Cemetery rules and monument company checklist

Most problems with memorial QR codes are not technical. They are approval problems, found after the engraving is paid for. Work through this list before you order anything and the rest is easy.

Call the cemetery office first

• Are applied plaques permitted, or must everything be engraved into the existing stone?
• Is there a maximum size for added elements?
• Does anything added require written approval from the office, and how long does that take?
• Are there restrictions on materials — stainless, bronze, aluminum, ceramic?
• For flat markers, does the plaque need to sit flush for mowing?
• Is there an inspection or fee associated with modifying an existing marker?

Then call your monument or engraving company

• Can you laser-etch or sandblast a QR code from a vector file?
• What is the smallest code you can reliably cut in this stone?
• Do you recommend engraving into granite or mounting an etched metal plaque here?
• Can you do a test cut or proof so we can scan it before final install?
• What is your lead time, and does it change for an existing installed marker?

Before you approve the proof

1. Scan the proof yourself with two different phones, one iPhone and one Android.
2. Scan it in bright direct sun and in shade — glare is the most common failure.
3. Scan it from about arm's length, the distance a real visitor will use.
4. Confirm the page that opens is the right memorial and that the video plays.

If a code fails to scan, it is almost always contrast or margin — not the code itself.

Our test-scan page exists for exactly this. It shows you what a visitor sees, on their phone, before a single dollar goes to the engraver.