Hart Island

For over 150 years, it has been the New York City Department of Correction’s solemn duty to manage burials on Hart Island. The Island serves as the City’s public cemetery and is the final resting place of over one million individuals. The NYC Department of Correction is committed to ensuring that the public has access to the island and has several services available to help the individuals find and visit their loved ones on Hart Island.

To contact the Department about Hart Island, please call the Hart Island Information Line at (718) 546-0911 or hartisland@doc.nyc.gov. This line is staffed by a dedicated member of the Office of Constituent and Grievance Services Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. If you call outside of these hours, please leave a message and your call will be returned the following business day. All emails will receive a response within 24 to 48 hours, absent any extenuating circumstances.

Information on Hart Island

Visiting Hart Island

How to Find a Loved One on Hart Island

Disinterment

Burial Assistance

Frequently Asked Questions

For the Media

Visiting Hart Island

The Department of Correction welcomes the public to visit Hart Island, pay their respects, and maintain vital connections to those that have passed away. The island can be accessed by scheduling either a public gazebo visit or a private gravesite visit. Visits to Hart Island are provided solely by the Department of Correction and are free of charge to visitors.

Gravesite visits are reserved for those with close personal ties to a decedent, including family members, chosen family members, close friends, and partners. Gravesite visits are intended to provide an opportunity for loved ones to spend peaceful time at the final resting place of the decedent. Gazebo visits can be accessed by the general public, as well as family and friends of a decedent.

Type of Visits

Gravesite Visits

For individuals wishing to visit the final resting place of a loved one, the Department offers gravesite visits to Hart Island twice a month, on weekends. A visitor who requests a gravesite visit is permitted to be accompanied by up to four (4) additional guests. Anyone wishing to visit a gravesite with more than four (4) additional guests should contact the Hart Island Information Line. The Department will make reasonable efforts to accommodate any such requests.

Gravesite visits are reserved for individuals with close ties to a specific decedent.

Gazebo Visits

The Department offers gazebo visits on the third Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. Reservations for gazebo visits may be scheduled by anyone, regardless of whether they have a loved one interred on the Island. During a gazebo visit, visitors are escorted to a designated location at the gazebo and remain there for the entirety of the visit, with time to reflect on the memories of those buried on the Island. Many of the Island burial sites and monuments can be viewed from the gazebo and there is also a question and answer session with knowledgeable staff who work on the Island.

Scheduling and Preparation

Reservations to Visit Hart Island

In an abundance of caution due to the current public health situation, all public visits to Hart Island have been suspended until further notice. At this time, the Department is not taking visit scheduling requests or requests to reschedule visits that have been canceled. This action is being taken in an effort to limit the potential for spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to protect the health and safety of DOC staff, persons in custody, and potential visitors to the island. For more information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit NYC Health’s website on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

We recognize how important it is to visit loved ones that have passed away and remain committed to managing the island and those interred there with the utmost respect. All burial operations on the Hart Island remain uninterrupted.

We appreciate your patiences and understanding in this matter and encourage you to check the Hart Island website for the most up-to-date information on visits to the island. For more information, please reach out to hartisland@doc.nyc.gov or the Hart Island Information Line at (718) 546-0911.

Availability for Gravesite Visits

In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, the Department is not scheduling gravesite visits at this time.

How to Prepare for Your Visit

Prior to visiting, each family member or guest should sign and submit a liability waiver by emailing a signed copy to hartisland@doc.nyc.gov, or mailing it to:

NYC Department of Correction

Office of Constituent and Grievance Services

75-20 Astoria Boulevard

East Elmhurst, New York 11370

A visitor may also provide a signed copy in person on the day of visitation, and blank copies of the liability waiver will also be available at the City Island dock on the day of visitation.

What to Expect on the Day of Your Visit

When visiting Hart Island, please consider any inclement weather conditions, especially during the summer and winter seasons, and dress appropriately. The island is accessed by a brief ferry ride from a dock on City Island, and all transportation on Hart Island is provided by the Department. Uniformed Correction Officers will escort all groups and individuals to their designated visit sites, but will maintain a respectful distance in order to allow for a peaceful visit.

Upon arrival at the City Island dock, all visitors are required to present valid photo identification and sign the Hart Island Visitor Book. The Department reserves the right to search visitors consistent with its security policy and works diligently to maintain a peaceful and respectful environment during visits to Hart Island.

Visit Availability and Limitations

Visits will be scheduled for the requested date unless accommodation for a request is not feasible due to inclement weather, no availability on the date requested because maximum capacity has been reached, and any other factors beyond the Department’s control. In such cases, the Department will make reasonable efforts to reschedule the visit for the next date requested.

If space is unavailable on the preferred visit day, the Department will contact the individual who submitted the request within three (3) business days of a request for a visit to modify the request or seek to reschedule the request. In the event that demand for visits exceeds capacity, visits for family members, chosen family members, and partners will be prioritized. Any other visitor whose visit needs to be rescheduled in order to afford a visit opportunity for a family member, chosen family member, or partner will receive at least three (3) business days notice.

If a deceased person’s specific gravesite is either unidentifiable or inaccessible for reasons that cannot be remedied before the date of the visit, the requestor will be notified in advance of the visit and may be asked to reschedule. Alternatively, the requestor is permitted to visit an alternate gravesite or other location reasonably proximate to the requested gravesite.

Directions and Transportation

The ferry to Hart Island departs from a dock in City Island located at the east end of Fordham Street.

There is no parking on the City Island dock and parking near the dock is extremely limited. All visitors are strongly encouraged to take public transportation or carpool if possible. The Bx29 bus stops at the intersection City Island Ave and Fordham Street, which is a ten (10) minute walk to the dock. All visitors are reminded to follow local parking regulations.

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How to Find a Loved One Buried on Hart Island

The Department has created a searchable database of Hart Island burial records dating back to 1977, which enables members of the public to determine if a loved is buried on the island. Records dated before 1977 are preserved by the New York City Municipal Archives, a division of the New York City Department of Records and Information Services. Some records were destroyed in a fire in the 1970s, and location information cannot be determined for these interments. The searchable database is available for public access to search for individuals by name, age, birth date, date of death, or by the assigned Medical Examiner number. The Medical Examiner number may be obtained through the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City.

Please click the following link to access the Hart Island searchable database to determine if your loved one has been interred on Hart Island. If you know the plot number of your loved one, you can locate them on the Island by referencing a Map of Hart Island burial locations (Hart Island Map 1, Hart Island Map 2).

If you need more information about an individual record or assistance locating a record, please call the Hart Island Information Line at (718) 546-0911 or email hartisland@nyc.doc.gov. The Department has redacted personally identifying information from records of fetal remains in order to protect the personal privacy of family members. Any family member seeking information on fetal remains that may have been buried on Hart Island should call the Hart Island Information Line.

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Disinterment

Upon confirming that a loved one is buried on Hart Island, families may request a disinterment and reburial elsewhere, such as in a private cemetery. The Department does not charge for locating and disinterring remains of the deceased.

To arrange for relocation and reburial 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 the Department of Correction:

The original Disinterment Permit A formal request for disinterment on letterhead from a licensed funeral home.

The address to mail these two (2) documents is:

NYC Department of Correction

Facility Maintenance and Repair Division

75-20 Astoria Boulevard

Elmhurst, NY 11370

The Department of Correction will schedule the disinterment and coordinate with the funeral home for transfer of the remains. For more information, please contact the Office of Constituent and Grievance Services via the Hart Island information Line by calling (718) 546-0911 or by email at hartisland@doc.nyc.gov.

Burial Assistance

Burial assistance is available to help pay for funeral expenses/burials/cremations of eligible low-income New Yorkers through the HRA’s Office of Burial Services. A burial allowance application can be made for funeral costs related to the disinterment and reburial of a decent buried on Hart Island. To learn more about burial assistance, visit HRA’s Office of Burial Services website, email BurialServices@hra.nyc.gov, or call (929) 252-7731 during regular business hours. 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 on Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at:

HRA Office of Burial Services

33-28 Northern Blvd., 3rd Floor

Long Island City, NY 11101

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is buried on Hart Island?

Individuals are buried on Hart Island 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, because the individual’s family could not afford burial costs, or because the individual’s family preferred that their loved one be buried on Hart Island. The internment location of each individual is recorded and maintained by the Department.

Q: Can I get help paying for a burial or cremation of a loved one who passed away ?

Yes. Burial assistance is available to help pay for funeral expenses/burials/cremations of eligible low-income New Yorkers. Applications, along with our 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, email BurialServices@hra.nyc.gov, or call (929) 252-7731 during regular business hours. 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 on Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at:

HRA Office of Burial Services

33-28 Northern Blvd., 3rd Floor

Long Island City, NY 11101

Q: Who are considered chosen family members? Does the Department allow chosen family to visit?

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.

Q: I am not a relative but would like to visit the gravesite of a close friend or co-worker. Am I eligible for a gravesite visit?

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 the Hart Island Information Line.

Q: How may visitors sign up to visit Hart Island?

In an abundance of caution due to the current public health situation, all public visits to Hart Island have been suspended until further notice. At this time, the Department is not taking visit scheduling requests or requests to reschedule visits that have been canceled. This action is being taken in an effort to limit the potential for spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and to protect the health and safety of DOC staff, persons in custody, and potential visitors to the island. For more information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit NYC Health’s website on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

We recognize how important it is to visit loved ones that have passed away and remain committed to managing the island and those interred there with the utmost respect. All burial operations on the Hart Island remain uninterrupted.

We appreciate your patiences and understanding in this matter and encourage you to check the Hart Island website for the most up-to-date information on visits to the island. For more information, please reach out to hartisland@doc.nyc.gov or the Hart Island Information Line at (718) 546-0911.

Q: How many people can visit Hart Island during a visitation period?

The Department works to accommodate each request submitted for a visit to Hart Island.For each gravesite visitation period, there is a maximum of thirty-five (35) visitors that can be escorted to visit their requested gravesites. For each gazebo visitation period, there is a maximum of twelve (12) visitors that can be escorted to the gazebo area. The Department has the discretion to provide access for additional visitors when feasible.

Q: Can I take personal items on a gravesite visit?

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

Q: Can I take pictures while I’m on Hart Island?

Film and photography while on Hart Island are prohibited without the express permission of the NYC Department of Correction. The Department offers two (2) Media Day visits to the Island per year for members of the media. For more information about Media Day visits, please contact the Department’s Office of Public Information at pressoffice@doc.nyc.gov

Q: I’m having trouble determining whether my loved one is buried on Hart Island, who can I contact for help?

You can contact the Hart Island Information Line by calling (718) 546-0911 or emailing hartisland@doc.nyc.gov.

Q: What happens if my preferred visit day is unavailable?

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 the Department of a cancellation, the Department 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, the Department will offer to schedule the visitors on a later date.



Q: Does the Department charge a fee for visits to Hart Island?

All visits to Hart Island are free of charge and are authorized solely and entirely by the Department. The Department 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 the Department.

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For the Media

Twice a year, accredited members of the media may attend a two-hour tour of Hart Island. The tour can accommodate approximately five media outlets, with no more than two people per outlet. Participants on the tour are determined on a first-come, first-serve basis, and must complete the following forms beforehand:

• Certificate of Liability Insurance

• DOC Location Agreement

• Certification by Insurance Broker or Agent

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