Everything specific to Washington 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.
Washington at a glance
| Certified death certificate (state fee) | $25 |
|---|---|
| Decides the funeral if nobody was named in advance | Surviving spouse or registered domestic partner |
| Can you name someone in advance? | Yes |
| The law | Wash. Rev. Code § 68.50.160 |
Funeral cost calculator for Washington
Pick the kind of arrangement and what it includes, and the estimate updates line by line, using Washington funeral homes’ own prices where we have them. Every line shows its source.
Funeral costs in Washington
These are medians from 10 Washington funeral homes’ own published General Price Lists (10 cities, dated 2024-06 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) | $1,460 | 10 |
| Immediate burial (lowest listed option) | $2,286 | 10 |
| Embalming | $622.50 | 10 |
| Viewing (facilities and staff) | $310 | 10 |
The 10 price lists behind these figures
- Bonney Watson (Washington Memorial, SeaTac; Federal Way), SeaTac (also Federal Way), 2024-06-21
- The Co-op Funeral Home of People's Memorial, Seattle, 2026-07-06
- Spokane Cremation & Funeral Service, Spokane, 2026-03-19
- Barton Family Funeral Service (Edmonds, Kirkland, Renton), Edmonds (also Kirkland, Renton), 2026-09
- New Tacoma Cemeteries, Funeral Home and Crematory, Tacoma (University Place)
- Tuell-McKee Funeral & Cremation Services (Tacoma, Puyallup, Bremerton), Tacoma (also Puyallup, Bremerton), 2026-01-01
- Valley Burial & Cremation, Puyallup, 2025-11-01
- Whatcom Cremation & Funeral, Bellingham
- Hawthorne Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Mount Vernon, 2026-09-01
- Funeral Alternatives of Washington – Tumwater, Tumwater (Olympia area), 2026-06-17
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 Washington
Certified copies come from Washington State Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics (Vital Records). DOH: VitalChek online/phone orders 'Shipped within 3-7 business days' of DOH receiving the order; mail orders 'Shipped within 6-8 weeks' (the same page's FAQ says customers receive mail orders 'within 8-10 weeks'); local health departments: 'Customers will receive most orders within the same day.'. Full guide: getting a death certificate in Washington.
Who decides the funeral in Washington
Washington law sets the order. The first people in line are: DD Form 93 designee (military); Designated agent; Surviving spouse or registered domestic partner; Adult children (majority). The full order, ties, deadlines and disputes.
Help paying for a funeral in Washington
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 Washington 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.