Funeral Home General Price List
You can request a copy of a funeral home’s GPL even if you are just “shopping around,” and they must give it to you to keep. However, with supplemental price lists such as the Casket Price List and Vault Price List, the funeral home must only show you this, but they do not have to give it to you to keep.
Funeral homes have some discretion in how they present the prices. Often the fees are shown as wide ranges, which leads to a common complaint about the GPL. The complaint is that the price ranges are so broad that it makes it difficult to compare apples-to-apples. Many funeral homes present a long list of package options first, which can be overwhelming to shoppers. By understanding the GPL, you can avoid making some unnecessary purchases or falling into pricing traps.
Things to know about the General Price List:
- You have the right to decline any of the services offered on the price list EXCEPT the fee for “Basic Services of Funeral Director and Staff.”
- The GPL is also a sales tool. Funeral homes often present package prices upfront. Ensure you know what is in each package, so you don’t inadvertently buy services you don’t need. A package may be exactly what you need, but you should look at the a la carte pricing and the package prices.
- Because the Funeral Rule only applies to Funeral Homes, third-party providers such as casket and monument companies are not required to provide you with the same type of price lists. The Rule does not cover cemeteries unless they have an on-site funeral home.
What is Required on the General Price List?
The General Price List must include prices for many of the most commonly offered services.
- Basic Services of Funeral Director & Staff (This is the only item on the GPL that CANNOT be declined.)
- Cost of Immediate Burial or Direct Cremation
- Transfer of the Body to the Funeral Home
- Forwarding Remains to Another Funeral Establishment
- Receiving Remains from Another Funeral Home
- Embalming Charges
- Fees for other Preparations of the Body
- Facilities and Staff for a Viewing, Funeral, or Memorial Service
- Charges for Funeral Vehicles
- Staff & Equipment for Graveside Services
- Casket Prices or a Range of Prices that are listed on a
Separate Casket Price List - Burial Container Prices or a Range of Prices that are listed on a
separate Burial Container Price List
Historically, funeral homes have been hesitant to publish their General Price List on the Internet. This is slowly changing. You may be able to view the price list without ever going to the funeral home. You can look for providers in your area to see if the price list is online by using our Funeral Provider Directories.
It is difficult to use the General Price List for head-to-head comparisons of different funeral homes, but with some diligence, you can do it. Once you have the lists for the funeral homes you are considering, look for the similarities and differences. Think about the kind of funeral you have in mind and review both the package prices and the a la carte selections. But remember, you do not have to purchase a package. The price list might not answer all the questions you have, but it will give you a good background before talking with the funeral director about your final selections.
General Price List: Helpful Terminology
Alternative Container
A minimum container is usually made out of cardboard or fiberboard. Funeral homes are required to offer an alternative container for use with a cremation.
Basic Services Fee/Professional Services Fee
This is the basic, non-declinable fee charged by the funeral home. It typically includes the arrangement conference, overhead, filing of permits, certificates, and authorizations, sheltering of remains, among other items that are necessary for all funerals.
Cash Advance Items List
You must pay for third-party items and services in advance. Typically included are items such as flowers, officiant fees, and the cost to publish the obituary.
Casketing
Casketing is the placing of the body in the casket.
Crematory Fee (or Cremation Fee)
The cremation fee is the charge for the actual process of cremation.
Direct Cremation
The deceased is cremated shortly after death. There is no funeral or memorial service.
Forwarding of Remains
This fee is paid to the originating funeral home when that funeral home prepares and transfers the deceased to another funeral home.
Immediate burial
Immediate burial is an in-ground burial without a viewing or ceremony.
Other Preparations of the Body
This fee covers the preparation of the deceased and typically includes cosmetology, reconstruction, and dressing.
Outer burial container
An outer burial container is a burial vault or grave liner.
Receiving remains from another funeral home
This charge is paid to the funeral home for receiving the remains prepared and transferred by another funeral home.
Sanitary Care
Washing and preparation of an unembalmed body
Shelter of Remains
Sheltering of remains for a reasonable time period should be included in the basic services fee. If the burial or cremation goes past a specified time, there may be additional charges.
Transfer of remains to funeral home
The price paid for the act of moving the remains from home (or hospital or nursing facility) to the funeral home
Use of equipment and staff for funeral
The price paid to the funeral home, staff, and funeral director for conducting the funeral ceremony
Use of equipment and staff for graveside service
This is the price paid for the funeral home staff and for the use of funeral home equipment when conducting graveside services. This fee does not include cemetery fees.
Use of equipment and staff for memorial service
The price paid to the funeral home for the use of their staff and location for a memorial service
Use of equipment and staff for Viewing
The price paid to the funeral home and staff to conduct a public viewing of the deceased
