authorities -- Hearing location -- Decision -- Review.
- 68.05.370 - Board action against authorities -- Enforcement of orders.
- 68.05.390 - Permit or endorsement required for cremation -- Penalty.
- 68.05.400 - Exemptions from chapter.
- 68.05.430 - Uniform regulation of business and professions act.
- 68.05.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.20 - Private cemeteries.
- 68.20.010 - Incorporation required.
- 68.20.020 - Corporations, how organized.
- 68.20.030 - Powers of existing corporations enlarged.
- 68.20.040 - Prior corporations not affected.
- 68.20.050 - General powers of cemetery corporations.
- 68.20.060 - Specific powers -- Rule making and enforcement.
- 68.20.061 - Specific powers -- Control of property.
- 68.20.062 - Specific powers -- Regulation as to type of markers, monuments, etc.
- 68.20.063 - Specific powers -- Regulation or prohibition as to the erection of monuments, effigies, etc.
- 68.20.064 - Specific powers -- Regulation of plants and shrubs.
- 68.20.065 - Specific powers -- Prevention of interment.
- 68.20.066 - Specific powers -- Prevention of improper assemblages.
- 68.20.067 - Specific powers -- Rules and regulations for general purposes.
- 68.20.070 - Rules and regulations -- Posting.
- 68.20.080 - Cities and counties may regulate cemeteries.
- 68.20.110 - Nonprofit cemetery association -- Tax exempt land.
- 68.20.120 - Sold lots exempt from taxes, etc. -- Nonprofit associations.
- 68.20.140 - Certain cemeteries exempt from chapter.
- 68.24 - Cemetery property.
- 68.24.010 - Right to acquire property.
- 68.24.020 - Surveys and maps.
- 68.24.030 - Declaration of dedication and maps -- Filing.
- 68.24.040 - Dedication, when complete.
- 68.24.050 - Constructive notice.
- 68.24.060 - Maps and plats -- Amendment.
- 68.24.070 - Permanency of dedication.
- 68.24.080 - Rule against perpetuities, etc., inapplicable.
- 68.24.090 - Removal of dedication -- Procedure.
- 68.24.100 - Notice of hearing.
- 68.24.110 - Sale of plots or rights of interment.
- 68.24.115 - Execution of conveyances.
- 68.24.120 - Plots or rights of interment indivisible.
- 68.24.130 - Sale for resale prohibited -- Penalty.
- 68.24.140 - Commission on sales prohibited -- Penalty.
- 68.24.150 - Unlawful employment of others to dispose of human remains.
- 68.24.160 - Liens subordinate to dedication.
- 68.24.170 - Record of ownership and transfers.
- 68.24.180 - Opening of roads, railroads through cemetery -- Consent required.
- 68.24.190 - Opening road through cemetery -- Penalty.
- 68.24.220 - Burying place exempt from execution.
- 68.24.240 - Certain cemetery lands exempt from taxes, etc. -- 1901 c 147.
- 68.24.250 - Cemetery arrangements, notice requirements -- Disclosure of multiple interment.
- 68.28 - Mausoleums and columbariums.
- 68.28.010 - Sections applicable to mausoleums, columbariums, etc.
- 68.28.020 - Building converted to use for human remains placement.
- 68.28.030 - Standards of construction.
- 68.28.040 - Fireproof construction.
- 68.28.050 - Ordinances and specifications to be complied with.
- 68.28.060 - Improper construction a nuisance -- Penalty.
- 68.28.065 - Court to fix costs.
- 68.28.070 - Construction in compliance with existing laws.
- 68.32 - Title and rights to cemetery plots.
- 68.32.010 - Presumption as to title.
- 68.32.020 - Vested right of spouse or state registered domestic partner.
- 68.32.030 - Vested right -- Termination.
- 68.32.040 - Descent of title to plot or right of interment.
- 68.32.050 - Affidavit as authorization.
- 68.32.060 - Family plot -- Sale.
- 68.32.070 - Joint tenants -- Vested rights.
- 68.32.080 - Joint tenants -- Survivorship.
- 68.32.090 - Joint tenants -- Identification.
- 68.32.100 - Co-owners may designate representative.
- 68.32.110 - Order of interment -- General.
- 68.32.130 - Waiver of right of placement.
- 68.32.140 - Termination of vested right by waiver.
- 68.32.150 - Limitations on vested rights.
- 68.32.160 - Conveyance of plot or right of interment to cemetery authority, effect.
- 68.32.170 - Exemption from inheritance tax.
- 68.36 - Abandoned lots.
- 68.36.010 - Sale of abandoned space -- Presumption of abandonment.
- 68.36.020 - Notice -- Requirements -- Limitation on placing.
- 68.36.030 - Petition for order of abandonment -- Notice and hearing.
- 68.36.040 - Service of notice.
- 68.36.050 - Hearing -- Order -- Attorneys' fees.
- 68.36.060 - Contract for care before adjudication.
- 68.36.070 - Contract for care within one year after adjudication.
- 68.36.080 - Sale after one year.
- 68.36.100 - Petition may cover several lots.
- 68.40 - Endowment and nonendowment care.
- 68.40.010 - Cemetery authorities -- Deposit in endowment care fund required.
- 68.40.025 - Nonendowed sections -- Identification.
- 68.40.040 - Endowment care fiscal reports -- Review by plot owners.
- 68.40.060 - May accept property in trust -- Application of income.
- 68.40.085 - Representing fund as perpetual -- Penalty.
- 68.40.090 - Penalty.
- 68.40.095 - Certain cemeteries exempt from chapter.
- 68.40.100 - Only nonendowment care cemeteries now in existence are authorized.
- 68.40.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.44 - Endowment care fund.
- 68.44.010 - Funds authorized -- Investments.
- 68.44.020 - Use and care of funds.
- 68.44.030 - Authorized investments.
- 68.44.060 - Unauthorized loans -- Penalty.
- 68.44.070 - Use of contributions to funds.
- 68.44.080 - Plans for care -- Financing.
- 68.44.090 - Covenant to care for cemetery.
- 68.44.100 - Agreement by owner to care for plot.
- 68.44.110 - Trustees of fund.
- 68.44.115 - Trustee to file statement with board -- Resignation of trusteeship.
- 68.44.120 - Directors as trustees -- Secretary.
- 68.44.130 - Bank or trust company as trustee.
- 68.44.140 - Compensation of trustees.
- 68.44.150 - Annual report.
- 68.44.160 - Contributions.
- 68.44.170 - Use of income from fund.
- 68.44.180 - Certain cemeteries exempt from chapter.
- 68.44.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.46 - Prearrangement contracts.
- 68.46.010 - Definitions.
- 68.46.020 - Prearrangement trust funds -- Required.
- 68.46.030 - Prearrangement trust funds -- Deposits -- Bond requirements.
- 68.46.040 - Prearrangement trust funds -- Deposit of funds.
- 68.46.050 - Withdrawals from trust funds -- Notice of department of social and health services' claim.
- 68.46.055 - Indebtedness limitations.
- 68.46.060 - Termination of contract by purchaser or beneficiary.
- 68.46.070 - Involuntary termination of contract -- Refund.
- 68.46.075 - Inactive contracts -- Funds transfer -- Obligations.
- 68.46.080 - Other use of trust funds prohibited.
- 68.46.090 - Financial reports -- Filing -- Verification.
- 68.46.100 - Prearrangment contract requirements.
- 68.46.110 - Compliance required.
- 68.46.125 - Certain cemeteries exempt from chapter.
- 68.46.130 - Exemptions from chapter granted by board.
- 68.46.160 - Contract forms -- Filing.
- 68.46.170 - Sales licenses -- Requirement.
- 68.46.175 - Unconstructed crypts, etc., as part of contract -- Requirements.
- 68.46.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.50 - Human remains.
- 68.50.010 - Coroner's jurisdiction over remains.
- 68.50.015 - Immunity for determining cause and manner of death -- Judicial review of determination.
- 68.50.020 - Notice to coroner -- Penalty.
- 68.50.032 - Transportation of remains directed by coroner or medical examiner -- Costs.
- 68.50.035 - Unlawful to refuse burial to non-Caucasian.
- 68.50.040 - Deceased's effects to be listed.
- 68.50.050 - Removal or concealment of body -- Penalty.
- 68.50.060 - Bodies for instruction purposes.
- 68.50.070 - Bodies, when may be used for dissection.
- 68.50.080 - Certificate and bond before receiving bodies.
- 68.50.090 - Penalty.
- 68.50.100 - Dissection, when permitted -- Autopsy of person under the age of three years.
- 68.50.101 - Autopsy, post mortem -- Who may authorize.
- 68.50.102 - Court petition for autopsy -- Cost.
- 68.50.103 - Autopsies in industrial deaths.
- 68.50.104 - Cost of autopsy.
- 68.50.105 - Autopsies, post mortems -- Reports and records confidential -- Exceptions.
- 68.50.106 - Autopsies, post mortems -- Analyses -- Opinions -- Evidence -- Costs.
- 68.50.107 - State toxicological laboratory established -- State toxicologist.
- 68.50.108 - Autopsies, post mortems -- Consent to embalm or cremate body -- Time limitation.
- 68.50.110 - Burial or cremating.
- 68.50.120 - Holding body for debt -- Penalty.
- 68.50.130 - Unlawful disposal of remains.
- 68.50.140 - Unlawful disturbance, removal, or sale of human remains -- Penalty.
- 68.50.160 - Right to control disposition of remains -- Liability of funeral establishment or cemetery authority -- Liability for cost.
- 68.50.170 - Effect of authorization.
- 68.50.185 - Individual cremation -- Exception -- Penalty.
- 68.50.200 - Permission to remove human remains.
- 68.50.210 - Notice for order to remove remains.
- 68.50.220 - Exceptions.
- 68.50.230 - Human remains that have not been disposed -- Rules.
- 68.50.232 - Remains -- Entrusting to funeral homes or mortuaries.
- 68.50.240 - Record of human remains to be kept.
- 68.50.270 - Possession of cremated human remains.
- 68.50.290 - Corneal tissue for transplantation -- Presumption of good faith.
- 68.50.300 - Release of information concerning a death.
- 68.50.310 - Dental identification system established -- Powers and duties.
- 68.50.320 - Procedures for investigating missing persons -- Availability of files.
- 68.50.330 - Identification of body or human remains by dental examination -- Comparison of dental examination records with dental records of dental identification system.
- 68.50.645 - Skeletal human remains -- Duty to notify -- Ground disturbing activities -- Coroner determination -- Definitions.
- 68.50.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.50.901 - Application -- 1993 c 228.
- 68.50.902 - Application -- Construction -- 1993 c 228.
- 68.50.903 - Severability -- 1993 c 228.
- 68.50.904 - Short title -- 1993 c 228.
- 68.52 - Public cemeteries and morgues.
- 68.52.010 - Morgues authorized in counties.
- 68.52.020 - Coroner to control morgue -- Expense.
- 68.52.030 - Counties and cities may provide for burial, acquire cemeteries, etc.
- 68.52.040 - Cities and towns may own, improve, etc., cemeteries.
- 68.52.045 - Cities and towns may provide for a cemetery board.
- 68.52.050 - Cemetery improvement fund.
- 68.52.060 - Care and investment of fund.
- 68.52.065 - Approval of investments.
- 68.52.070 - Cemetery improvement fund -- Management.
- 68.52.080 - Books of account -- Audit.
- 68.52.090 - Establishment authorized.
- 68.52.100 - Petition -- Requisites -- Examination.
- 68.52.110 - Hearing -- Place and date.
- 68.52.120 - Publication and posting of petition and notice of hearing.
- 68.52.130 - Hearing -- Inclusion and exclusion of lands.
- 68.52.140 - Election on formation of district and first commissioners.
- 68.52.150 - Election, how conducted -- Notice.
- 68.52.155 - Conformity with election laws -- Exception -- Vacancies.
- 68.52.160 - Election ballot.
- 68.52.170 - Canvass of returns -- Resolution of organization.
- 68.52.180 - Review -- Organization complete.
- 68.52.185 - Ballot proposition authorized for district formation.
- 68.52.190 - General powers of district.
- 68.52.192 - Public cemetery facilities or services -- Cooperation with public or private agencies -- Joint purchasing.
- 68.52.193 - Public cemetery facilities or services -- "Public agency" defined.
- 68.52.195 - Community revitalization financing -- Public improvements.
- 68.52.200 - Right of eminent domain.
- 68.52.210 - Power to do cemetery business -- District boundaries may include cities and towns -- Eminent domain exception.
- 68.52.220 - District commissioners -- Compensation -- Election.
- 68.52.250 - Special elections.
- 68.52.260 - Oath of commissioners.
- 68.52.270 - Organization of board -- Secretary -- Office -- Meetings -- Powers.
- 68.52.280 - Duty of county treasurer -- Cemetery district fund.
- 68.52.290 - Tax levy authorized for fund.
- 68.52.300 - Disbursement of fund.
- 68.52.310 - Limitation of indebtedness -- Limitation of tax levy.
- 68.52.320 - Dissolution of districts.
- 68.52.330 - Disincorporation of district located in county with a population of two hundred ten thousand or more and inactive for five years.
- 68.52.900 - Severability -- 1947 c 6.
- 68.52.901 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.54 - Annexation and merger of cemetery districts.
- 68.54.010 - Annexation -- Petition -- Procedure.
- 68.54.020 - Merger -- Authorized.
- 68.54.030 - Merger -- Petition -- Procedure -- Contents.
- 68.54.040 - Merger -- Petition -- Rejection, concurrence or modification -- Signatures.
- 68.54.050 - Merger -- Petition -- Special election.
- 68.54.060 - Merger -- Petition -- Election -- Vote required -- Merger effected.
- 68.54.070 - Merger -- Petition -- When election dispensed with.
- 68.54.080 - Merger -- Preexisting obligations.
- 68.54.090 - Merger -- Transfer of all property, funds, assessments.
- 68.54.100 - Merger and transfer of part of one district to adjacent district -- Petition -- Election -- Vote.
- 68.54.110 - Merger and transfer of part of one district to adjacent district -- When election dispensed with.
- 68.54.120 - Merger and transfer of part of one district to adjacent district -- Preexisting indebtedness.
- 68.54.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.56 - Penal and miscellaneous provisions.
- 68.56.010 - Unlawful damage to graves, markers, shrubs, etc. -- Interfering with funeral.
- 68.56.020 - Unlawful damage to graves, markers, shrubs, etc. -- Civil liability for damage.
- 68.56.030 - Unlawful damage to graves, markers, shrubs, etc. -- Exceptions.
- 68.56.040 - Nonconforming cemetery a nuisance -- Penalty.
- 68.56.050 - Defendant liable for costs.
- 68.56.060 - Police authority -- Who may exercise.
- 68.56.070 - Forfeiture of office for inattention to duty.
- 68.56.900 - Effective date -- 1987 c 331.
- 68.60 - Abandoned and historic cemeteries and historic graves.
- 68.60.010 - Definitions.
- 68.60.020 - Dedication.
- 68.60.030 - Preservation and maintenance corporations -- Authorization of other corporations to restore, maintain, and protect abandoned cemeteries.
- 68.60.040 - Protection of cemeteries -- Penalties.
- 68.60.050 - Protection of historic graves -- Penalty.
- 68.60.055 - Skeletal human remains -- Duty to notify -- Ground disturbing activities -- Coroner determination -- Definitions.
- 68.60.060 - Violations -- Civil liability.
- 68.64 - Uniform anatomical gift act.
- 68.64.010 - Definitions.
- 68.64.020 - Scope.
- 68.64.030 - Persons authorized to make an anatomical gift -- During life of donor.
- 68.64.040 - Manner in which an anatomical gift may be made.
- 68.64.050 - Amending or revoking an anatomical gift.
- 68.64.060 - Refusal to make an anatomical gift.
- 68.64.070 - Making, amending, or revoking a gift by a person other than donor -- Making additional gifts.
- 68.64.080 - Persons authorized to make an anatomical gift -- After donor's death.
- 68.64.090 - Manner in which an anatomical gift may be made -- After donor's death.
- 68.64.100 - Persons to whom an anatomical gift may be made.
- 68.64.105 - Document of gift -- Validity requirements.
- 68.64.110 - Document of gift or refusal -- Examination and copying.
- 68.64.120 - Procurement organizations -- Reasonable examinations -- Donee's rights -- Physician removal of donated part.
- 68.64.130 - Nonnative English speakers -- Interpreter services and translations.
- 68.64.140 - Hospitals -- Agreements or affiliations with procurement organizations required.
- 68.64.150 - Illegal purchases or sales -- Felony.
- 68.64.160 - Illegal financial gain -- Altering a document, amendment, or revocation of gift -- Felony.
- 68.64.170 - Liability.
- 68.64.180 - Declarations or advance health care directives -- Conflicts with medical suitability measures.
- 68.64.190 - Coroner or medical examiner -- Duties.
- 68.64.200 - Organ and tissue donor registry.
- 68.64.210 - Organ and tissue donation awareness account.
- 68.64.900 - Short title.
- 68.64.901 - Applicable state laws.
- 68.64.902 - Uniformity of application and construction -- 2008 c 139.
- 68.64.903 - Supersedes, in part, the federal electronic signatures in global and national commerce act.
- RCW Dispositions
- 68.36 - Abandoned lots
- 68.18 - Annexation and merger of cemetery districts
- 68.05 - Cemetery board
- 68.16 - Cemetery districts
- 68.24 - Cemetery property
- 68.04 - Definitions
- 68.40 - Endowment and nonendowment care
- 68.44 - Endowment care fund
- 68.08 - Human remains
- 68.48 - Penal and miscellaneous provisions
- 68.46 - Prearrangement contracts
- 68.20 - Private cemeteries
- 68.12 - Public cemeteries and morgues
- 68.32 - Title and rights to cemetery plots
- Notes