New Brunswick Funeral Checklist: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

The phone call you feared has come. In New Brunswick, the next 24 to 72 hours are not just emotionally hard — they are legally time-sensitive. Missed steps can delay the funeral, freeze bank accounts, forfeit government benefits, or create a paperwork crisis that drags on for months. This checklist cuts through the grief fog and tells you exactly what to do, in order.

Step 1: Confirm Who Has Legal Authority

Before you call a funeral home, locate the will.

This matters immediately because New Brunswick law places the absolute right to control funeral arrangements with the executor named in the will. The executor's instructions override the wishes of adult children, parents, or siblings — even the surviving spouse — if those preferences conflict. The funeral home cannot legally act without the executor's authorization.

If there is no will, authority defaults to the highest-ranking next of kin under the Devolution of Estates Act: legal spouse first, then adult children, then parents, then adult siblings. If multiple people share the same rank (three adult children, for example) and they disagree, the funeral home will halt all arrangements until the dispute is resolved — so establishing consensus early matters.

What you need right now:

• Original will (or confirmation there is no will)
• Names and contact details of the executor or next of kin
• Government-issued ID for the person authorized to direct the funeral

Step 2: Arrange Medical Certification

No burial permit — and therefore no funeral — can happen without a signed medical certificate of cause of death. In New Brunswick, the attending physician or nurse practitioner who was last involved in the deceased's care must complete this "forthwith."

If the death occurred:

• In hospital: the nursing supervisor coordinates with the attending physician. This is typically handled quickly.
• At home under palliative care (many New Brunswickers receive care through the Extra-Mural Program): the physician or authorized nurse practitioner must attend or be contacted to sign the certificate before the funeral home can legally move the body. Do not call 911 if the death was expected — call the Extra-Mural provider or the attending physician directly.
• Suddenly or unexpectedly: the Office of the Chief Coroner must be notified. The coroner investigates, signs the certificate, and releases the body. This adds time — and for cremation specifically, the coroner must sign a separate cremation certificate ($75 fee) before the crematorium can proceed.

Step 3: Understand the 72-Hour and 48-Hour Clocks

Two hard deadlines activate the moment of death:

72-hour rule: Unless the body is embalmed, burial or cremation must occur within 72 hours of death. Families who choose not to embalm — for environmental, financial, or religious reasons — must act with urgency to secure permits and book the crematorium or cemetery.

48-hour cremation waiting period: No cremation can legally begin until at least 48 hours have passed from the exact time of death. This is a firm statutory minimum under the Vital Statistics Act, not a funeral home policy. The coroner must also sign the cremation certificate only after this window expires.

The arithmetic matters: if you choose unembalmed cremation, the cremation must begin after the 48-hour mark but before the 72-hour mark — a 24-hour window. Plan accordingly.

Step 4: Contact a Licensed Funeral Home

The funeral director handles the registration of death with Service New Brunswick (SNB) Vital Statistics — you cannot do this yourself. The SNB portal for death registration is restricted to funeral homes, coroners, and medical professionals. Your practical dependency on the funeral director for this step is real, which is why knowing your consumer rights before you walk through that door matters.

When you contact a funeral home:

• Request an itemized price list before discussing packages. New Brunswick's Embalmers, Funeral Directors and Funeral Providers Act requires licensed homes to maintain and display a current price list.
• Ask which items are legally required and which are optional add-ons. Embalming, for instance, is not required by law in New Brunswick for standard funerals. It is a funeral home policy, not a provincial mandate.
• Confirm what the funeral home will charge as disbursements (the coroner's $75 cremation fee, government permit fees) versus their professional fees.

Step 5: Gather the Documents

The funeral director will need the following information to register the death and begin paperwork:

• Full legal name of the deceased, date of birth, place of birth
• Social Insurance Number (SIN)
• Parents' full names and birthplaces (including mother's maiden name)
• Marital status and spouse's name
• Occupation and last place of employment
• Province or country of origin

Having this ready prevents delays. The funeral director will use it to complete the Registration of Death form, which triggers the SNB burial permit — the legal document required before any disposition of the body can occur.

Step 6: Apply for Death Certificates Immediately After the Funeral

Once the death is registered and the funeral has taken place, apply to Service New Brunswick for Long Form Death Certificates. Order multiple originals — financial institutions and the Land Registry reject photocopies. The current cost is $40 online or $45 by mail or in-person, with an expedited 48-hour processing option available for an additional courier fee.

You will need these certificates to:

• Access bank accounts and close financial accounts
• File a life insurance claim
• Apply for the Canada Pension Plan Death Benefit (up to $2,500)
• Begin the probate process if the estate requires it
• Transfer real estate through the SNB Land Registry

Step 7: Check Benefit Deadlines

Two government benefits have strict filing windows that start from the date of death:

Social Development Funeral Benefit: Low-income families must apply within two weeks of the death. Miss this window and the application is typically rejected outright, leaving the family responsible for the full funeral cost. The maximum benefit is $6,000 plus HST total, with professional services capped at $5,000.

WorkSafeNB: If the death was work-related, file with WorkSafeNB immediately. Survivor benefits can include a lump sum equal to 60% of the deceased's net annual earnings, plus ongoing support.

The legal and logistical burden in the days following a death in New Brunswick is substantial. Knowing what the law actually requires — versus what a funeral home might imply — is the difference between staying in control and getting steered into unnecessary expenses.

The New Brunswick Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide covers every step in detail: executor authority, cremation permits, embalming rights, prepaid contract rules, FCNB complaint processes, and the Social Development Funeral Benefit application. It is designed to be read in under an hour and used immediately.

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