FTC Funeral Rule: Your Consumer Rights When Arranging a Funeral

What the FTC Funeral Rule Requires

The Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule has been federal law since 1984. It exists because the funeral industry's pricing structure — high-pressure sales during acute grief, bundled packages that obscure individual costs, and outright misrepresentations about legal requirements — was causing documented consumer harm.

The rule applies to every funeral home in the United States. It does not apply to cemeteries, crematories, or third-party casket sellers (though some states have separate regulations covering those).

The General Price List

Every funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List (GPL) at the start of any in-person discussion about funeral arrangements. They must also provide prices over the phone to anyone who calls and asks. You do not need to identify yourself, state your relationship to the deceased, or explain why you are calling.

The GPL must list every service and product the funeral home offers as a separate line item with its own price. This means you can see exactly what the basic services fee covers, how much embalming costs independently, what the facility rental for a viewing adds, and what each casket model is priced at.

Funeral homes cannot require you to buy a package. You have the legal right to select only the specific services you want and decline everything else.

Your Right to Provide Your Own Casket

This is one of the most frequently violated provisions. The Funeral Rule states that funeral homes must accept caskets, urns, and alternative containers purchased from any outside source — online retailers, woodworkers, Costco, or a casket you built yourself. They cannot charge a handling fee, refuse to use it, or claim it voids their services.

If a funeral home tells you they only accept caskets purchased from their showroom, they are violating federal law. You can file a complaint with the FTC online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP.

What Funeral Homes Cannot Legally Tell You

The Funeral Rule specifically prohibits funeral homes from making these common claims:

"Embalming is required by law." In the vast majority of situations, it is not. State-specific rules can require embalming after a set period, for interstate transport, or when certain communicable diseases are present; some states allow refrigeration or another preservation method instead. The funeral home must disclose in writing that embalming is not required.

"A casket is required for cremation." It is not. Crematories accept alternative containers — including cardboard boxes — that meet their combustion and handling standards. A funeral home cannot require you to buy a casket for a cremation.

"You must purchase a sealed or protective casket to prevent decomposition." The FTC Funeral Rule explicitly prohibits funeral homes from claiming that any casket will preserve the body indefinitely. No casket does. This is one of the more predatory upselling tactics — implying that a more expensive casket honors the deceased better.

How to Use the GPL Effectively

When you sit down with a funeral director, ask for the GPL before any conversation about services begins. Compare it to at least one other funeral home's GPL in your area. Look specifically at:

• The basic services fee — a non-declinable flat charge covering the funeral home's overhead and coordination. This typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,000 and varies significantly between providers.
• Embalming as a separate charge, not bundled into another service.
• Facility use for viewings or ceremonies — this fee is avoidable if you hold the vigil at home.
• Transport charges for body removal and delivery to the cemetery or crematory.

If you are managing a family-directed home funeral, you may only need the funeral home for one or two specific tasks — filing the death certificate in states that restrict EDRS access, or transporting the body to a crematory. The GPL lets you purchase only those services.

Filing a Complaint

If a funeral home violates the Funeral Rule — refusing your casket, misrepresenting embalming requirements, failing to provide the GPL, or bundling services without itemization — file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. The Funeral Consumers Alliance also tracks violations and can connect you with consumer advocates in your state.