What You Need to Know About Cremation Certificates

In the wake of losing a loved one, the navigation of the complexities of end-of-life arrangements amid grief can be overwhelming. If your loved one has been or will be cremated, one of the many details you'll need to attend to is the process of obtaining a cremation certificate.

This article explains what a cremation certificate is, sheds light on its role as a verification of the cremation process, and explains how to obtain it.

What Is a Certificate of Cremation?

The certificate of cremation is an important legal document that contains vital details about the person who has passed and about the cremation process. Legally, this certificate validates the completion of the cremation process, similar to—but different from—a death certificate. A cremation certificate may also be referred to as a certificate of disposition of remains.

Key components of this document include:

• The loved one's name and other basic information, like their age and date of death
• A unique identification number assigned by the crematorium
• The date of the cremation
• Name and contact details for the crematorium
• The signature of a qualified staff member at the crematorium

Why Is a Cremation Certificate Required?

A cremation certificate serves several purposes. First, the details on the certificate serve to maintain records accurately. The information contained on the certificate is important not just for the present, but also for future generations who may be looking into the history of their family and wish to know more about their ancestor's passing.

The document also stands as one of several possible legal proofs of the individual's passing, and it may occasionally play an essential role in various practical matters, such as traveling with the ashes, claiming life insurance benefits, or gaining access to accounts.

What Is the Difference Between a Certificate of Cremation, a Cremation Permit, and a Death Certificate?

While many people are familiar with the concept of a death certificate, the distinctions between that important document, a cremation certificate, and a cremation permit may be confusing.

While all three of these documents hold legal weight, there are some key differences:

• A death certificate focuses on the event of death
• A cremation permit gives permission to cremate
• A cremation certificate centers specifically on information about the cremation

Death certificate

A death certificate is an official government document created by the county coroner, medical examiner, or a doctor. It details the cause, location, and time of death, along with other personal information about the person who has passed. It's often a required document for:

• Facilitating funeral arrangements
• Accessing pension benefits
• Claiming life insurance
• Settling estates
• Re-marrying after losing a spouse

A death certificate's primary purpose is to serve as legal proof that the person has died.

Cremation permit

A cremation permit is a local government document that a crematorium must receive before it's allowed to undertake a cremation. To complete a cremation permit, a completed death certificate is required, as well as signatures from the crematorium and family members representing the loved one.

Cremation certificate

A cremation certificate is a document that verifies that the cremation process occurred and specifies where and when it took place. The certificate for the cremation is not as vital as the death certificate for managing a loved one's estate and accounts, nor is it required in as many instances. However, sometimes you'll need to obtain a cremation certificate. For example, if you plan to take the ashes on a plane, the airline may sometimes ask for it, whether you're carrying the ashes with you or putting them in your luggage.

How to Get a Certificate of Cremation

Usually, the place that handles the funeral or cremation, such as a funeral home or crematorium, makes and files the cremation certificate. If you need copies of it, the easiest way is to make this request at the same facility that helped you with the funeral.

If you need a cremation certificate for someone who passed away in the more distant past, the best place to start looking is the office of vital records in the county where the person passed away. Staff there should be able to help you in your search.

What Should You Do with the Cremation Certificate After the Funeral?

After the funeral, you may choose to keep the cremation certificate alongside the death certificate. It's advisable to safeguard these important papers in a secure location, whether it be a safe, a safe deposit box, or another protected space, alongside documents like marriage certificates and wills.

Experts often advise retaining these documents for a minimum of seven years, offering a prudent timeframe for reference, just in case you need one of the documents to settle your loved one's affairs.

However, for the sake of your family's genealogical records, you may wish to keep it in perpetuity. Unlike death certificates or documentation of important life events such as births and weddings, copies of cremation certificates are not stored by government record-keeping offices.

One way to keep these documents safe is to scan them and upload them to a cloud storage account online, or save them on an external hard drive and store the drive somewhere safe.

The Neptune Society Is Here to Support You in Your Cremation Decision

The Neptune Society is the nation's oldest and largest provider of affordable cremation services. Whether you have an immediate need or want to plan cremation services in advance, we are always available to assist you and your family. Call 1-800-NEPTUNE (800-637-8863) today or contact us online to learn more.