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Legal Requirements for Home Funerals
Last Updated: October 2025
Disclaimer
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.
For help local to the Wyoming area - please see the NHFA Directory listing located here
For help local to the Wyoming area - please see the NHFA Directory listing located here
Questions
- I'm providing after-death care at home.
- How long can I keep the body at home after death?
- Does my state require the body to be embalmed?
- What methods of disposition are legal in my state?
- Are there any circumstances under which I would be required to wait before final disposition?
- What do I need to do to get a death certificate?
- What do I need to do to get a burial-transit permit?
- Is there a wait period before I can receive a burial-transit permit?
Glossary of Terms
- Burial-transit permit: A permit required to transport a body FROM the place of bodycare/vigil TO place of disposition (if death occurs someplace different from bodycare, then this is not needed). May be called a disposition permit. Also called a Removal Certificate.
- Death certificate: Legal record of death.
- Disposition: The manner in which human remains are finally handled (e.g. cremation, burial, composting, etc.).
- Refrigeration at home: Refers to cooling, not commercial refrigeration used in funeral homes. For more information, see Body Care & Cooling.
I'm providing after-death care at home.
How long can I keep the body at home after death and under what conditions?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-16-529
(a) Any duly authorized representative of any church, fraternal order or other association or organization honoring the dead who performs a religious ceremony under the authority of and pursuant to the religious tenets or practices of the organization is hereby exempted from the terms and provisions of this act and from the enforcement of the provisions hereof related to performing of religious ceremonies except for providing the presence of human remains at the religious service.
(b) Any person may:
(i) Counsel individuals, families or next of kin about the final disposition of human remains and about the selection
and purchase of funeral goods and services;
(ii) Conduct a memorial service or provide a setting for a memorial service and any goods or assistance needed for a
memorial service, except providing for the presence of human remains at the memorial service.
(c) Any person licensed pursuant to title 26 of Wyoming statutes may sell insurance or pre-need funeral contracts
authorized by that license.
(d) Any person licensed pursuant to title 33 of Wyoming statutes while practicing within the scope of his license is
exempt from the provisions of this act.
(e) Any health care institution licensed pursuant to title 35 of Wyoming statutes when operating within the scope of its license is exempt from the provisions of this act.
(a) Any duly authorized representative of any church, fraternal order or other association or organization honoring the dead who performs a religious ceremony under the authority of and pursuant to the religious tenets or practices of the organization is hereby exempted from the terms and provisions of this act and from the enforcement of the provisions hereof related to performing of religious ceremonies except for providing the presence of human remains at the religious service.
(b) Any person may:
(i) Counsel individuals, families or next of kin about the final disposition of human remains and about the selection
and purchase of funeral goods and services;
(ii) Conduct a memorial service or provide a setting for a memorial service and any goods or assistance needed for a
memorial service, except providing for the presence of human remains at the memorial service.
(c) Any person licensed pursuant to title 26 of Wyoming statutes may sell insurance or pre-need funeral contracts
authorized by that license.
(d) Any person licensed pursuant to title 33 of Wyoming statutes while practicing within the scope of his license is
exempt from the provisions of this act.
(e) Any health care institution licensed pursuant to title 35 of Wyoming statutes when operating within the scope of its license is exempt from the provisions of this act.
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
Does my state require the body to be embalmed? Refrigerated?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
Wyo. Admin. Code 035.0001.4 § 5
All bodies in possession of the funeral service practitioner or funeral director must be properly refrigerated, cremated, chemically disposed, buried, or embalmed within thirty-six (36) hours after receipt thereof. No dead human body may be cremated or chemically disposed of in under twenty-four (24) hours without the written permission of the county coroner of the county in which the death occurred.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-16-527
It shall be the duty of every funeral director and funeral service practitioner, when called to take charge of a dead body, to first ascertain the cause of death from the coroner or medical professional. If death has occurred from any
communicable, contagious or infectious disease, the funeral director or funeral service practitioner shall not remove or transport the body until after the body has been prepared for transportation or removal by a licensed funeral service practitioner of this state.
All bodies in possession of the funeral service practitioner or funeral director must be properly refrigerated, cremated, chemically disposed, buried, or embalmed within thirty-six (36) hours after receipt thereof. No dead human body may be cremated or chemically disposed of in under twenty-four (24) hours without the written permission of the county coroner of the county in which the death occurred.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-16-527
It shall be the duty of every funeral director and funeral service practitioner, when called to take charge of a dead body, to first ascertain the cause of death from the coroner or medical professional. If death has occurred from any
communicable, contagious or infectious disease, the funeral director or funeral service practitioner shall not remove or transport the body until after the body has been prepared for transportation or removal by a licensed funeral service practitioner of this state.
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
What methods of disposition are legal in my state?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
Wyoming law mentions burial, cremation, entombment, burial at sea, donation to medical science, and removal from
the state.
the state.
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
Are there any circumstances under which I would be required to wait before final disposition?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
There are no statutes or regulations that address this question.
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
What do I need to do to get a death certificate?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-1-418
(a) A death certificate for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the local registrar of the registration district in which the death occurred within three (3) days after the death and prior to removal of the body from the state and shall be registered by such registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section, provided:
(i) That if the place of death is unknown, a death certificate shall be filed in the registration district in which a dead
body is found within three (3) days after such occurrence; and
(ii) If the death occurs in a moving conveyance, a death certificate shall be filed in the registration district in which the
dead body is first removed from such conveyance.
(b) The funeral director or person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body shall file the death
certificate. He shall obtain the personal data from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available. He
shall obtain the medical certification of cause of death from the person responsible therefor.
(c) The medical certification shall be completed and signed within a reasonable time after death by the primary health care provider in charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when inquiry is required by the postmortem examination. If the death occurred without medical attendance or if the primary health care provider last in attendance refuses or for any reason fails to sign the certificate immediately, the funeral director or person acting as funeral director shall notify the appropriate local registrar. In that event the local registrar shall inform the local health officer and refer the case to him for immediate investigation and certification of cause of death prior to issuing a permit for burial, cremation or other disposition of the body. If the circumstances of the case suggest that the death was caused by other than natural causes, the local registrar shall refer the case to the coroner for investigation and certification. The coroner shall examine the body and consider the history of the case, and obtain the assistance and advice of a competent physician who will assist the coroner in determining the cause of death by examination of the body, autopsy, inquest or other procedure determined necessary. The nonmedical coroner shall not diagnose the cause of death without the assistance and advice of a competent physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant. The coroner or local health officer shall complete and sign the medical certification within a reasonable time after taking charge of the case.
(d) For purposes of this section, “primary health care provider” means as defined in W.S. 35-22-402(a)(xiv).
(a) A death certificate for each death which occurs in this state shall be filed with the local registrar of the registration district in which the death occurred within three (3) days after the death and prior to removal of the body from the state and shall be registered by such registrar if it has been completed and filed in accordance with this section, provided:
(i) That if the place of death is unknown, a death certificate shall be filed in the registration district in which a dead
body is found within three (3) days after such occurrence; and
(ii) If the death occurs in a moving conveyance, a death certificate shall be filed in the registration district in which the
dead body is first removed from such conveyance.
(b) The funeral director or person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body shall file the death
certificate. He shall obtain the personal data from the next of kin or the best qualified person or source available. He
shall obtain the medical certification of cause of death from the person responsible therefor.
(c) The medical certification shall be completed and signed within a reasonable time after death by the primary health care provider in charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition which resulted in death, except when inquiry is required by the postmortem examination. If the death occurred without medical attendance or if the primary health care provider last in attendance refuses or for any reason fails to sign the certificate immediately, the funeral director or person acting as funeral director shall notify the appropriate local registrar. In that event the local registrar shall inform the local health officer and refer the case to him for immediate investigation and certification of cause of death prior to issuing a permit for burial, cremation or other disposition of the body. If the circumstances of the case suggest that the death was caused by other than natural causes, the local registrar shall refer the case to the coroner for investigation and certification. The coroner shall examine the body and consider the history of the case, and obtain the assistance and advice of a competent physician who will assist the coroner in determining the cause of death by examination of the body, autopsy, inquest or other procedure determined necessary. The nonmedical coroner shall not diagnose the cause of death without the assistance and advice of a competent physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant. The coroner or local health officer shall complete and sign the medical certification within a reasonable time after taking charge of the case.
(d) For purposes of this section, “primary health care provider” means as defined in W.S. 35-22-402(a)(xiv).
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
What do I need to do to get a burial-transit permit?
Is there a wait period before I can receive a burial-transit permit?
What are the relevant statutes in my state?
Wyo. Admin. Code 048.0059.7 § 1
(a) A burial-transit permit is required for all bodies and stillbirths regardless of the method of disposal or storage.
(b) The funeral director or person acting as such shall obtain a burial-transit permit from the local registrar of the county in which the death occurred within seventy-two (72) hours after the death, and prior to the final disposition or removal from the state of the body or stillbirth.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-1-420
(a) The funeral director or person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body or stillbirth shall obtain a burial-transit permit prior to final disposition or removal from the state of the body or stillbirth and within seventy-two (72) hours after death. The burial-transit permit shall be issued by the local registrar of the district where the certificate of death or stillbirth was filed in accordance with the requirements of this act. A burial-transit permit issued under the law of another state which accompanies a dead body or stillbirth brought into this state shall be authority for final disposition of the body or stillbirth in this state.
(b) No permit for burial, cremation, removal, or other disposition shall be issued by any local registrar until a certificate of death or stillbirth, as far as it can be completed under the circumstances of the case, has been filed with him, and until all the regulations of the administrator of the division of health and medical services in respect to the issuance of such permit have been complied with. No permit shall be issued which would be contrary to the sanitary laws of this state.
(c) A permit for disinterment and reinterment shall be required prior to disinterment of a dead body or stillbirth except as authorized by regulation or otherwise provided by law. The permit shall be issued by the local registrar to a licensed funeral director, embalmer, or other person acting as such, upon proper application.
(a) A burial-transit permit is required for all bodies and stillbirths regardless of the method of disposal or storage.
(b) The funeral director or person acting as such shall obtain a burial-transit permit from the local registrar of the county in which the death occurred within seventy-two (72) hours after the death, and prior to the final disposition or removal from the state of the body or stillbirth.
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 35-1-420
(a) The funeral director or person acting as such who first assumes custody of a dead body or stillbirth shall obtain a burial-transit permit prior to final disposition or removal from the state of the body or stillbirth and within seventy-two (72) hours after death. The burial-transit permit shall be issued by the local registrar of the district where the certificate of death or stillbirth was filed in accordance with the requirements of this act. A burial-transit permit issued under the law of another state which accompanies a dead body or stillbirth brought into this state shall be authority for final disposition of the body or stillbirth in this state.
(b) No permit for burial, cremation, removal, or other disposition shall be issued by any local registrar until a certificate of death or stillbirth, as far as it can be completed under the circumstances of the case, has been filed with him, and until all the regulations of the administrator of the division of health and medical services in respect to the issuance of such permit have been complied with. No permit shall be issued which would be contrary to the sanitary laws of this state.
(c) A permit for disinterment and reinterment shall be required prior to disinterment of a dead body or stillbirth except as authorized by regulation or otherwise provided by law. The permit shall be issued by the local registrar to a licensed funeral director, embalmer, or other person acting as such, upon proper application.
What are the experiences reported by others who have done this in my state?
Coming soon.
Questions? Feedback?
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