Learn about your rights as a consumer when purchasing funeral goods, including cremation urns. Understand the FTC Funeral Rule and how it protects you.
Important: You are not required to purchase an urn from the funeral home or crematory handling the cremation.
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Funeral Rule is a key consumer protection regulation in the funeral industry. It safeguards the rights of individuals making funeral arrangements, including those involving cremation urns [1].
No. The FTC Funeral Rule explicitly grants consumers the right to purchase funeral goods, such as cremation urns, from any provider of their choosing. You are not obligated to buy an urn from the specific funeral home or crematory. The FTC Funeral Rule prohibits funeral providers from refusing to handle an urn bought elsewhere or charging a fee for doing so. Online retailers often offer a wider selection and potentially lower costs [2].
No. The FTC Funeral Rule strictly prohibits funeral providers from refusing to accept or handle a cremation urn that has been purchased from an outside source [3].
No. Funeral homes are prevented from levying any form of handling fee associated with the receipt, storage, or use of equipment to move a third-party urn [3].
No. Regulations specify that funeral homes cannot mandate the presence of a family member during the delivery of an urn purchased from an external vendor [4].
No. Funeral homes cannot mandate the purchase of a casket when a direct cremation is chosen [9].
Funeral providers offering cremation services are required to inform consumers about the availability of alternative containers for cremation, which are typically less expensive than traditional caskets and are suitable for the cremation process [7] [8]. Funeral providers must also furnish a General Price List (GPL) to any inquiring consumer. This list must include itemized pricing for all goods and services offered, including various cremation options and the range of alternative containers available [10].