Everything specific to New York 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.
New York at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $30 |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Surviving spouse |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 4201 |
Funeral cost calculator for New York
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using New York funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in New York
These are medians from 11 New York funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (11 cities, dated 2023-11 to 2026-09), 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) | $1,790 | 11 |
| Immediate burial (lowest listed option) | $2,700 | 11 |
| Basic services fee | $1,695 | 11 |
| Embalming | $800 | 11 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $495 | 11 |
| Hearse | $495 | 11 |
The 11 price lists behind these figures
- Westchester Fairfield Cremation, Elmsford, 2025-10-01
- New Comer Cremations & Funerals (Rochester), Rochester, 2025-04-14
- Norman E. Gannon & Sons, Inc. Funeral Home, Lackawanna, 2025-03-24
- Blair-Mazzarella Funeral Home / Harry F. Blair Funeral Home, Brooklyn (New York City), 2025-06-01
- Riverdale Funeral Home Inc., Manhattan (New York City), 2026-07-31
- Tindall Funeral Home Inc., Syracuse, 2025-03-15
- Bond Funeral Home, Schenectady, 2026-07-15
- New Comer Funerals & Cremations (Albany area: Colonie and Watervliet), Colonie (Albany), 2026-09-09
- J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home Inc., Richfield Springs, 2026-04-01
- Fives Smithtown Funeral Home, Inc., Smithtown (Long Island), 2023-11-01
- Matthew Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Staten Island (New York City), 2025-10-01
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 New York
Certified copies come from New York State Department of Health, Vital Records (Certification Unit). Full guide: getting a death certificate in New York.
Deaths in the five boroughs are recorded by New York City, not the state: getting a death certificate in New York City.
Who decides the funeral in New York
New York law sets the order. The first people in line are: Designated agent; Surviving spouse; Surviving domestic partner; Adult children. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in New York
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.
New York City’s Human Resources Administration pays up to $1,700 toward the funeral bill of a low-income New York City resident; apply within 120 days of the death (NYC HRA).
More official links for every state: funeral resources · all states.