Home Funeral FAQ: Laws, Body Care and Costs in the US

A home funeral is one where the family, not a funeral home, cares for the body after death. You keep your person at home for a vigil, wash and dress them, hold a vigil, and then arrange burial or cremation. It is legal in every state, but nine states require a licensed funeral director for some steps, so the paperwork is where the rules matter most.

What is a home funeral?

It is also called a family-directed or DIY funeral. The Home Funeral Alliance describes it as families and communities caring for their dead themselves, including bodycare, rituals and arranging what happens next.

You decide how much to do yourself. Some families do everything the law allows. Others hire a funeral director for a few tasks, such as filing the death certificate or transporting the body, and handle the rest at home. Both count. Our guide to a family-directed funeral walks through the timeline of those first days.

Is a home funeral legal in every state?

Yes. The Home Funeral Alliance says it is legal to care for your dead in every state. What varies is how much you can do without a licensed professional.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) says most states do not compel you to use a commercial funeral home, but nine do. Its list, last updated in 2024, is below.

Laws change and local offices interpret them differently. Before you rely on this table, confirm your state's current rules with its funeral board or vital records office. Our home funeral laws by state guide goes deeper.

Even in the other 41 states, expect rules about permits, who may move the body and how soon the death must be registered.

Do you have to embalm the body?

Usually not. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and refrigeration is often an acceptable substitute. The FCA adds that embalming is rarely required by law, mainly in certain cases involving public transportation or crossing state lines from a few states.

A funeral home also cannot make you buy a casket from it. The FTC Funeral Rule says a provider can't refuse to handle a casket you bought elsewhere or charge you a fee for using it. See what embalming is and whether it is required by law.

How do you keep the body cool at home?

Without embalming, cooling is how families manage a vigil of a day or more. The Home Funeral Alliance lists these options:

• Techni-ice or other polymer refrigerants
• Dry ice
• Cooling vests or towels
• Gel packs

For less than 24 hours, it says air conditioning or cold air from open windows may be enough.

Dry ice gives off carbon dioxide, so use it in a ventilated room, wrap it in cloth, and never hold it with bare hands or against the skin. Ask the hospice nurse or a home funeral guide for quantities for your situation. Our cooling the body at home guide covers the steps.

Is it safe to handle a dead body?

For most deaths, yes. The Home Funeral Alliance says the person is no more dangerous than when they were alive, and recommends the standard precautions you would use in caregiving: hand washing, gloves, and a mask when appropriate.

A few conditions call for more care, including tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, HIV, COVID-19 and Ebola. If the person died in a hospital of one of these, the hospital will tell you a home funeral is unsafe. If you are unsure, ask the doctor or hospice team before you begin.

What does body care involve?

The Home Funeral Alliance calls this meaningful work and says there is "no right or wrong way." Families commonly do the following.

1. Set the features early. Stiffening (rigor mortis) begins within a few hours, and the Home Funeral Alliance says timing varies, roughly 12 to 48 hours. Tend to the eyes, mouth and hands first, since smaller muscles stiffen first and gentle massage can help reposition them.
2. Protect the bed. Absorbent pads under the body catch fluids that can be released as muscles relax.
3. Wash gently. Use warm water and minimal soap. The Home Funeral Alliance warns against immersing or soaking the body, which can wrinkle the skin.
4. Dress and lay out. Choose clothing or a shroud. If cremation is planned, avoid batteries and large metal items. For a natural burial, choose natural fibers.
5. Keep cooling. Keep the room cool and the curtains drawn, and keep the cooling packs in place.

For a quieter option, see how viewing without embalming works and what to ask if you want a home viewing without a director.

What paperwork do you need?

Your state sets the exact process, but the core documents are usually the same.

1. Pronouncement of death. A doctor, hospice nurse or other authorized person must confirm the death. If the death is unexpected, call 911.
2. Death certificate. A doctor, medical examiner or coroner certifies the cause of death. The personal details are completed by the funeral director or, where the law allows, the family member acting in that role, then filed with the state or local registrar.
3. Disposition or burial-transit permit. Many states require a permit before a body is buried, cremated or moved. A few states issue it only to a funeral director.
4. Certified copies. Banks, insurers and agencies ask for certified death certificates. Order them from the state vital records office. The CDC lists where to write in each state.

Cremation has its own steps. Some states set a waiting period or require extra authorizations, so call the crematory early. Our what happens during cremation and direct cremation guides explain the process.

How much does a home funeral cost?

It depends on what you do yourself and how you handle disposition. You do not pay for embalming, a funeral home's facilities or a full-service package, but you still pay for:

• cooling supplies
• a shroud, simple casket or cremation container
• certified death certificates and any permit fees
• burial or cremation, including cemetery or crematory charges
• transport, if you do not use your own vehicle where the law allows

Costs vary widely by state and provider, so we do not give a single national figure. A home vigil followed by direct cremation or a natural burial usually costs less than a full-service funeral with a viewing, but the exact amount depends on your area. Ask each provider for its General Price List, which the FTC Funeral Rule requires.

Can you do a hybrid or add a professional?

Yes, and in the nine states above you may have to. Families often hire a funeral director on a limited basis, paying for filing the certificate, obtaining permits or transport while they handle the care and vigil.

The FTC Funeral Rule lets you pick only the services you want, and requires funeral homes to give you a General Price List. It also requires them to quote prices by phone. See our FTC Funeral Rule guide for what to ask.

An end-of-life doula or home funeral guide can also help with washing, the vigil and paperwork. They do not replace a funeral director where one is required, and training varies, so ask about their home funeral experience.

What to do next

1. Check your state's rules with its funeral board or vital records office, and find out whether a funeral director is required.
2. Decide on disposition first: burial, cremation or a green option. It shapes the permits and timing.
3. Line up help: a hospice nurse or home funeral guide, and two or three family or friends to share the work.
4. Not sure a home funeral fits? The Funeral Type Finder compares the options side by side.