Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^* PAYNE MELVIN C	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
(Last) (First) (Middle) 3040 POST OAK BLVD, SUITE 300	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 6/4/2021
(Street) HOUSTON, TX 77056 (City) (State) (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	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. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	6/4/2021		M		19000	A	$22.58	1256333	D
Common Stock	6/4/2021		M		3955	A	$20.06	1260288	D
Common Stock								4164	I	Melvin C. Payne, Jr. 2016 Annuity Trust
Common Stock								4164	I	Karen P. Payne 2016 Annuity Trust
Common Stock								24354	I	Spouse

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)*
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		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 of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)			11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Stock Options	$22.58	6/4/2021		M			19000	⁽¹⁾	2/24/2022	Common Stock	19000.0	$0	81000	D
Stock Options	$20.06	6/4/2021		M			3955	⁽²⁾	2/23/2026	Common Stock	3955.0	$0	54545	D
Stock Options	⁽³⁾							⁽³⁾	2/17/2031	Common Stock	150000.0		150000	D
Stock Options	$34.79							⁽⁴⁾	2/17/2031	Common Stock	150000.0		150000	D
Performance Award	⁽⁵⁾							⁽⁵⁾	12/31/2024	Common Stock	55897.0		55897	D
Stock Options	$25.43							⁽⁶⁾	2/14/2028	Common Stock	50000.0		50000	D
Stock Options	$26.54							⁽⁷⁾	3/21/2027	Common Stock	116100.0		116100	D

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which vested 1/3 on 2/24/2016, 1/3 on 2/24/2017, 1/3 on 2/24/2018 and 19,000 were exercised on 6/4/2021. These stock options expire on 2/24/2022.
(2)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which vested 1/5 on 2/23/2017, 1/5 on 2/23/2018, 1/5 on 2/23/2019, 1/5 on 2/23/2020, 1/5 on 2/23/2021 and 3,955 were exercised on 6/4/2021. These stock options expire on 2/23/2026.
(3)	Stock Options granted on 2/17/2021 pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan. 50,000 stock options would immediately vest upon the stock reaching a price of $55.39 per share and 100,000 stock options would immediately vest upon the stock reaching a price of $77.34 per share, as long as each price is reached for three consecutive trading days during the next 7 year period. These options expire on 2/17/2028.
(4)	Stock Options granted on 2/17/2021 pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan that will vest in equal 20% increments each year over the next five years. These options expire on 2/17/2031.
(5)	Represents performance awards, payable in shares on December 31, 2024 granted under the Carriage Services, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The award will vest (if at all) on December 31, 2024 provided that the Company's common stock reaches one of five pre-determined growth targets for a sustained period beginning on the grant date of May 19, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2024.
(6)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. 2017 Omnibus Plan which vested 1/5 on 2/14/2019, 1/5 on 2/14/2020, 1/5 on 2/14/2021 and 1/5 will vest on 2/14/2022 and 2/14/2023. The options expire on 2/14/2028.
(7)	Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which vested 1/5 on 3/21/2018, 1/5 on 3/21/2019, 1/5 on 3/21/2020, 1/5 on 3/21/2021 and 1/5 will vest on 3/21/2022. These stock options expire on 3/21/2027.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
PAYNE MELVIN C 3040 POST OAK BLVD SUITE 300 HOUSTON, TX 77056	X		CEO