Ownership Submission
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

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
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 (Month/Day/Year)
12/14/2017
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77056		 4. If Amendment, Date 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
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
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 12/14/2017   G   300 D $ 25.84 1,128,378 D  
Common Stock               21,824 I Melvin C. Payne, Jr. 2016 Annuity Trust
Common Stock               21,824 I Karen P. Payne 2016 Annuity Trust
Common Stock               6,694 I Spouse

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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 Underlying Securities
(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)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options $ 26.54               (1) 03/21/2027 Common Stock 116,100   116,100 D  
Performance Award (2)               (2) 12/31/2021 Common Stock 26,380   26,380 D  
Stock Options $ 20.06               (3) 02/23/2026 Common Stock 58,500   58,500 D  
Performance Award (4)               (4) 12/31/2020 Common Stock 17,900   17,900 D  
Stock Options $ 22.58               (5) 02/24/2022 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Stock Options $ 20.49               (6) 03/03/2019 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Stock Options $ 16.73               (7) 05/22/2018 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Stock Options $ 5.7               (8) 02/28/2021 Common Stock 3,284   3,284 D  

Reporting Owners

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

Signatures

 /s/ Melvin C. Payne   12/15/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* 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).
(1) Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which will vest 1/5 each year on 3/21/2018, 3/21/2019, 3/21/2020, 3/21/2021 and 3/21/2022. These stock options expire on 3/21/2027.
(2) Represents performance-based awards, payable in shares, granted under the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The award will vest (if at all) on December 31, 2021 provided that certain criteria surrounding Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (Adjusted Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) and Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin performance is achieved and the Reporting Person has remained continuously employed by Carriage through such date. The Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA performance represents 50% of the award and the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA Margin performance represents 50% of the award.
(3) Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which 1/5 vested on 2/23/2017 and 1/5 will vest on 2/23/2018, 2/23/2019, 2/23/2020 and 2/23/2021. These stock options expire on 2/23/2026.
(4) Represents performance-based awards, payable in shares, granted under the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The award will vest (if at all) on December 31, 2020 provided that certain criteria surrounding Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA (Adjusted Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) and Relative Shareholder Return performance is achieved and the Reporting Person has remained continuously employed by Carriage through such date. The Relative Shareholder Return performance represents 75% of the award and the Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA performance represents 25% of the award.
(5) 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 and 1/3 will vest on 2/24/2018. These stock options expire on 2/24/2022.
(6) Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which vested 1/3 on 3/3/2015, 1/3 on 3/3/2016 and 1/3 on 3/3/2017. These stock options expire on 3/3/2019.
(7) Stock Options grant pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan which vested 1/3 on 05/22/2014, 1/3 on 05/22/2015 and 1/3 on 05/22/2016. These stock options expire on 05/22/2018.
(8) Stock Options granted pursuant to the Carriage Services, Inc. Second Amended and Restated 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan of 44,702 options granted on 02/28/2011, of which 14,900 options vested on 02/28/2012 and 3,283 were exercised on 12/20/2012, 14,901 options vested on 02/28/2013 and 14,000 were exercised on 11/06/2015 and 24,135 options were exercised on 03/29/2016. These stock options expire on 02/28/2021.

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