Regulation 1
Citation
These Regulations may be cited as the Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations.
/akn/sg/act/sub_leg/1987/EPHA-RG9
Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations
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- Type
- Subsidiary Legislation
- Status
- In force
- Enacted
- 1987
- Sections
- 15
Quick answer
About this subsidiary legislation
Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations is Singapore Subsidiary Legislation, cited as Subsidiary Legislation EPHA-RG9 1987, currently marked in force and first recorded in 1987.
Regulation 2
Definitions
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —“ashes” means the cremated remains of a corpse;“caretaker” means a person appointed by the owner of a private cemetery to take charge of the cemetery;“cemetery” means a place of burial maintained by the Agency or otherwise and includes every part of those premises in which such place is located;“corpse” means the body or remains of a deceased person or stillborn child, whether decomposed or otherwise, but does not include ashes;“grave plot” means the area occupied by a grave and includes any tombstone or monument erected on or over it;“medical practitioner” means a registered medical practitioner under the Medical Registration Act 1997 who holds a valid practising certificate granted under that Act;“owner of a private cemetery” means the person who is registered as the owner of the cemetery under the Registration of Deeds Act (Cap. 269) and includes any other person who manages or maintains the cemetery;“RBDA” means the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021, or the repealed Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1937 that was in force immediately before 29 May 2022;“stillbirth” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021;“stillborn child” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021.[Deleted by S 715/2006 wef 01/01/07]
Definition
“caretaker” means a person appointed by the owner of a private cemetery to take charge of the cemetery;
Definition
“cemetery” means a place of burial maintained by the Agency or otherwise and includes every part of those premises in which such place is located;
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
Definition
“corpse” means the body or remains of a deceased person or stillborn child, whether decomposed or otherwise, but does not include ashes;
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Definition
“grave plot” means the area occupied by a grave and includes any tombstone or monument erected on or over it;
Definition
“medical practitioner” means a registered medical practitioner under the Medical Registration Act 1997 who holds a valid practising certificate granted under that Act;
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Definition
“owner of a private cemetery” means the person who is registered as the owner of the cemetery under the Registration of Deeds Act (Cap. 269) and includes any other person who manages or maintains the cemetery;
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Definition
“RBDA” means the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021, or the repealed Registration of Births and Deaths Act 1937 that was in force immediately before 29 May 2022;
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Definition
“stillbirth” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021;
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Definition
“stillborn child” has the meaning given by section 2(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act 2021.
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Regulation 3
Permit for and period of burial
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
A corpse must not be buried unless —
(a)
the Director-General has issued a permit for the burial of the corpse; and
(b)
the death or stillbirth (as the case may be) has been registered under the RBDA or, in the absence of such registration, a medical practitioner has issued a written confirmation of the death or stillbirth, as the case may be.
Subregulation 1A
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Paragraph (1) does not apply to a corpse if —
(a)
the death or stillbirth (as the case may be) occurred outside Singapore; and
(b)
a certificate certifying the cause of death of the deceased person or stillborn child (as the case may be) has been issued by a competent authority of the country or territory in which the death or stillbirth (as the case may be) occurred.
Subregulation 2
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
Except as otherwise determined by the Director-General, a permit issued under paragraph (1) on or after 1st November 1998 shall permit a corpse to be buried in any cemetery for a period of 15 years.
Regulation 4
Application to bury corpse
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
An application for a permit to bury a corpse and the permit to bury a corpse shall be in such form as the Director-General may require.
Subregulation 2
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
The application must be made by —
(a)
in the case of a deceased person —
(i)
the executor of the estate of the deceased person or the nearest surviving relative of the deceased person;
(ii)
a person who is duly authorised to do so by any person mentioned in sub-paragraph (i); or
(iii)
any other person who has given sufficient reason to the Director-General as to why the application is not being made by any of the persons mentioned in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii); and
(b)
in the case of a stillborn child —
(i)
the nearest surviving relative of the stillborn child, or a person who is duly authorised to do so by that relative; or
(ii)
any other person who has given sufficient reason to the Director-General as to why the application is not being made by any of the persons mentioned in sub-paragraph (i).
Regulation 5
Repealed / deleted
[Deleted by S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022]
Regulation 6
Register of burials
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
Subregulation 1
A register of burials shall be kept in safe custody in every cemetery.
Subregulation 2
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
The register of burials shall be in such form as the Director-General may require and shall be kept up to date.
Subregulation 3
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
For each burial in a cemetery, the following particulars must be recorded in the register of burials kept in the cemetery:
(a)
the serial number and date of the burial;
(b)
[Deleted by S 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022](c) where the burial is for a deceased person — the name, identity card, passport or birth certificate number, address, occupation, age, sex and marital status of the deceased person;
(d)
the date of death or stillbirth, as the case may be;
(da)the cause of death of the deceased person or stillborn child, as the case may be;
(e)
where an application for the burial is made under regulation 4, the name, identity card or passport number and address of the person who applied for such burial; (f)where regulation 3(1) applies — the document number of the certificate of death or stillbirth issued under the RBDA, or (where such certificate has not been issued) the document number of the written confirmation mentioned in regulation 3(1)(b) that is issued, for the death or stillbirth, as the case may be; (g)where regulation 3(1A) applies — the document number of the certificate mentioned in regulation 3(1A)(b) that is issued for the death or stillbirth (as the case may be), and the name of the foreign country or territory in which the certificate is issued.
Subregulation 4
The particulars in respect of a burial shall be recorded under paragraph (3) immediately after the burial.
Subregulation 5
A permit issued under regulation 3(1), an application made under regulation 4 and the particulars specified in paragraph (3) shall be preserved for a period of 5 years from the date of the burial to which they relate.
Regulation 7
Depth of grave
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
No grave shall be less than 1.8 metres below the general surface of the ground except with the written permission of the Director-General.
Regulation 8
Location of grave plots or land
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
No grave plot or land shall be used or allowed to be used for burial if it is within 60 metres from the edge of a road or 1.5 metres of any drain or watercourse or within 6 metres of a dwelling-house unless the written permission of the Director-General for such use is obtained.
Regulation 9
Duties of owner of private cemetery
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
The owner of a private cemetery shall ensure that —
(a)
the cemetery is used for no other purpose than the burial of corpses;
(b)
no grave contains more than one corpse;
(c)
adequate measures are taken to prevent any offence under the Vandalism Act (Cap. 341) from being committed within the cemetery;
(d)
no burial is carried out within the cemetery between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. without the written permission of the Director-General;
(e)
a caretaker of the cemetery is present at the cemetery whenever a burial is being carried out;
(f)
the public has proper and free access to all parts of the cemetery at all times;
(g)
the burial ground of the cemetery does not have any structure which was built without the permission of the Director-General and that no person is in possession or occupation of the burial ground or a part thereof without the permission of the Director-General;
(h)
the cemetery is kept clean and free of noxious odours, smoke, fumes and rank vegetation; and
(i)
the cemetery is not used for the dumping of rubbish or the storage of materials.
Regulation 10
Rules for cemetery maintained by Agency
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
In a cemetery maintained by the Agency —
(a)
no person shall cause any tombstone or monument to be erected on or over a grave plot without the permission of the Director-General; (b)a tombstone or monument erected on or over a grave plot shall be of such type and size as may be approved by the Director-General; (c)no inscription shall be made on such tombstone or monument without the approval of the Director-General; (d)no person shall deposit any material for the construction of such tombstone or monument in any place other than within such areas as may be specified by the Director-General; and (e)the Director-General may remove or cause to be removed any remaining material which has been left over from the construction of such tombstone or monument and may require the person who made the application for the burial of the corpse in respect of which such tombstone or monument has been constructed to bear the cost of such removal.
Regulation 11
Inspection of private cemeteries
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
The Director-General or an authorised officer may —
(a)
enter and inspect a private cemetery;
(b)
examine any book, register of burials or other document relating to the burial of a corpse within the cemetery; and
(c)
require from the owner or a caretaker of the cemetery or any other person such information as he may think necessary to determine whether the cemetery has been established, used, managed, maintained or operated or every burial has been carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Act and these Regulations.
Subregulation 2
Any of the officers mentioned in paragraph (1) may make or cause to be made copies of or extracts from such books, registers or documents.
Subregulation 3
Any person who, without reasonable cause, refuses or fails to furnish such information as may be required under paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
Regulation 12
Fees
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 318/2021 wef 17/05/2021
Subregulation 1
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007
The fees specified in the Schedule shall be payable to the Agency in respect of the matters stated therein.
Subregulation 2
Amended byS 715/2006 wef 01/01/2007S 318/2021 wef 17/05/2021
The Agency may ––
(a)
with the approval of the Minister, waive the payment of any fee for burial specified in item 1 in the Schedule; and
(b)
waive the payment of any fee specified in items 2, 2A and 3 in the Schedule.
Regulation 12A
Late payment interest
Amended byS 259/2024 wef 01/04/2024
Subregulation 1
If any fee payable under regulation 12(1) is not paid in full by the date on which payment is due, an amount equal to simple interest, at the rate of 4.5%‑point above the 3‑month compounded SORA, is payable on the amount outstanding for the period mentioned in paragraph (2).
Subregulation 2
The period on which the interest in paragraph (1) is to be levied —
(a)
starts from the date the payment of the fee or part of it is in arrears; and
(b)
ends on the date the payment is fully made.
Subregulation 3
In this regulation —
Definition
“3‑month compounded SORA”, in relation to a period, means —
(a)
if the period or a part of the period falls within the 6‑month period beginning on 1 April of a calendar year, then, for the period or the part (as the case may be) — the compounded average of the SORA values for a 3‑month period computed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore using the prescribed methodology, and published —
(i)
on its Internet website at http://www.mas.gov.sg; or
(ii)
where the website is unavailable to the public, in any other form that is readily accessible by the public,on either of the following days:
(iii)
if 1 March of that calendar year is a business day — that day;
(iv)
if 1 March of that calendar year is not a business day — the last business day in February of that calendar year; or
(b)
if the period or a part of the period falls within the 6‑month period beginning on 1 October of a calendar year, then, for the period or the part (as the case may be) — the compounded average of the SORA values for a 3‑month period computed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore using the prescribed methodology, and published —
(i)
on its Internet website at http://www.mas.gov.sg; or
(ii)
where the website is unavailable to the public, in any other form that is readily accessible by the public,on either of the following days:
(iii)
if 1 September of that calendar year is a business day — that day;
(iv)
if 1 September of that calendar year is not a business day — the last business day in August of that calendar year;
Definition
“business day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday;
Definition
“prescribed methodology” means the methodology set out in the document called “Compounded Singapore Overnight Rate Average Index (“SORA Index”), Compounded SORA and MAS Floating Rate Notes (“MAS FRN”): A User Guide” dated 16 March 2021;
Definition
“Singapore Overnight Rate Average” or “SORA” means the volume-weighted average rate of borrowing transactions in the unsecured overnight interbank Singapore dollar cash market in Singapore between 8 a.m. and 6.15 p.m., as published by the Monetary Authority of Singapore —
(a)
on its Internet website at http://www.mas.gov.sg; or
(b)
where the website is unavailable to the public, in any other form that is readily accessible by the public.
Regulation 13
Offences
Amended byS 416/2022 wef 29/05/2022
No person shall —
(a)
carry out, permit or take part in the burial of a corpse except in accordance with these Regulations;
(b)
make any false declaration or representation or sign any false document with a view to procuring the burial of a corpse within a cemetery; or
(c)
with intent to conceal the commission or impede the prosecution of an offence, procure or attempt to procure the burial of a corpse within a cemetery or, with such intent, make any declaration or issue any document under these Regulations.
Regulation 14
Penalty
A person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of the provisions of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding $2,000.
Common questions
- What is Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations?
- Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations is Singapore Subsidiary Legislation, cited as Subsidiary Legislation EPHA-RG9 1987, currently marked in force and first recorded in 1987.
- Is Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations still in force?
- Yes — Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations is currently in force.
- When did Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations take effect?
- Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations was first recorded in 1987.
- How many regulations does Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations have?
- Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations contains 15 regulations.
- Where can I read the official version of Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations?
- The official text of Environmental Public Health (Cemeteries) Regulations is published at sso.agc.gov.sg.