SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* PAYNE MELVIN C (Last) (First) (Middle) 3040 POST OAK BLVD SUITE 300 (Street) HOUSTON TX 77056 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CARRIAGE SERVICES INC [ CSV ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) CEO
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/20/2012
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	12/20/2012		M		3,283	A	$5.7	1,402,927	D
Common Stock								70,000	I	daughter in same household
Common Stock								3,518	I	Spouse

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options	$5.7	12/20/2012		M			3,283	02/28/2012	02/28/2021	Common Stock	3,283	$0	41,419	D
Stock Options	$4.78							(1)	05/18/2020	Common Stock	21,200		21,200	D
Performance Award(2)	$9(3)							(2)	08/02/2017	Common Stock	400,000		400,000	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. 21,200 stock options issued on May 18, 2010 which vest one third over three years. 14,133 is vested as of the current date.

2. Represents performance-based stock awards granted under the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The award will vest (if at all) on or before August 2, 2017 on the date on which the closing price of Carriage's Common Stock is greater than or equal to $21.50 for the third time, whether or not consecutive, within a period of 30 consecutive calendar days. If these conditions are satisfied on or prior to the first anniversary of the grant date, which is August 2, 2013, then the vesting date of these awards will be August 2, 2013; provided that the Reporting Person has remained continuously employed by Carriage through such date.

3. The award represents the right of the Reporting Person to receive shares of Carriage Common Stock in exchange for payment of a purchase price equal to $9.00 per share.

Remarks:

	/s/ Melvin C. Payne	12/21/2012
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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