What Happens to a Body Overnight at a Funeral Home?

Overnight, a funeral home normally keeps the body identified and in refrigerated storage until the family decides what happens next. It does not automatically embalm. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home generally needs your approval before it embalms and charges for it, and no state requires routine embalming for every death.

What happens when the funeral home takes the body in?

When a funeral home is called after a death, staff collect the person from the hospital, hospice, care home or residence. This is often called a removal or transfer. The details vary, but the usual sequence is:

1. The body is released to the funeral home you choose. If the death is under investigation, the coroner or medical examiner may keep the body first. See coroner vs medical examiner.
2. The person is identified. Funeral homes typically tag the body with identification. For cremation, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) describes a stainless steel identification disc that accompanies the remains throughout the process.
3. Paperwork is started. You will normally be asked to sign an authorization. State law decides who has legal authority over the body, which is often the next of kin. The funeral home also starts the death certificate.
4. The body is placed in storage. Usually this is a refrigerated unit, unless it is being taken straight to be prepared.

If you are waiting on next steps, our tool on what happens next shows what comes after a death, in order.

Is the body refrigerated or embalmed overnight?

Refrigeration is the normal way to hold a body for a short time. The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) says it can be used to maintain a body while awaiting a funeral service or when there is a delay in making arrangements. The FCA also notes that most hospitals offer refrigeration but not all funeral homes do, so ask yours.

Embalming is a different matter. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and the FCA says no state requires it if burial or cremation takes place within two days. The Funeral Rule also sets limits:

• A funeral home cannot tell you embalming is required for direct cremation or immediate burial.
• It cannot charge for embalming unless state law requires it, you approved it, or it could not reach you after a good-faith attempt and explains why afterward.
• It must disclose on its price list that embalming is not required by law except in certain special cases, but may be necessary for some arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing.

Some states do set time limits. The FTC notes that some require embalming or refrigeration if burial or cremation is not done within a certain time. Florida, for example, says a body may not be held in any place or in transit more than 24 hours after death unless it is refrigerated at 40°F or below, embalmed or otherwise preserved in a manner approved by the licensing authority. Ask the funeral home what your state requires.

Does anyone stay with the body overnight?

Arrangements vary by funeral home, and there is no national rule on it, so ask. Good questions include how the storage area is secured, who has access and how temperature is monitored.

How long can the body stay at the funeral home?

There is no single national limit. Refrigeration can hold a body while you plan. In practice, three things set the pace:

• Paperwork. The death certificate and any permits must be completed. CANA notes that cremation typically occurs at least 48 hours after death, with timing set by paperwork and local rules.
• State rules. Some states require embalming or refrigeration after a set time, as above.
• Your plans. Travelling family, a cemetery opening or a religious calendar may set the date. For religious traditions that bury quickly, tell the funeral home at the first call.

See how long after death is a funeral and same day cremation for timing options. If the family wants to keep the body at home instead, our guides on keeping a body at home and cooling a body at home explain the rules and methods.

Can I see or sit with my loved one?

Often, yes, but not always right away. Many funeral homes arrange a private family viewing by appointment, usually once the body has been cared for. The price for use of facilities and staff for a viewing is listed on the General Price List. Ask whether you can see them before preparation, whether you can bring a faith leader, and what time suits the staff. Our guides on private family viewing and preparing a body for viewing explain what to expect.

What should I ask the funeral home?

• How will you hold the body until the service, and is it refrigerated?
• Will you embalm only if I approve it, in writing?
• What will I be charged for holding the body, and where does that appear on the price list?
• How do you identify and track the person?
• Can I visit, and when?
• What is the timeline for paperwork, and does anything delay cremation or burial?

The FTC Funeral Rule lets you get prices over the phone, and requires the funeral home to give you a General Price List and an itemized statement before you pay. Our guide on what a funeral director does explains the rest of the process.

What to do next

1. Choose the funeral home and confirm how it is holding the body.
2. Tell the staff whether you want embalming, and get it in writing either way.
3. Ask for the General Price List and an itemized estimate.
4. Bring clothing if you plan a viewing, and ask about timing for the service.