The two cemeteries in Castelló face the renewal of 717 grave, niche, or mausoleum concessions this year. This figure is almost double the 441 units that expired in 2025 and were not renewed. According to data from Empresa Mixta Nuevo Cementerio, if the deceased's relatives do not renew within the established period, the remains will be deposited in the general ossuary, making their subsequent recovery or identification impossible.
The renewal process involves requesting a new temporary concession, which can be for 5, 20, or 50 years, and paying the corresponding fee. When the expiration date approaches, the managing company initiates a strict information protocol. Two official notifications are sent to the registered address: the first by certified mail in the month of expiry and the second at the end of the expired year. If these notifications are unsuccessful, a campaign of announcements is launched in the Official Provincial Gazette (BOP), and a notice is placed on the expired burial unit itself.
Additionally, the company attempts to locate relatives or contacts via phone or email to exhaust all communication channels. The main objective is to prevent the use concession from being declared expired due to lack of knowledge or protocol ineffectiveness.
If, despite all legal protocols, the responsible person cannot be located, the burial unit reverts to the City Council. The deposited remains may be exhumed if that space is needed for a new grave and transferred to the general ossuaries of Castelló's cemeteries.
The Empresa Mixta Nuevo Cementerio urges citizens who are holders of burial units to report any changes in address or phone number. This will help prevent undesirable situations and ensure that notifications reach their intended recipients.
The average time to exhume remains from expired units, from the cessation of the temporary concession, can be a year or more, depending on the cases.
