The short answer
A funeral cost breakdown has three parts: funeral home charges listed on its General Price List, cemetery charges such as the plot and headstone, and cash advance items like flowers. The NFDA reported a 2023 median of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial, before cemetery charges. Only the basic services fee cannot be declined.
Key takeaways
- Every funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List, and you can choose only the items you want.
- The basic services fee is the one funeral home charge the FTC Funeral Rule lets funeral homes make non-declinable.
- You can buy a casket or urn from another seller, and the funeral home cannot refuse it or charge a handling fee.
- Cemetery costs, such as the plot, opening and closing the grave, a liner and a headstone, are not on the funeral home's list and are not in the NFDA median.
- No state law requires routine embalming, and no state law requires an outer burial container, though many cemeteries require a liner.
The three parts of a funeral bill
| Part | Who charges it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Funeral home goods and services | The funeral home, on its General Price List | Basic services, embalming, viewing, ceremony, hearse, casket, vault |
| Cemetery costs | The cemetery and a monument dealer | Plot, opening and closing the grave, grave liner or vault, endowment care, headstone or marker |
| Cash advance items | Third parties, often paid by the funeral home for you | Flowers, obituary notices, clergy honoraria, musicians, certified death certificates |
Many price comparisons, including the NFDA median, cover only the first part. When you budget, add all three. For national and state averages, see funeral costs.
Funeral home charges, line by line
The FTC Funeral Rule requires the General Price List to show a price for each item below that the funeral home offers. Median prices are from the NFDA 2023 General Price List Study. Your local prices may be higher or lower.
| Item | What it is | NFDA 2023 median | Optional? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic services of funeral director and staff | Planning, permits, paperwork, coordination and overhead | $2,495 | No. The only non-declinable service fee allowed |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | Bringing the body from the place of death | $395 | Usually needed |
| Embalming | Chemical preservation of the body | $845 | Yes, in most cases |
| Other preparation of the body | Cosmetology, hairdressing, dressing | $295 | Yes |
| Facilities and staff for viewing | Use of the funeral home for a visitation | $475 | Yes |
| Facilities and staff for funeral ceremony | Use of the funeral home for the service | $550 | Yes |
| Hearse | Vehicle to carry the casket | $375 | Yes |
| Service car or van | Vehicle for staff or flowers | $175 | Yes |
| Basic memorial printed package | Programs, register book, cards | $195 | Yes |
| Metal burial casket | The casket used for burial | $2,500 | You need a container, but you can buy it elsewhere |
| Outer burial container (vault) | A box the casket sits in, in the grave | $1,695 | Not required by law. Often required by the cemetery |
| Facilities and staff for a memorial service | A service without the body present | Not in NFDA release | Yes |
| Equipment and staff for a graveside service | Staff and setup at the cemetery | Not in NFDA release | Yes |
| Limousine | Car for family | Not in NFDA release | Yes |
| Forwarding or receiving remains | Shipping the body to or from another funeral home | Not in NFDA release | Only if needed |
| Direct cremation or immediate burial | Packaged options with no viewing or ceremony | Not in NFDA release | An alternative to the items above |
The NFDA items from basic services through the metal casket add up to the $8,300 median for a funeral with viewing and burial. Adding the vault brings the NFDA total to $9,995. Cemetery charges come on top.
The basic services fee. The basic services fee covers the funeral director's and staff's professional services and the funeral home's overhead. The FTC says it is the only non-declinable fee a funeral home may charge for services, facilities or overhead, unless state or local law requires otherwise. A separate "casket handling fee" for a casket you bought elsewhere is not allowed.
If you choose direct cremation or immediate burial, the basic services fee must be included in that single price, which makes those two lines on a price list useful for comparing funeral homes.
Casket prices and how much a casket costs
The NFDA 2023 median price for a metal burial casket was $2,500. Caskets come in wood, metal and other materials, and prices on a single funeral home's list can range widely.
- The funeral home must show you a written casket price list before you see the caskets.
- Ask about lower-priced models that may not be on display.
- You can buy a casket from a third party, such as an online or local casket retailer. The funeral home cannot refuse it or charge a fee to use it, and you do not have to be there when it is delivered.
- For cremation, no casket is required. An alternative container or a rental casket for a viewing are options.
Embalming cost and when it is needed
The NFDA 2023 median for embalming was $845. According to the FTC, no state law requires routine embalming for every death, and the General Price List must say so next to the embalming price. Refrigeration is often an option instead.
A funeral home may require embalming for certain choices, such as a public viewing with an open casket. If you choose direct cremation or immediate burial, you usually do not need to pay for embalming. Some special cases, such as certain out-of-state transport, may have their own rules, so ask.
Burial plot cost and other cemetery charges
Cemetery prices are not on the funeral home's list and are not in the NFDA median. They vary widely by region and by cemetery, so we do not quote a national figure. Ask the cemetery for its written prices for each of these:
- The plot (cemetery plot or grave space). Price depends on location, the cemetery, and where in the cemetery the plot is. A mausoleum crypt or columbarium niche are other options.
- Opening and closing the grave. The FTC notes this is usually hundreds of dollars.
- Grave liner or vault. Not required by state law, but the FTC says most cemeteries require a grave liner, which costs several hundred dollars. A vault usually costs more.
- Endowment or perpetual care. Some cemeteries include upkeep in the plot price; others charge a separate fee.
- Headstone or marker, plus any fee to set it. See below.
The FTC Funeral Rule does not cover cemeteries that do not also sell funeral goods and services. Ask for a written price list anyway, and watch "veterans specials" that offer a free plot but charge more for other items.
Headstone cost: what sets the price
Headstone prices depend on what you choose, so we do not quote an average. The main factors are:
- Type: a flat marker set level with the ground, an upright headstone, or a larger monument.
- Material: commonly granite or bronze.
- Size and design: lettering, artwork, photos and special finishes.
- Setting or installation: many cemeteries charge to install it, and some require their own crew.
- Cemetery rules: cemeteries can limit size, material and style, so check before you order.
You can usually buy a headstone from a monument dealer rather than the cemetery. If you're a veteran, VA can furnish a government headstone or marker for an eligible veteran's unmarked grave, anywhere in the world. See veterans burial benefits.
Cash advance items
Cash advance items are goods or services the funeral home buys from someone else for you, such as flowers, obituary notices, clergy honoraria, musicians or certified death certificates. The FTC requires each to be listed separately on your written statement. If the funeral home adds a markup or receives a rebate, it must disclose that it charges for obtaining those items. You can also pay these providers directly.
Before you sign: a short checklist
- Get General Price Lists from at least two funeral homes. You can ask for prices by phone.
- Cross out anything you do not want. Only the basic services fee is required.
- Ask whether the cemetery requires a grave liner or vault, and get its prices in writing.
- Decide whether to buy the casket, urn or headstone elsewhere.
- Ask for an itemized written statement with the total before you pay.
Use our funeral cost calculator to estimate a total, and see how to pay for a funeral for ways families cover the bill.
Common questions
What is included in the cost of a funeral?
Funeral home charges on the General Price List, such as the basic services fee, embalming, viewing, ceremony, vehicles and a casket. Then cemetery charges like the plot, opening and closing the grave, a liner and a headstone. Then cash advance items like flowers and obituary notices.
How much does a casket cost?
The NFDA reported a 2023 median of $2,500 for a metal burial casket. Prices range widely by material and model. The funeral home must show you a casket price list before you see the caskets, and you can buy a casket from another seller with no handling fee.
Can I buy a casket from somewhere other than the funeral home?
Yes. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home cannot refuse a casket you bought elsewhere, cannot charge a fee for using it, and cannot require you to be present when it is delivered.
How much does embalming cost?
The NFDA 2023 median for embalming was $845. No state law requires routine embalming for every death. A funeral home may require it for a public viewing, but direct cremation and immediate burial usually do not need it.
How much does a burial plot cost?
It varies widely by region, cemetery and location within the cemetery, so there is no reliable national figure. Ask the cemetery for written prices for the plot, opening and closing the grave, a liner or vault, endowment care and setting a marker. Eligible veterans can be buried in a national cemetery at no cost for the grave.
Is a burial vault required?
No state law requires an outer burial container. Many cemeteries require a grave liner or vault to keep the ground from settling. If yours does, you can usually buy it from the funeral home or another seller. Ask the cemetery what it accepts.
What funeral charges can I decline?
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you can decline everything except the basic services fee, unless state law or a cemetery or crematory requirement applies. If something is required, the funeral home must tell you in writing which law or requirement calls for it.
Do NFDA averages include the cemetery?
No. The NFDA medians cover funeral home charges only. They exclude cemetery interment, a monument or marker, and cash advance items such as flowers or an obituary.