Rules and Regulations for Funerals in California

Each state in the USA has different laws for funerals. It is important to understand the California funerals regulations before hiring a funeral service. Some of the rules include:

You can file for a death certificate within eight days. The local register releases it for births and deaths. Until issuing a death certificate, you cannot legally dispose of the remains by either burial or cremation. According to California law, you can keep the deceased's body at home after death. By California law, you don't need to hire a funeral director to prepare the body and other funeral and burial processes.

In rural areas in California, where people have land surrounding their homes, it is easier to get permission for home burial. Make sure to apply well in advance. Burials can take place only in established cemeteries in California. The deceased loved ones are responsible for obtaining his/her death certificate. Make sure the physician who attended to the deceased signs it.

Post pandemic funeral rules dictate that only two people be present during the burial or cremation. Family members must arrive in separate cars and wait in them until the deceased's grave is prepared. Once the employees are at a distance, family members can approach the deceased's grave individually or in groups of two. For graveside services, only a maximum of ten people can attend while maintaining social distancing.

You need a Permit for Disposition to transport the deceased remains from your home to the final disposition place or cemetery. You can easily get the Permit for Disposition for ten dollars at the registrar's office. The crematorium or cemetery you transport the deceased's body to needs this document to accept the body legally.

California regulations stipulate that you must refrigerate or embalm a body. This is when the final disposition does not occur within twenty-four hours. Families conducting home funerals are exempted from this rule. Seal the body properly in a container or embalm it if it is shipped by a common carrier like airplanes or ships.

What is the cost of a funeral in California?

An average funeral can cost you anywhere between $7000 and $12000. This counts in basic costs, caskets, hearse, transportation, viewing, and burial. You must conduct the burial or cremation within twenty-four hours, or else embalming or refrigeration will cost extra. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) states that there has been an increase in the average price by 6.4% over the past five years.

Average funeral costs with burial

For funerals with burial, the average cost is around $7200. The services needing payment include casket, vault, transport service, preparation of the body, Use of the staff and facilities for ceremony and viewing and to print materials.

Average funeral costs with cremation

A funeral with cremation will cost you around $5000, including the urn charges. In spite of the high cost, it's less expensive than a traditional funeral. You can even skip the memorial service option and opt for direct cremation. Here, you find many options for under $1000. This is when the body is taken directly to the crematory from the hospital.

Other funeral costs

Other additional items that are included in funeral services but excluded above are:

• Burial plot: Based on whether it is a private or public ceremony and the city, burial plots cost from $1000 to $4000. Funeral directors traditionally do not include them in funeral services. Many prefer to pre-book their plots.
• Grave marker or headstone: Simple headstones cost $199 and can go up to over $10000 for statues and memorials. They are mostly custom-made items and cost more.
• Flowers: Depending on the flowers you choose, casket decorations and flower wreaths cost extra and vary.