Pennsylvania Funeral Costs: Prices, Laws and Help Paying

Pennsylvania funeral costs depend far more on the funeral home than on the region. The state publishes no official average, and the most concrete figure we found is from the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Pennsylvania, which reports direct cremation prices ranging from $795 to $5,065 on a page that gives no survey date. Pennsylvania does not require you to use a funeral director, and a death certificate costs $20 per copy.

How much does a funeral cost in Pennsylvania?

We did not find a current independent statewide price survey for Pennsylvania, so this guide gives the ranges that consumer groups publish rather than a single average. Treat them as a starting point and get written prices from homes near you.

The consumer groups do not give a survey date for these figures, and the Pennsylvania group's page also refers to an older Philadelphia-area survey, so the figures may be many years old and prices today may be higher. The Western Pennsylvania group also says green burial costs about half as much as conventional burial. Funeral home charges, the cemetery and the marker are billed separately, so a full burial is the sum of several bills.

How do I find real prices near me?

The FTC Funeral Rule is your best tool. A funeral home must give you prices by phone when you ask, hand you a General Price List when you visit, let you choose items one at a time and accept a casket you bought elsewhere without a fee. It may add one non-declinable basic services fee. The rule does not require online posting, although many homes post prices voluntarily.

Two local resources can shorten the search. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Pennsylvania publishes a price list of participating funeral homes for 2026-27 that members receive with its newsletter. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Pennsylvania has published Philadelphia-area price surveys. Our guide to the General Price List explains how to read each section, and our advice on shopping for funeral homes lists the questions to ask.

Pennsylvania laws that affect your choices

• Funeral director. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Pennsylvania says you are not required to use one, and Pennsylvania is not on the Alliance's list of nine states that require a funeral director. Most families still hire one for transport, permits and paperwork. Our home funeral laws by state guide covers the legal picture.
• Who decides. 20 Pa.C.S. 305 gives authority to dispose of remains to the surviving spouse, then the next of kin. Where several relatives have equal standing, a majority decides, and a court decides if they are deadlocked. A valid will or other contrary instruction can override the default, and an armed forces member can name someone on DD Form 93.
• Naming your choice. Because the default favors your spouse and then relatives, unmarried partners and estranged families should put wishes in writing. The Funeral Consumers Alliance calls this a statement of contrary intent. A lawyer can help with the wording. Our guide on appointing a funeral representative explains the options.
• Death certificate. State health regulations say the death certificate must be filed within 96 hours after death.
• Embalming. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death. See our guide on whether embalming is required.
• Complaints. The State Board of Funeral Directors licenses funeral directors and can be reached at 1-833-367-2762 (weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) for questions about licensing and complaints.

Water cremation, composting and green burial

Alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation) is not yet authorized in Pennsylvania as far as we could confirm. In its Fall 2026 newsletter, the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Western Pennsylvania reported that the House approved HB 722 in May 2025 but the Senate companion bill, SB 551, had not been brought up in committee, and that bills not passed by the end of the two-year session must be reintroduced. Check with the State Board of Funeral Directors for the latest.

The same group says families who want human composting (natural organic reduction) must have the body transported to a state where it is legal. Our guide to the states where human composting is legal lists them. Green burial is available in Pennsylvania, and our green burial guide explains the options and how to find certified sites.

Help paying for a funeral in Pennsylvania

• Social Security. A one-time $255 lump-sum death payment may go to a surviving spouse who lived with the person or to an eligible child (20 CFR 404.390). See our Social Security death benefit guide.
• State assistance. The Western Pennsylvania affiliate notes that people receiving SSI or Pennsylvania cash assistance may get burial cost help, decided by the local County Assistance Office. Contact your office for amounts and deadlines, since we could not verify a statewide figure.
• Crime victims. In homicide cases, anyone who assumes or pays for funeral or burial expenses can file a claim with the Victims Compensation Assistance Program. For crimes on or after September 8, 2022, claims must be filed within five years. The program's phone number is 1-800-233-2339.
• Veterans. Eligible veterans, spouses and children can be buried in a VA national cemetery with the gravesite, grave opening and closing, liner, headstone or marker and burial flag provided at no cost. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville has space for casketed and cremated remains. The VA does not cover funeral home charges, though a separate burial allowance may reimburse some costs. See the VA burial allowance guide.
• County programs. For Allegheny County residents, the Western Pennsylvania affiliate lists charitable organizations that may help. Other counties differ, so ask your county.

Should I prepay a funeral in Pennsylvania?

Prepaying can lock in choices and spare your family decisions, but read the contract. Ask whether it is revocable, where the money is held, what happens if you move or the home closes, and whether the price is guaranteed or only a credit toward future prices. Funeral directors in Pennsylvania are licensed by the State Board of Funeral Directors under Act 522 of 1951. If you receive Medicaid, rules on prepaid contracts can affect eligibility, so read our guide on prepaid funeral plans and get advice before you sign.

What to do next

1. Look for a will, a signed statement of wishes or a prepaid contract, and find out who has authority under 20 Pa.C.S. 305.
2. Phone three homes for a direct cremation or immediate burial price and request each General Price List.
3. Ask the cemetery about its own charges and whether it requires a vault.
4. Order several certified death certificates at $20 each, and keep every receipt if you may apply for assistance.