Individuals are buried on Hart Island (1) because their identity is unknown at the time of their death and a next of kin could not be located to arrange for burial services; (2) because the individual's family could not afford burial costs; (3) or because the individual's family declines to claim the remains for any reason.

The burial location of each individual since 1977 is recorded and maintained in the Hart Island database.

If someone was buried at Hart Island, their death certificate will say "City Burial" or "Hart Island" in the burial information. 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 1977.

Yes. Burial assistance is available to help pay for funeral expenses/burials/cremations of eligible low-income New Yorkers. Applications, along with your documents, will be reviewed by the HRA Office of Burial Services to see if eligibility criteria for a burial allowance are met. To learn more about burial assistance and apply for a burial allowance, visit HRA's Office of Burial Services website. If you call outside of regular business hours, please leave a message and your call will be returned the next business day. You may also visit the Office of Burial Services in person at:

HRA Office of Burial Services
33-28 Northern Boulevard
3rd Floor
Long Island City, NY 11101

Chosen families are non-biological kinship bonds, whether legally recognized or not, deliberately chosen for the purpose of mutual support and love. Chosen family members have the same access to Hart Island as biological family members.

Individuals with close personal ties to a specific decedent are eligible for gravesite visits, however, visits for family members, chosen family members, and partners are prioritized. To discuss individual visits, please contact hart.island@parks.nyc.gov or by calling 212-360-3428.

Reservations to visit Hart Island may be scheduled by using the Visit Request Form online.

NYC Parks works to accommodate each request submitted for a visit to Hart Island. A maximum of 35 visitors can be accommodated for each gravesite visitation period.

Visitors are permitted to leave the following mementos at gravesites: flowers without vases, small stuffed animals, photographs, prayer cards, small flags, and blankets. When requesting a visit, requestors may seek permission to bring other mementos, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Photos and videos are permitted on Hart Island.

Visits to Hart Island are scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis. When a visitation period reaches capacity, a waitlist is created for that visitation period. As scheduled visitors notify NYC Parks of a cancellation, Parks reaches out to visitors on the waitlist to notify them that a scheduled visit has become available on their preferred day and add them to the schedule accordingly. Alternately, Parks will offer to schedule the visitors on a later date.

All visits to Hart Island are free of charge and are authorized solely and entirely by NYC Parks. Parks does not work with third-party vendors or outside organizations to schedule or provide visits to Hart Island. All visits to Hart Island should be scheduled directly with Parks.

The safety of our staff and visitors is NYC Parks' top priority. All staff and guests are recommended to wear a face covering and maintain safe social distance for the duration of the visit. If you have any questions or concerns related to the health and safety, please contact NYC Parks by emailing hart.island@parks.nyc.gov.