B. Columbaria

B. Columbaria

In Hong Kong, the most common and popular way of interment of cremated ashes is to place the cremated ashes in columbarium niches.

Government columbaria

There are 12 public columbaria managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). The FEHD website lists the available ash niches for application.

The FEHD’s columbarium offers two types of ash niches to choose from:

• standard niches – holding more than two sets of cremated ashes
• large niches – holding more than four sets of cremated ashes

The subsequent set of cremated ashes deposited in a niche shall be those of a kinship of or in close relationship with the deceased first deposited in that niche.

Kinship is a general term referring to the most common types of “relatives,” which includes spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, spouse’s father, spouse’s mother, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, or direct descendants of the paternal or maternal line.

In addition, with effect from 26 April 2019, the FEHD has implemented extendable allocation arrangements for public niches. The initial interment period is 20 years and can be extended at 10-year intervals thereafter upon payment of the prevailing prescribed fee, with no upper limit on the number of times a niche may be extended. For details, please refer to the FEHD’s notice (in Chinese only) and the relevant introductory video.

Columbaria in private cemeteries

In addition to government-managed cemeteries, other private cemeteries in Hong Kong also provide columbarium niches for ash placement. Common cemeteries include the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries (website in Chinese only), Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union Cemetery (website in Chinese only), Hong Kong Buddhist Cemetery (website in Chinese only), and the Catholic Cemeteries.

Private Columbaria

The Private Columbaria Ordinance (Cap. 630) came into effect on 30 June 2017. Under the ordinance, operating a private columbarium in Hong Kong requires a license, exemption, or temporary exemption from liability (TSOL). Only licensed private columbaria can sell or rent niches to new tenants. A list of licensed private columbaria can be found and verified on the website of the Private Columbaria Licensing Board.

Under the Ordinance, a 9-month grace period between 30 June 2017 and 29 March 2018 will be applicable to a private columbarium that was in operation immediately before 30 June 2017. For columbarium which was not in operation immediately before 30 June 2017 or columbarium which has been in operation since 1 July 2017, the grace period does not apply.

During the grace period, private columbarium that were still in operation up until 30 June 2017, can continue to operate, but their operators cannot sell or rent niches to new tenants during the grace period. After the grace period, private columbarium niches must obtain a license, exemption, or TSOL to continue operating. Otherwise, they must cease operations and carry out the “Prescribed Ash Disposal Procedures” as required by law.

FAQ 

What happens if the chosen private columbarium is not licensed? 

Ashes can be placed in a private columbarium until 29 March 2018. If the private columbarium has not obtained a license or exemption by that time, you must find a licensed or exempted private columbarium to place the ashes. Depending on the situation, you may be entitled to compensation from the operator. 

It is recommended that before any agreement has been signed or payment has been made, one should verify with the operator of the private columbarium on whether the private columbarium has obtained a licence and how compensation will be awarded if it ceases operation. 

For more information, please refer to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s website on regulating private columbaria. 

Home

Apart from the above, it is legal for ashes to be placed at home without the need to apply to the government. As cremated ashes have been processed at a high temperature, they will not pose any threat to public health. Members of the public may keep no more than 10 containers of ashes in domestic premises and each container should contain the ashes of no more than one person.