Everything specific to Maryland in one place: what a death certificate costs and how to get one, who has the legal right to arrange the funeral, and where to find official help. Each section links to a full guide with its sources.
Maryland at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $10 first copy, $12 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Surviving spouse or domestic partner |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | Md. Code, Health-Gen. § 5-509 |
Funeral cost calculator for Maryland
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Maryland funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Maryland
These are medians from 11 Maryland funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (11 cities, dated 2022-08 to 2026-05), collected in September 2026. Each figure counts only the price lists that show that item. Direct cremation and immediate burial are the lowest option each home lists; some include a basic container or the crematory fee and some do not. Your funeral home’s own price list is the only figure that counts for your bill.
| Item | Median | Price lists |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation (lowest listed option) | $3,100 | 11 |
| Immediate burial (lowest listed option) | $4,410 | 11 |
| Basic services fee | $3,395 | 11 |
| Embalming | $995 | 11 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $595 | 11 |
| Viewing (facilities and staff) | $795 | 11 |
| Funeral ceremony (facilities and staff) | $795 | 11 |
| Hearse | $500 | 11 |
The 11 price lists behind these figures
- Precious Memories Funeral Home, P.A., Waldorf, 2025-05-01
- Keeney and Basford Funeral Homes, P.A., Frederick, 2026-01-09
- McComas Family Funeral Homes, Bel Air, 2026-02-11
- Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., Towson, 2025-11-01
- Harman Funeral Home, P.A., Hagerstown, 2026-05-01
- Holloway Funeral Home, P.A., Salisbury, 2022-08-01
- Rausch Funeral Home, P.A., Owings
- Ruck Funeral Home of Dundalk, Inc., Dundalk, 2025-11-01
- Parkview Funeral Home & Cremation Service, P.A., Baltimore, 2024-12-23
- Bailey Funeral Home and Cremation Service, PA, Baltimore Highlands (Halethorpe), 2024-07-08
- Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, Easton, 2026-04-01
Under the FTC Funeral Rule every funeral home must give you its prices over the phone, so calling two or three is the fastest way to a real number. How much a funeral costs, line by line.
Death certificates in Maryland
Certified copies come from Division of Vital Records, Maryland Department of Health. MDH Processing Time page: DVR lobby orders "Same Day"; mail orders "6 weeks"; online orders "5 weeks with regular shipping / 3 weeks with expedited shipping" (temporarily increased due to demand). Full guide: getting a death certificate in Maryland.
Who decides the funeral in Maryland
Maryland law sets the order. The first people in line are: Person named on DD Form 93 (military); Agent designated in the decedent's document; Surviving spouse or domestic partner; Adult children. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Maryland
Federal help is the same in every state: Social Security’s one-time $255 payment to an eligible spouse or child, VA burial benefits for eligible veterans, and FEMA help only after a declared disaster. What each pays and how to apply.
Some Maryland counties and cities also help low-income families with burial or cremation costs. Ask the social services office in the county where the person died.
More official links for every state: funeral resources · all states.