Home funeral
The family cares for the body and holds the wake at home rather than handing everything to a funeral home. Legal in most of the US, with a few states requiring a funeral director for specific tasks.
In a home funeral the family washes and dresses the body, keeps it cool with dry ice or refrigeration, and holds visitation at home before burial or cremation. It is the way nearly all funerals were handled before the 20th century, and it remains legal across most states. Supporters say it slows the process down and lets people grieve on their own terms.
A handful of states require a licensed funeral director to file the death certificate, obtain the burial-transit permit, or transport the body — so the family does the caregiving while a professional handles certain paperwork. A death doula or home-funeral guide can walk a family through the legal steps in their state.
About eight to nine states require some involvement of a licensed funeral director (for filing paperwork or transport). Check your state's rule before assuming you can do everything yourselves.
- Death doula— A non-licensed support person who helps families through the end of life, the moment of death, and immediate aftercare — washing the body, holding a vigil, filing paperwork.
- Refrigeration— Storing the body in a cooled facility (typically 36–40 °F) to slow decomposition. The legal alternative to embalming in every US state.
- Burial-transit permit— The county-issued permit that authorizes moving the body and completing burial, cremation, or other disposition. Required in every US state.
This definition is general consumer information, not legal, medical, or financial advice. Industry practices and regulations change occasionally; verify before relying on anything here for a specific decision.
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