Everything specific to Georgia 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.
Georgia at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $25 first copy, $5 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Surviving spouse |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | Ga. Code Ann. § 31-21-7 |
Funeral cost calculator for Georgia
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Georgia funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Georgia
These are medians from 10 Georgia funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (10 cities, dated 2020-10 to 2026-07), 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) | $2,340 | 10 |
| Basic services fee | $2,645 | 10 |
| Embalming | $995 | 10 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $385 | 10 |
| Funeral ceremony (facilities and staff) | $597.50 | 10 |
| Hearse | $395 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- McLeighton Funeral Service, Butler, 2025-11-15
- Shawn Chapman Funeral Home, Chatsworth, 2024-02-05
- Plummer Funeral Home, Decatur, 2026-04-01
- Stanley Funeral Home and Crematory, Dublin, 2022-01-01
- Sosebee Funeral Home, Canton, 2020-10-01
- Benson Funeral Home, Dallas, 2026-07-08
- Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory, Scottdale (also Decatur, Lawrenceville, Conyers)
- George W. Levett Sr. & Sons Funeral Home, Conyers, 2026-01
- McMullen Funeral Home & Crematory, Columbus, 2026-07-23
- Brunswick Memorial Park (BMP Funeral Home & Cremation Center), Brunswick
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 Georgia
Certified copies come from State Office of Vital Records, Georgia Department of Public Health. GA DPH: "Processing times are 8 to 10 weeks on all mail-in requests. (State Office only)"; online orders: "standard processing time … is up to 10 weeks.". Full guide: getting a death certificate in Georgia.
Who decides the funeral in Georgia
Georgia law sets the order. The first people in line are: Health care agent; DD Form 93 designee; Person designated by notarized affidavit; Surviving spouse. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Georgia
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 Georgia 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.