Oklahoma Funeral Costs: Prices, Rules and Your Options

Oklahoma has no official average funeral price, and the Oklahoma Funeral Board says it cannot regulate what funeral homes charge. The NFDA's 2023 national medians were $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for one with viewing and cremation. Oklahoma does not require embalming, a casket or a burial vault, so much of the final bill is your choice.

How much does a funeral cost in Oklahoma?

The NFDA medians leave out the cemetery plot, the opening and closing fee and the marker. No verified Oklahoma-wide or city-level price survey turned up in our research, so ignore any "Oklahoma average" you see without a named source and a year. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of North Texas lists itself as serving Oklahoma, and you can find it through the affiliate directory.

Direct cremation and immediate burial, which have no viewing or service, cost far less than a full funeral at most funeral homes. Nationally, cremation has become the majority choice, and the NFDA projected a national cremation rate of 63.4% for 2025. That is a national figure, not an Oklahoma one.

How do you compare Oklahoma funeral homes?

The FTC Funeral Rule applies in Oklahoma. Funeral homes must give you prices over the phone without asking who you are, hand you a General Price List to keep, and let you choose individual items rather than a package. The Board notes that any funeral home you visit should give you that list, and that prices vary significantly between homes.

1. Call at least three funeral homes in or near your area.
2. Ask for the total for the exact service you want, in writing.
3. Ask which charges are the funeral home's own and which are passed through to others.

See how to read a General Price List.

What costs extra?

The Oklahoma Funeral Board lists cash advance items as cemetery charges, the crematory, permits, flowers and obituaries. These may need to be paid directly to third parties. The funeral home's price also usually leaves out the cemetery plot, opening and closing the grave and the marker.

You can buy a casket elsewhere. The FTC says a funeral home cannot refuse a casket or urn you bought somewhere else or charge you a fee to handle it.

What does Oklahoma law require?

The Oklahoma Funeral Board's consumer FAQ says:

• Embalming is not legally required. An unembalmed body must be buried within 24 hours unless it is refrigerated. Many funeral homes require embalming for viewings, and airlines usually require it for shipping remains. See embalming and the law.
• Caskets and vaults are not legally required. A casket or alternative container, such as cardboard or wood, is needed in practice to move remains, and most cemeteries require an outer burial container. The FTC adds that a funeral home offering cremation must make alternative containers available.
• Cremation needs paperwork first. The next of kin must sign an authorization and the State Medical Examiner must issue a special permit first. Ask the funeral home or crematory whether there is a fee for the permit and whether it will appear on your bill.
• Family-led burial is allowed. The Board says families can bury their own dead without a licensed funeral director, under 59 O.S. section 396.19, but they must make sure the death certificate is completed and filed with the State Department of Health. Check with the local registrar and the cemetery first. See home funeral laws by state.
• Scattering ashes on private property with the owner's consent is listed as an option. For public land or water, ask the managing agency before you scatter.

Who has the right to decide?

Under 21 O.S. section 1158, as summarized by the Funeral Board, the order is the spouse, then adult children, then parents, then adult siblings. Putting your wishes and your chosen decision-maker in writing ahead of time avoids disputes.

Death certificates in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma State Department of Health charges $20 for the first certified copy and $15 for each additional copy. Online rates differ for non-residents, and expedited service costs extra. You can order online, by phone at (405) 426-8880, by mail (the department warns mail orders are much slower, and its pages cite waits of many weeks), or pick up an order at its Will Call locations in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and McAlester.

Family members, legal representatives and funeral directors can request certified copies, and other eligible people may need extra documents. Because extra copies cost $15 each, count how many banks, insurers and agencies need an original before you order. See how many death certificates you need.

Prepaid plans

The Board distinguishes a prearranged funeral, which records your wishes without payment, from a prepaid one, which includes payment. If you pay in advance, ask how your money is protected and what happens if you move or the funeral home closes. The Board says that if a funeral home closes, you can contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department at (405) 521-2828 or (800) 522-0071. Our guide to prepaid funeral plans covers the questions to ask.

Veterans and other help

• National cemeteries. Fort Sill National Cemetery in Elgin and Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Fort Gibson are open for new burials, including cremated remains. The VA provides the gravesite, opening and closing, and a headstone or marker at no cost for eligible veterans and some family members. See national cemetery eligibility and veterans burial benefits.
• Private cemeteries. The VA burial allowance is up to $1,002 for a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025 (up to $1,032 for deaths on or after October 1, 2026), plus an equal plot allowance. The burial allowance is up to $2,000 for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001.
• Social Security. A one-time $255 death payment is available to certain survivors.
• If money is tight. Our guide on what to do if you cannot afford a funeral covers county help, crowdfunding and payment plans.

Problems with a funeral home

The Oklahoma Funeral Board takes written, signed complaints, which can be filed on its website. The Board says it cannot award damages or settle disputes, and it cannot regulate pricing, but it can impose penalties on licensees. You can also check a license on the Board's site or call (405) 522-1790.

What to do next

1. Ask three funeral homes for their General Price Lists and compare the same service.
2. If you want cremation, ask who will request the State Medical Examiner permit and what it costs.
3. Decide how many certified death certificates you need at $20 and $15 each.
4. If the person was a veteran, gather discharge papers and contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.