How much does it cost to keep a body in the morgue?
Asked by: Aron Sauer DVM | Last update: August 9, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (33 votes)
Funeral homes have a daily charge for storing a body, even if it is embalmed. Other homes may charge a lump sum for a set number of days. Storage fees range from $35 to $100 per day.
How long can a body lay in morgue?
The state and local regulations will determine how long an unidentified body can be kept at the morgue. In most places it's at least 30 days. The standard procedure is that the hospital will arrange the disposition after this time.
Do hospitals charge for morgues?
Hospital Mortuaries are part of hospital services. Use of a hospital mortuary is free of charge for the first 3 days following admission. No transportation fees may be charged. A private mortuary is a private structure to receive remains waiting for burial or cremation.
What's the most expensive part of a funeral?
A casket often is the single most expensive item you'll buy if you plan a "traditional" full-service funeral. Caskets vary widely in style and price and are sold primarily for their visual appeal. Typically, they're constructed of metal, wood, fiberboard, fiberglass or plastic.
What happens if a body is left at the morgue?
The Office of the Medical Examiner must hold unclaimed bodies until they find a funeral director willing to pick them up. If the office can't identify a body, can't find next of kin, or the next of kin waives all claim to the body, they then turn it over to the Department of Transitional Assistance.
The deceased arrives at the mortuary
What happens to a body if no one pays for a funeral?
You don't necessarily need to worry about what happens to your body if you can't afford a funeral. Signing a form at the county coroner can authorize the release of your body to the state or county for burial or cremation. It may be possible to pay a fee to recover your ashes if your family would like them.
Do bodies in the morgue sit up?
The short answer is: absolutely not! If a body ever sat up on me at the funeral home, trust me, my funeral would be next! Bodies are physically incapable of sitting up. That's just a horror movie trope.
Who pays for a funeral if the deceased has no money?
If you have no relatives to pay, if your relatives cannot pay, or they refuse to pay, a government program (usually through the county or state) will likely take care of your final arrangements. In this case, you might receive an "indigent" burial or cremation which will provide very simple, economical arrangements.
Is $10,000 enough for a funeral?
$10,000 could certainly be enough for a funeral, depending on the nature of the ceremony and the area where you live. If you opt for a cremation and relatively simple ceremony, $10,000 would likely cover the cost.
How much is a coffin vs casket?
Coffins cost between $800 to $4000 while caskets range from around $4000 to $15000. Coffins differ from caskets in their appearance: they typically have six sides, and the top is wider than the bottom. Caskets usually have four sides, and they often come with rails to support them during transportation.
Can you refuse autopsy?
Under California Government Code Section 27491.43 (b), only the decedent can execute a certificate of religious belief against the performance of an autopsy procedure. This must be done prior to death. The next of kin has no standing to decline an autopsy in lieu of this certificate.
How much do funeral homes charge to pick up a body?
The pick up and transport costs for newly deceased body from a residence, hospital or other location to a funeral home can be expensive. The further away the body has to be transported the higher the costs you will incur. The cost for removal can range from $125 to $500.
Do you have to pay hospital bills when someone dies?
In some states, you are always responsible for your spouse's debt after death, but only if the debt was accumulated while you were married. These are called “community property states”; they include Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin (as of 2022).
How many years does a body last in a coffin?
Key Insights. Decomposition Timeline: On average, it takes 10 to 15 years for a body to decompose fully in a casket, though this can extend to several decades in sealed metal caskets, especially when embalming is involved.
How soon after death is embalming done?
Which States Have Special Body Holding Laws? There are no federal laws that state how long a funeral home can hold a body. However, most states have some type of law that says a body must be either embalmed or refrigerated within 24 to 48 hours after the time of death.
Are bodies frozen in the morgue?
Bodies are kept at between −10 °C (14 °F) and −50 °C (−58 °F). Usually used at forensic institutes, particularly when a body has not been identified. At these temperatures the body is completely frozen, and decomposition is significantly reduced, but not prevented.
What happens to a body if there is no money for a funeral?
If you cannot afford a burial or cremation, you can sign a form with the county coroner's office and the state will bury or cremate the body for you. This will be at no cost, but you won't have any say in where or how.
What does the Bible say about cremation?
What does the Bible say about cremation? According to most Biblical study websites, there is no explicit scriptural command for or against cremation. There are no passages that forbid cremation, according to most Biblical scholars.
What is the cheapest way to be buried?
Direct cremation is one of the most cost-effective options when it comes to burying your loved one. It also offers more flexible memorial options for families who prefer a more unique, personalized approach.
Can I be forced to pay for my parents' funeral?
State Laws: In most states, children are not automatically responsible for their parents' funeral expenses. However, some states have “filial responsibility” laws, which could require adult children to cover their parents' debts, including funeral costs, if the estate cannot pay them.
What is the cheapest way to handle a death?
Cremation is generally cheaper than burial
The cost of cremation is lower for a few reasons including: There's no embalming of the person who's died, and families do not view the body. Scattering ashes does not cost anything as you do not need a permit (just the landowner's permission).
What is a green funeral?
Green Burial Cemetery Characteristics
Foregoes toxic embalming. Does away with vaults. Chooses biodegradable containers, caskets, shrouds, and urns Discontinues herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers. Encourages sustainable management practices.
Do morticians take out tampons?
That leaves unexpected or traumatic deaths, and those bodies nearly always have an autopsy. A tampon would be disposed of then. An un-autopsied body would have its tampon removed during the embalming process.
Has anyone ever woken up in a morgue?
Despite 11 hours of cold storage, Janina Kolkiewicz was discovered to be alive and well after mortuary staff detected movements in her body bag. Speaking as an anatomical pathology technologist (or mortuary technician) I can thankfully say that has never happened to me when I've been on duty. But it does happen.
Why do bodies sit up during cremation?
Because of the cremation chamber's high heat, some bodies go into what's called a pugilistic stance, meaning the elbows, knees, and fists clench from dehydration due to the extreme heat. The pugilistic stance may make the body appear shorter or stiffer, but it will not make the body sit up.