Everything specific to North Dakota 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.
North Dakota at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $15 first copy, $10 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Adult named in a § 23-06-31 statement |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | N.D. Cent. Code § 23-06-03 |
Funeral cost calculator for North Dakota
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using North Dakota funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in North Dakota
We are collecting North Dakota funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists, and state figures will appear here once there are enough of them to be reliable. Until then, the most recent national figure is the National Funeral Directors Association’s 2023 median of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial, and $6,280 with viewing and cremation. Those are national midpoints, not North Dakota prices.
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 North Dakota
Certified copies come from North Dakota Health and Human Services, Division of Vital Records. 'Once received in our office, copies are usually mailed in 3 to 5 business days (this does not include the return mail time).' Online orders with 'Web Order Pickup' are usually ready in 'less than two hours'. Full guide: getting a death certificate in North Dakota.
Who decides the funeral in North Dakota
North Dakota law sets the order. The first people in line are: Adult named in a § 23-06-31 statement; Surviving spouse; Adult children (majority); Parents. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in North Dakota
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 North Dakota 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.