Everything specific to South Carolina 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.
South Carolina at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $12 first copy, $3 each additional |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Spouse (unless separated by a pendente lite order, signed marital settlement agreement, or permanent separate-maintenance order) |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | S.C. Code Ann. § 32-8-320 (cremation authorization only) |
Funeral cost calculator for South Carolina
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using South Carolina funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in South Carolina
These are medians from 10 South Carolina funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (8 cities, dated 2024-02 to 2026-05), 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) | $1,932.50 | 10 |
| Basic services fee | $2,157.50 | 10 |
| Transfer of remains to the funeral home | $375 | 10 |
| Viewing (facilities and staff) | $410 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- Anderson Funeral Home, Beaufort, 2024-02-05
- Cremation Society of South Carolina, Greenville, 2026-03-01
- The J.F. Floyd Mortuaries, Crematory & Cemeteries, Spartanburg, 2025-01-01
- Lewis Crematory and Funeral Services, LLC, Myrtle Beach, 2026-01-01
- Robinson Funeral Home, Easley, 2026-04-13
- Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home, Florence, 2026-01-01
- South Carolina Cremation Society, West Columbia (Columbia metro), 2026-05-27
- Pressley's Funeral Home, West Columbia (Columbia metro), 2026-01-01
- Calcutt-Dowling Funeral Home, Florence, 2026-01-23
- Myers Mortuary & Cremation Services, Columbia, 2025-08-11
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 South Carolina
Certified copies come from South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH), Office of Vital Records. DPH death certificates page: online 'Average processing time is 5-7 business days'; in person 'Average processing time is 30-45 minutes'; mail 'Average processing time is 4 weeks' (or 5 business days or less with the $17 expedited fee). Full guide: getting a death certificate in South Carolina.
Who decides the funeral in South Carolina
South Carolina law sets the order. The first people in line are: Person named in a will or verified, attested document (or DD Form 93 if the decedent died in service and left no such document); Spouse (unless separated by a pendente lite order, signed marital settlement agreement, or permanent separate-maintenance order); Adult children; Parents. The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in South Carolina
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 South Carolina 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.