Everything specific to Minnesota 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.
Minnesota at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $13 first copy, $6 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Spouse |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | Minn. Stat. § 149A.80 |
Funeral cost calculator for Minnesota
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Minnesota funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Minnesota
These are medians from 10 Minnesota funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (9 cities, dated 2024-01 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) | $2,837.50 | 10 |
| Basic services fee | $3,047.50 | 10 |
| Embalming | $785 | 10 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $575 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- Gearhart Funeral Home, Coon Rapids, 2026-05-12
- Gearhart Anoka Funeral Home, Anoka, 2026-05-12
- Sunrise Funeral Home, Crematory & Cemetery, Hermantown, 2026-03-04
- Crescent Tide Cremation Services, Saint Paul, 2026-01-01
- Bauman Family Funeral Homes (Bauman-Cron, Bauman-Vermilion, Anderson-Daniels), Virginia, 2024-12-19
- Billman-Hunt Funeral Chapel, Minneapolis, 2024-01-01
- Estes Funeral Chapel, Minneapolis, 2024-04-01
- Korsmo Funeral Service, Moorhead, 2025-10-16
- Sinn Family Celebration of Life Center (Sinn Funeral Home), Trimont, 2026-07-10
- Mueller-Bies Funeral Homes, Roseville, 2025-12-01
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 Minnesota
Certified copies come from Office of Vital Records, Minnesota Department of Health. MDH posts a live processing date; on 2026-09-22 it had mailed birth and death certificate orders received by September 18, 2026. MDH says county offices can usually fill orders while you wait. Full guide: getting a death certificate in Minnesota.
Who decides the funeral in Minnesota
Minnesota law sets the order. The first people in line are: Person appointed in a dated written instrument signed by the decedent (e.g. health care directive); Spouse; Adult children (majority); Parents (equal authority). The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Minnesota
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 Minnesota 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.