HomeAnswersHow long after death is a funeral?
How long after death is a funeral?
There is no single national deadline for a funeral in the US, and the timing mostly depends on state paperwork rules, how the body is preserved, and the family's religious practice.
In most states a funeral director must get an authorization for final disposition before a body can be buried or cremated, and a properly completed death certificate is needed to get it. Some states also set a clock for preserving the body. Florida law says a body may not be held over 24 hours after death unless it is refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below or embalmed, and Minnesota requires embalming, refrigeration or dry ice if final disposition will not happen within 72 hours. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and in most cases refrigeration is an acceptable alternative.
Religious practice can make a funeral much quicker. The Rabbinical Assembly says Jewish law requires burial as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours of death, and the Islamic Association of Raleigh says scholars agree burial is better performed as soon as possible. Cremation tends to take longer to schedule, and the Cremation Association of North America says cremation typically occurs at least 48 hours after death.
The sources behind this answer
- According to the CDC's handbook for funeral directors, in most states the funeral director must secure explicit authorization before a body may be removed, buried, cremated or otherwise disposed of. CDC NCHS, Funeral Director's Handbook (2019 Revision)
- The CDC handbook says that in every state requiring authorization before disposition, a properly completed death certificate is a prerequisite for getting it. CDC NCHS, Funeral Director's Handbook (2019 Revision)
- Florida law bars holding a body over 24 hours after death unless it is refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, embalmed, or otherwise preserved as approved. Florida Statutes 497.386(2)
- Minnesota law requires a body to be embalmed, refrigerated or packed with dry ice when final disposition will not happen within 72 hours after death or release by a competent authority. Minnesota Statutes 149A.94, subd. 1
- The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death, some states require embalming or refrigeration past a set time, and in most cases refrigeration is an acceptable alternative. FTC, The FTC Funeral Rule (Consumer Advice)
- The Rabbinical Assembly's guide says Jewish law requires burial as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours of death, and lists reasons burial may be delayed. The Rabbinical Assembly, Guide to Jewish Funeral Practice
- The Islamic Association of Raleigh says scholars agree that burying the dead is a communal obligation that is better performed as soon as possible. Islamic Association of Raleigh, Basic rules of Islamic funerals
- The Cremation Association of North America says the time between death and cremation varies, and cremation typically occurs at least 48 hours after death. Cremation Association of North America (CANA), Cremation Process
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