Decorations & Prohibited Items Policy

At Arlington Cemetery, our priorities are:
  1. Safety for visitors and staff.
  2. Cleanliness and dignity of the cemetery grounds.
  3. Clarity that decorations are placed at your own risk. The cemetery is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged decorations. Please remember that leaving items on a grave is similar to leaving belongings in a public park; we cannot control visitors who may remove them, nor damage caused by weather or wildlife.
Annual Cleanup
  • A cemetery-wide cleanup takes place around January 15 each year (weather permitting).
  • Please remove any decorations you wish to keep before this date.
  • All items left after this date will be removed by cemetery staff.
  • New decorations may be placed beginning one month after start of cleanup (approximately February 13th).

Holiday Decorations
  • Holiday decorations should be removed by families before the next holiday.
  • Older holiday items left behind may be removed by cemetery staff without notice in order to maintain a clean and respectful environment.

Acceptable Decorations
  • Fresh or artificial flowers are permitted only in cemetery-approved cones, which are plastic non-permanent cones. 
  • Flowers may not be pushed directly into the ground.
  • Decorations must be placed within 12 inches of the monument.
  • Please be aware that wildlife such as deer and groundhogs often disturb or eat fresh flowers, which may result in missing or damaged arrangements.
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Disclaimer on Hazardous Items
The cemetery reserves the right to remove, without prior notice, any item that poses a safety hazard to staff, visitors, or cemetery property, including monuments and maintenance equipment. Safety hazards include but are not limited to glass, metal, oversized, sharp, unstable, or flammable objects.

​The cemetery is not responsible for any removed, lost, or damaged items.

Are your decoration missing?
We sincerely apologize if you have experienced this issue. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence, particularly during holidays. We have found that visitors to nearby graves often take decorations from other graves to decorate their own, believing that no one will return to check or that the issue will simply be overlooked. While we understand this can be frustrating, the cemetery is not responsible for missing decorations, and unfortunately, there is little we can do to prevent this. If you notice that only your grave is missing decorations and others nearby still have theirs, this is likely the cause.

When Will the Cemetery Remove Decorations?
The cemetery will only remove decorations under two circumstances:
  1. Full Cemetery Cleanups:
    During our annual cleanup, all decorations across the cemetery will be removed. We will post signs at least one month in advance to notify you of the cleanup dates, which typically last 3-4 weeks. You will have ample time to remove any decorations you wish to keep.
  2. Safety or Maintenance Concerns:
    If decorations cause safety hazards or interfere with grounds maintenance, we may remove them without prior notice. For example, overdecorated graves can lead to grass and weeds growing through decorations, which can create nesting areas for rodents, posing safety risks. We ask that decorations be kept to a minimum to ensure proper maintenance of the cemetery.
If you frequently visit and maintain your decorations within our guidelines, there should be no need for the cemetery to remove them.

Liability for Missing or Damaged Decorations
​The cemetery is not responsible for missing, damaged, or stolen decorations. Decorations are typically lost or damaged due to theft, wildlife, wind, or general wear and tear. Our staff cannot monitor the entire cemetery for theft or damage. If decorations are blown off due to high winds, our groundskeepers will dispose of them to keep the cemetery clean, as they cannot be replaced at the original grave site.

Prohibited ItemsIf an item is listed on our Prohibited Items List, it will be removed without notice. If you’re unsure whether an item is acceptable, please contact the cemetery before placing it on the grave.

Prohibited Items:

For safety and maintenance reasons, the following are not permitted:
  • Fencing, borders, rocks, or gravel (including covering graves with stones or fabric memorials).
  • Statues, figurines, or stuffed animals.
  • Glass, ceramic, or stone items including vases, or containers.
  • Metal items such as stakes, shepherd’s hooks, solar lights, or garden decorations.
  • Eternal lights, solar light, candles, or lanterns.
  • Permanent plantings (trees, shrubs, flowers, or other vegetation).
  • Permanent structures other than an approved monument purchased and set through a licensed monument dealer.
  • Oversized decorations such as large crosses, plaques, wreath stands, or other items that interfere with maintenance or neighboring graves.
  • Any object creating a safety hazard for visitors, staff, or equipment.
Any prohibited or unsafe items will be removed without notice.

Temporary Grave Markers

​Temporary grave markers may remain in place for up to one year after the date of death or until a permanent monument is installed, whichever comes first.
  • Only standard markers, typically provided by funeral homes, are permitted.
  • Families wishing to keep the temporary marker must remove it before the one-year period ends.
  • The cemetery does not sell temporary markers and is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged markers.
We reserve the right to remove any items that pose a hazard or violate our rules and regulations, without prior notice. The cemetery is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items.
Please note, we do not accept complaints regarding lost, stolen, or damaged items.