Quick Guide to Home Funerals by US State

This guide outlines the legal requirements for each US state and the District of Columbia, so that individuals, families, and communities can be better informed to care for their dead. For those unfamiliar with funeral laws, below is a quick explainer for all of the legal requirements we cover in this guide.

For each state legal requirement summary, we ask 6 standard questions:

  • Are there any activities that you legally need a funeral director for? Some states require a funeral director for things like transporting the body or filing the death certificate. Below, we will clarify if a funeral director is required in your state and, if so, what they are required to handle.

  • How long do you have with your dead at home before deposition? Disposition refers to the manner in which human remains are finally handled (e.g. cremation, burial, composting, etc.). Some states require final disposition take place within a certain time frame after death. 

  • Are there preservation time requirements for home funeral families?
    Some states require that the body be preserved (embalmed or refrigerated) within a certain number of hours from the death. We say “for home funeral families” specifically because sometimes these requirements only apply to funeral directors; if you are not using a funeral director, they would not apply to you. Refrigeration at home refers to cooling, not commercial refrigeration used in funeral homes. NOTE: Even if your state does not require preservation, this does not mean that preservation of any type isn’t recommended to slow decomposition during the home funeral processFor more info, refer to our page on Body Care & Cooling. 

  • Is embalming required for any reason?
    Many states only require embalming for scant reasons including if the person died of a communicable disease, if you are transporting a body in/out of the state, or if you are transporting the body via an airline or “common carrier” (if you are driving the body across state lines, these requirements may not apply). Sometimes, the airline itself has a requirement to embalm, even if it is not state policy. If you wish to avoid embalming during flight, we typically recommend United Airlines or American Airlines as airlines that allow you to ship unembalmed remains. If you are renting a car or truck for this purpose, you should check with the rental company to see if they allow transporting human bodies (e.g. UHaul does not allow this).

  • Is there a mandatory wait time to cremate (flame or water)?
    Some states mandate a wait time between death and cremation because both fire and water cremation processes eliminate DNA, leaving no recoverable forensic evidence. Therefore, if there is any ambiguity as to the cause of death, states build in a waiting period to ensure there is enough time for investigation. There is no mandatory wait time for burial because, if needed, a body that has been buried can be dug up again for an autopsy. 
    ​
  • Do contagious or communicable diseases need to be reported? If the deceased person died from a contagious, infectious, or communicable (further referred to as CICs below) disease like Covid-19, you may need to report this to the local or state health officers, or the attending physician.

List of Legal Requirements

​​Our volunteers are currently working on collecting full information for all fifty US states. The information provided on this website  does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice;  instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. Email us if you can point us to the missing information!
Alabama  Alaska  Arizona   Arkansas   California  Colorado  Connecticut  DC  Delaware  Florida  Georgia  Hawaii  Idaho  Illinois  Indiana  Iowa  Kansas  Kentucky  Louisiana  Maine  Maryland  Massachusetts  Michigan  Minnesota  Mississippi  Missouri  Montana  Nebraska  Nevada  New Hampshire  New Jersey  New Mexico  New York  North Carolina  North Dakota  Ohio  Oklahoma  Oregon  Pennsylvania  Rhode Island  South Carolina  South Dakota  Tennessee  Texas  Utah  Vermont  Virginia  Washington  West Virginia  Wisconsin  Wyoming
​Alabama
  • Preservation Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is only required in order to leave the state, unless the body is going to be used for medical research
  • Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
​Alaska
  • Preservation Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Check statute for specific communicable diseases that require a physician’s advice
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Arizona
  • Preservation Requirement: Body must be embalmed or refrigerated after 24 hours
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Arkansas
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed or refrigerated at <45° after 24 hours unless cremating; neither are required for 48 hours if planning to cremate. Embalming is required in order to leave the state, or when shipping by common carrier.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended​
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Preservation Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!​
California
  • Preservation Time Requirement: None; only funeral directors must embalm or refrigerate after 24 hours by regulation, not statute.
  • Embalming Requirement: If shipped, required to be embalmed OR shipped in airtight container by common carrier and when forwarding.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended.
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Colorado
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed or refrigerated after 24 hours. If shipped, required to be embalmed OR shipped in airtight container by common carrier.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Contagious or communicable diseases must be reported to local or state health officers by person acting as funeral director
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!​
Connecticut
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must be hired to remove the body, file the death certificate, and handle the disposition of bodies with communicable disease.
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Disposition must occur within "a reasonable time"
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Delaware
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed or refrigerated after 24 hours. Embalming is prohibited for select diseases.
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Disposition must occur within 5 days
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
District of Columbia (DC)
  • ​​Funeral Director Requirement: Disposition of contagious or infectious diseased bodies must be handled by a licensed FD.
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Disposition must occur within one week
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Florida
  • Embalming Time Requirement: Must be embalmed or refrigerated after 24 hours
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirements: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Georgia
  • Preservation Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Hawaii
  • Embalming Requirements: Body must be embalmed ​or refrigerated (preferably in a facility) after 30 hours. Embalming is prohibited for select infectious diseases
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Requirement, Cremation Wait Time, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Idaho
  • Preservation Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families. Funeral homes must embalm or refrigerate with 24 hours by regulation, not statute – applies to funeral directors only.
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required with use of common carrier
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Physician should be consulted for death by contagious or communicable disease
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement,Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Illinois
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must be hired to file  the death certificate
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Indiana
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral Director must be hired to handle the disposition permit, which requires that they file the death certificate to receive it; must be hired to receive cremated remains (cemeteries may receive as well)
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Disposition must occur within "a reasonable time"
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of infectious disease to attending physician is recommended
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Iowa
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must be hired to handle arrangements with crematories and to embalm bodies with infectious disease
  • Preservation Time Requirement: Body can be held  without preservation up to 72 hours; then refrigerated at between 38 and 42 degrees for 72 more
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with communicable diseases
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Communicable disease must be reported to attending physician
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Kansas
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Check statutes for specific infectious or contagious diseases that must be handled by a licensed FD unless disposition occurs within 24 hours.
  • Preservation Time Requirement: Body must be embalmed OR refrigerated after 24 hours; extensions possible.
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming required for specific diseases if disposal not complete within 24 hours. A sealed metal casket for immediate burial may substitute for embalming of bodies with communicable disease. If shipped, required to be embalmed OR shipped in airtight container by common carrier
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Kentucky
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Louisiana
  • Funeral Director Requirement: ​Funeral director must be hired to cover sweeping powers for all aspects of after death care “…any service whatsoever connected with the management of funerals…”
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed OR refrigerated at below 45° after 30 hours
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Consult with physician if contagious or communicable disease is involved
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Preservation Time Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Maine
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: If shipped, required to be embalmed or shipped in sealed airtight container by common carrier
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Report diseases to attending physician to see if medical examiner needs to be involved
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Maryland
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Cremation Wait Time: 12 hour wait time to cremate
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Report contagious disease to attending physician
    • ​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Massachusetts
  • Preservation Time Requirements: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Cremation Wait Time:​ 48 hour wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • ​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Michigan
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must be hired to file the death certificate and oversee disposition.
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with rare infectious or communicable diseases. Refrigeration is not accepted as a preservation replacement. Only applicable for funeral directors:  Must be embalmed after 48 hours if body has not reached final destination.
  •  Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended​
    • ​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Minnesota
  • Disposition Time Requirement - Must occur within reasonable time
  • Preservation Requirement - Must be refrigerated or embalmed after 72 hours; refrigeration limited to 6 days; dry ice use limited to 4 days
  • Embalming Requirement - Must be embalmed when transporting by common carrier
  • Disease Reporting - Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is required
    • ​​​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Mississippi
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed OR refrigerated after  24 hours if destination cannot be reached and does not take place within 48 hours
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Contagious disease that endangers public health must be reported to a Medical Examiner
    • ​​​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Missouri
  • Preservation Time Requirements: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with infectious or communicable diseases if not buried or cremated within 24 hours. Embalming or wrapping in disinfectant-soaked sheet and shipped in a sealed airtight container by common carrier is required for bodies with specific communicable diseases. For Funeral Directors Only: Funeral homes must embalm or refrigerate within 24 hours by regulation, not statute.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • ​​​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Montana
  • Disposition Time Requirement: A body that  died of infectious disease must be disposed of as soon as reasonably possible and with minimal handling 
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed or refrigerated if not expected to reach its destination within 48 hours
  • Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
    • ​​​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Nebraska
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral Director must be hired to file the death certificate, sign transit permits, supervise interments
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required with use of common carrier
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • ​​​​​Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Nevada
  • Preservation Time Requirement: Bodies held for cremation must be refrigerated after 24 hours
  • Embalming Requirements: Funeral homes may not require embalming for 72 hours unless ordered by the Board of Health. Bodies with infectious disease may be embalmed by order of the Board of Health. Bodies must be embalmed for shipping by common carrier.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Report contagious or communicable disease to attending physician to consult state guidelines
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
​New Hampshire
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Dead bodies may not be exposed to the public for a period in excess of 24 hours without embalming
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
New Jersey
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must hired to file the death certificate and supervise disposition
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Bodies must be embalmed to be shipped through common carrier if destination will not be reached within 24 hours
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Disposition Time Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
New Mexico
  • Embalming Requirement: Body must be embalmed OR refrigerated  at below 40° if not disposed of within 24 hours. For shipping by common carrier, bodies must be embalmed or sealed in an airtight container.
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Report contagious or communicable disease to the Office of Medical Investigation
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
New York
  • Funeral Director Requirement: Funeral director must be hired to file the death certificate; receive body from a hospital, institution or other place; personally supervise the funeral services; personally supervise the interment or cremation.
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Embalming Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
​North Carolina
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is not allowed when death is due to specific diseases; bodies that died of contagious diseases must be encased in a sealed casket
  • Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious disease to attending physician or medical examiner is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
North Dakota
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Requires immediate disposition under specific conditions; any body must be embalmed if it will not reach its destination within 24 hours, or if disposition is not accomplished within 48; all dispositions must occur within 8 days
  • Preservation Time Requirement: ​ Refrigeration is NOT accepted as a preservation replacement
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with specific communicable disease
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Cremation Wait Time, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Ohio
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Bodies with communicable diseases must be buried or cremated within 24 hours
  • ​Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Oklahoma
  • Preservation Time Requirements: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families. Applies to Funeral Directors only: Funeral homes must embalm or refrigerate with 24 hours by regulation, not statute.
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Oregon
  • Disposition Time Requirement: Dispositions not occurring within 10 days must be reported to the Mortuary Board
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with specific communicable diseases in order to be viewed publicly. Sealed casket may substitute for embalming when shipping by common carrier. Funeral Directors only: Funeral homes must embalm, refrigerate, or place in a sealed casket if body is not expected to reach destination within 24 hours, by regulation, not statute. 
    • ​Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Pennsylvania
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families Funeral Directors only: Funeral homes must embalm, refrigerate between 35-40°, or place in a sealed casket after 24 hours, by industry standards of practice, not law.
  • ​Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Rhode Island
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families Applies to Funeral Directors only: Funeral homes must embalm or refrigerate within 48 hours, by regulation, not statute – applies to FDs only
  • Embalming Requirement: Bodies must be embalmed or sealed in an airtight container for shipping by common carrier.
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
South Carolina
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
South Dakota
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families Funeral Directors only: Funeral homes must embalm or refrigerate within 24 hours, by regulation, not statute.
  • Cremation Wait Time: Cremation wait time is 24 hours
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Tennessee
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Texas
  • Preservation Time Requirement: Bodies must be embalmed OR refrigerated to 35-40° after 24 hours unless placed in a sealed container
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait time to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Utah
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Vermont
  • Preservation Time Requirements: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended. Local health officer may be involved in disposition arrangements in these cases
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Virginia
  • Preservation Time Requirement: Body must be embalmed OR refrigerated after 48 hours
  • Cremation Wait Period: 24 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Embalming Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Washington
  • Embalming Requirement: State Board of Health determines restrictions, if any
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
West Virginia
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • ​Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or communicable disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Preservation Time Requirement, Cremation Wait Time. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Wisconsin
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Health Department determines restrictions, if any
  • Cremation Wait Time: 48 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
  • Disease Reporting Requirement: Reporting of contagious or infectious disease to attending physician is recommended
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!
Wyoming
  • Preservation Time Requirement: No preservation time requirements for home funeral families
  • Embalming Requirement: Embalming is required for bodies with specific communicable diseases. Applies to Funeral Directors only: Public funerals for bodies that died of communicable diseases require supervision by a health department official; funeral homes must embalm, refrigerate, cremate or bury within 36 hours by regulation, not statute. Embalming is required for shipping by common carrier.
  • ​Cremation Wait Time: 24 hour mandatory wait period to cremate
    • Info Pending Additional Research: Funeral Director Requirement, Disposition Time Requirement, Disease Reporting Requirement. Email us if you can point us to missing info, or offer any edits!


​Support NHFA

We ask you to give to the National Home Funeral Alliance because in all 50 states it is your right to care for your own loved one after death. ​The NHFA is working to make sure communities and families know their rights. Please consider becoming a sustaining donor and help us continue this important work​