In the United States, a funeral home covered by the federal Funeral Rule cannot refuse a casket simply because you bought it elsewhere. It also cannot charge an extra fee for handling that casket, according to the Federal Trade Commission's consumer guidance. The Funeral Rule protects consumers buying funeral goods and services, including the right to purchase them separately. For families, that means you can compare casket sellers while choosing a funeral home based on its services.
Table of Contents
- What fees can the funeral home still charge?
- How should you arrange delivery?
- What should you check before choosing a casket?
- How do you compare the total cost?
- What if the funeral director refuses?
What fees can the funeral home still charge?
Buying your own casket does not eliminate charges for the funeral services you select. The funeral home can still charge its disclosed basic services fee, which generally covers arrangements, permits, and coordination. The FTC's compliance guidance explains these permitted charges. Some funeral homes include that basic services fee in their casket prices instead of listing it as a separate charge. If you supply the casket, they may add the same disclosed basic services fee to your bill.
Ask the director to show where it appears on the General Price List—the funeral home's itemized price list. An extra charge imposed because you used an outside seller is different. FTC staff have specifically said that requiring outside-casket customers to pay shipping-container disposal or casket storage fees would violate the rule. Renaming the charge does not make it acceptable. See FTC staff Opinion 07-4.
How should you arrange delivery?
You do not have to be at the funeral home when your casket arrives. The FTC expressly says a funeral home cannot require your presence to receive an outside purchase. That protection appears in its Funeral Rule guidance.
Before ordering, coordinate delivery with both businesses. Give the seller the funeral home's address and receiving contact, and ask the funeral home for a delivery window that allows time before the service. Keep the order confirmation and tracking information with your funeral paperwork. If possible, leave time to resolve a shipping problem before the scheduled viewing or burial.
- Confirm the casket's availability and expected arrival date.
- Ask the seller about shipping charges and delivery guarantees.
- Get its damage, replacement, cancellation, and return terms in writing.
- Agree on whom to contact immediately if delivery is delayed or the casket arrives damaged.
What should you check before choosing a casket?
Check the particular casket's suitability before paying. Ask the funeral director to confirm the needed interior dimensions and weight capacity, and ask the cemetery about requirements for the planned burial space. For cremation, have the crematory confirm that it accepts the model's materials and construction. A cemetery may also require an outer burial container—a grave liner or vault surrounding the casket.
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This is a separate purchase. The FTC explains that many cemeteries require one to help prevent the grave from sinking in its funeral costs guidance. If someone cites a legal, cemetery, or crematory requirement that makes you purchase another item or service, request the explanation in your written statement. The Funeral Rule requires that disclosure. Ask for the specific requirement rather than accepting a general statement that outside caskets are unsuitable.
How do you compare the total cost?
Compare the seller's delivered casket price plus the funeral home's itemized services with the total for buying everything through the funeral home. Include shipping and taxes in your comparison, and identify exactly which services each estimate includes. You do not have to accept a funeral package containing items you do not want.
Ask for an itemized alternative so you can compare equivalent arrangements. The FTC explains this right in its guidance on shopping for funeral services. Request a written statement showing your selections and their prices before committing. Check that it excludes a funeral-home casket purchase and contains no extra outside-casket handling charge.
What if the funeral director refuses?
Ask the director or manager to put the refusal, fee, or claimed requirement in writing. Share the FTC's outside-casket guidance and request confirmation that the home will receive and use your purchase without a surcharge. Save the price list, estimate, emails, and delivery records.
For a telephone conversation, note the date, the person's name, and the reason given. These details help distinguish a delivery problem from a policy against outside purchases. If the dispute continues, the FTC directs consumers to report problems through ReportFraud.ftc.gov and contact their state attorney general or funeral licensing board. Follow the complaint routes in the FTC's consumer guidance, and include copies of the written refusal and disputed charges.
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