Can You Switch Funeral Directors? Rules, Costs and Steps

Yes, you can usually change funeral director (in the US, funeral home) before the funeral, even after your loved one has been collected. The new firm normally arranges the transfer, and you pay the first firm for the work it has already done. You don't normally need to give a reason for leaving.

Laws and contracts differ by country and, in the US, by state. This guide explains the general picture. It is not legal advice.

How does switching funeral homes work?

1. Choose the new firm first. Get its price list before you commit, then call to say you want to use them.
2. Let the new firm arrange the transfer. Once you sign an authorisation, the new firm usually contacts the first one, collects your loved one and handles the paperwork. You do not have to speak to the first firm.
3. Sign as the person with authority. The person with legal authority to make the arrangements signs the forms. State law, or in the UK the rules on who can arrange a funeral, decides who that is.
4. Get an itemised bill from the first firm. Check it covers only what you authorised.
5. Pay for work already done. Settle the bill, keep the receipt, and keep copies of everything you sign.

What will you owe the first funeral home?

You can expect to pay for services you agreed to and that were carried out. That typically includes collecting your loved one, care of the body, and any paperwork done. It may also include storage or refrigeration if the home lists it.

In the US, the FTC Funeral Rule gives you the tools to check:

• Funeral homes must give you a General Price List when you start discussing prices, and they must give prices by phone on request.
• The list must include the price for forwarding remains to another funeral home and for receiving remains from another funeral home, with a list of the services included.
• The list must show a basic services fee. This is the one fee you cannot decline, and it covers the funeral director's and staff's services and overhead. Ask the first home whether it will charge this fee in full, and what it covers.
• You must be given an itemised statement of goods and services you chose.

Compare the first home's forwarding price with the new home's receiving price before you decide. You can read more in our guide to the General Price List and funeral home fees explained.

What about embalming?

A funeral home generally needs your permission before charging for embalming. It may embalm without prior approval only where state or local law requires it, or after diligent efforts to reach the family and with no reason to think you object. In that case it must tell you that a fee applies only if you choose a funeral that requires embalming, such as one with a viewing, and that no fee applies for direct cremation or immediate burial. If you are switching to direct cremation, read the itemised statement closely. See also whether embalming is required by law.

Can a funeral home refuse to release a body?

The federal Funeral Rule does not cover releasing remains, so the answer depends on state law and on the contract you signed. Transfers between funeral homes are a normal part of the business, which is why the Rule requires prices for them. If a home refuses to release remains, contact your state funeral regulator or attorney general, and think about speaking to a lawyer.

If you think a funeral home is misleading you about prices, you can report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Our guide to holding a body for non-payment covers this in more depth.

What happens to a prepaid funeral plan?

Prepaid plans vary. The FTC says protections vary widely from state to state, and that some prepaid plans can be transferred, but often at an added cost. Before you switch or cancel, ask:

• Can you cancel and get a full refund?
• Can the plan be transferred to a different funeral home?
• What happens to the money, and to any interest, if you move or the firm closes?

See transferring a prepaid plan and pre-paid funeral plans for more.

Can you buy a casket or urn elsewhere?

Yes. The Funeral Rule says a funeral home cannot refuse a casket or urn you bought elsewhere, and it cannot charge a handling fee for it. This is one of the most common reasons families move, because casket prices differ widely. You can also choose only the items you want rather than a package. See negotiating funeral prices.

What if you are in the UK?

The same principle applies. You can choose any funeral director, and that includes changing before the funeral. A few UK-specific points:

• Every funeral director must publish a Standardised Price List, required by the Competition and Markets Authority's Funerals Market Investigation Order. It itemises collection, care of the deceased and other parts of the service, so you can see what the first firm is likely to bill you for.
• Citizens Advice says the person arranging the funeral is responsible for paying, and advises reading any contract carefully and asking questions before signing.
• If the death has been referred to a coroner, the coroner decides when the body can be released for the funeral.
• Funeral plans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, but cancellation terms differ by provider. For example, Pure Cremation and Simplicity each charge a cancellation fee once the refund period ends. See our Pure Cremation review and Simplicity Cremations review.
• Consider a firm that belongs to a trade body such as NAFD or SAIF, which have codes of practice and complaints routes, and check its current membership. See UK funeral director chains compared.

What to do next

1. Get a General Price List (or Standardised Price List) from the new funeral home or director.
2. Ask the new firm to arrange the transfer and tell you what it will charge.
3. Ask the first firm for an itemised bill before you pay, and check it against what you authorised.
4. Keep every signed form and receipt, and complain to the regulator if something does not look right.