Arranging a funeral without a funeral director in NZ

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-10-20 · Reviewed quarterly, when the underlying data is restated.

Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name.

Yes, arranging a funeral without a funeral director is lawful in New Zealand. Community Law says "many families also decide to arrange the funeral themselves". You still need a cause-of-death certificate from a doctor or nurse practitioner (or a coroner's authorisation), the cemetery's or crematorium's paperwork, and you must register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages within three working days of the burial or cremation.

A family-led funeral, sometimes called a DIY or home funeral, is one the family organises directly, using a funeral director for none or only some of the work. The Burial and Cremation Act sets out duties for "a person having charge of a body" and has a route for passing charge to someone other than a funeral director (s 46F). Health NZ's cremation page does not say a funeral director is required, and says that if one is involved they "will usually help you to manage the application process" (Health NZ: cremation, updated 22 July 2026). What changes is that the family takes on the certificates, forms, bookings, care of the body and registration, and works with the cemetery or crematorium directly. This page sets out the legal steps in order, what is and is not covered by a source, and what a family-led funeral still costs, as at 20 October 2026. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.

The legal steps

Step	What is required	Source
Cause of death	A doctor or nurse practitioner issues a Certificate of Cause of Death; if the death is reported to a coroner, the coroner issues an Order for Disposal of Body. A body must not be buried, cremated or otherwise disposed of unless the person in charge has one or the other	Community Law; Burial and Cremation Act 1964, s 46AA
Timing	A person in charge of a body must dispose of it, or cause it to be disposed of, "within a reasonable time"; the Act sets no number of days	Burial and Cremation Act, s 46E
Handing the body to someone else	Giving charge of the body to anyone other than a funeral director means giving them the certificate or authorisation and getting a notice taking responsibility for disposal and registration	Burial and Cremation Act, s 46F
Burial	A cemetery application form, a copy of the certificate, a plot, and payment or proof that Work and Income or ACC will pay	Community Law: burials
Cremation	Form A (signed by the executor or a near relative, witnessed), Form B or the new Form BA from a doctor or nurse practitioner, and the medical referee's "permission to cremate"	Health NZ above
Registration	Form BDM 28, within 3 working days of the burial or cremation; free to register	govt.nz: registering a death

With a funeral director, the director registers the death. Without one, you must. A certificate is separate: an official death certificate costs $35 (govt.nz). Our guide to registering a death has the detail.

Caring for the body at home

Health NZ's guidance for a death at home says there is "no rush to do anything immediately", it is "not necessary to wash the person's body", and you can note the time of death. Turn off heaters and electric blankets and keep the room as cool as possible, which it calls "particularly important if you do not wish the person to be embalmed" (Health NZ: dying at home, updated 16 February 2026). Community Law says "embalming isn't always necessary", depending on how soon the body is buried, cremated or otherwise disposed of, though families keeping the body at home may want to consider it.

We found no New Zealand government source that sets a maximum number of days at home, gives refrigeration instructions or covers the practical limits, so we do not. Section 46E's "reasonable time" is the only legal standard. Ask your doctor, the cemetery or crematorium, or a home-funeral organisation for practical advice. If the death was sudden, unexpected or referred to the coroner, a post-mortem may be needed before the body is released; our death at home guide explains when that happens.

Burial without a funeral director

Contact the council at least 24 hours before the burial to choose a plot. Community Law says the cemetery's sexton digs the grave, and the cost is included in the plot price or charged as an interment fee; as an example, it says Porirua City Council charged $1,250 for a standard adult plot for a resident and $1,300 for an adult interment in 2026 (Community Law: burials).

Burying on private land is tightly restricted. Under section 46, a body may not be buried in land that is not a cemetery, denominational, private or Māori burial ground if one is within 32 kilometres. Beyond that distance, burial elsewhere is allowed with notice to the nearest District Court Judge within 3 days. A "special place" needs a Ministerial certificate (s 48). Health NZ says "you cannot set up private burial grounds" (Health NZ: permission for burials). See our natural burial guide for the options that exist.

Cremation without a funeral director

Work through the four documents above with the crematorium authority; forms are available from a funeral director or most councils that run crematoria. The medical referee checks the cause of death and can ask for a post-mortem if it is unclear. Where a casket is needed, rules come from the crematorium. Auckland Council's rules, for example, say to cremate in a casket or a shroud on a bearer, all combustible, with batteries, pacemakers, glass and PVC prohibited, and a casket can be held up to 48 hours refrigerated (Auckland Council: how cremation works). Natural burial at Waikumete needs an untreated casket or natural-fibre shroud, no embalming, and at least 800 mm of cover (Auckland Council: natural burial).

We found no law about who may make a casket or what one must be made of, so check with the crematorium or cemetery you will use. We also found no source on vehicle rules or council permits for carrying a body privately, so ask the council and the cemetery or crematorium before you plan the transport.

What a family-led funeral still costs

FDANZ's July 2025 ranges are indicative and vary by funeral director (FDANZ: financial matters).

Line	FDANZ range	Still applies without a director?
Professional services fee	$3,000 to $6,500	The main line a family can avoid or reduce
Cremation fee (council)	$600 to $1,100	Yes
Burial, plot plus interment	$1,000 to $8,000	Yes
Casket	$1,200 to $5,000 (cheaper cremation caskets exist)	A casket or shroud is needed; the price is yours to find
Doctor's fee (cremation only)	$100 to $400	Yes
Medical referee (cremation only)	$100 to $120	Yes
Death certificate	$35 (government fee)	Yes, if you want an official copy; govt.nz says to order it after the funeral

By our arithmetic, the cremation fee, doctor's fee, medical referee and one certificate come to between about $835 and $1,655, before any casket, transport, service or catering. We found no New Zealand source for an all-in cost of a family-led funeral, so treat that as a range for the fixed items, not a quote. For comparison, FDANZ's 2026 report puts an unattended cremation at an average of $4,700 and a full funeral with cremation at $11,700 (FDANZ 2026 report). Our funeral costs hub, cremation costs and direct cremation pages cover the alternatives.

Funeral Grant and itemised costs

The Work and Income Funeral Grant is up to $2,697.43 and needs an itemised account, with a receipt if you have already paid (Work and Income). Its list of reasonable costs includes burial and cremation fees, a casket, food and flowers, and its manual also lists shrouds (Work and Income: reasonable funeral expenses). The page we read does not say a funeral director is required, but we found no source that says a family-led funeral is treated the same way, so ask Work and Income before you rely on it. Keep every receipt. See the funeral grant guide.

Who decides, and who it suits

The executor, or the closest relative if there is no will, has the legal say over the body, and must take whānau and cultural views into account (Community Law); see funeral wishes in a will. A family-led funeral suits people who want to be closely involved, who can handle the forms while grieving, and who have a cemetery or crematorium that works with them. It suits less a family who are far apart, an unexpected death, a coroner's case, or anyone who would find the paperwork too much. You can ask a funeral director what they would do for a lower fee; we found no published price for part-service arrangements.

Planning ahead

Families who want to simplify things for those who come after them sometimes plan the money in advance. Savings are one way. Funeral insurance is another: Momentum Life's Funeral Insurance, issued by Momentum Life Limited, accepts New Zealanders aged 40 to 75 without health questions and pays a fixed benefit of $3,000 to $30,000 towards costs. The first 24 months pay out only on accidental death (within 90 days of the accident), and any other death in that window means the premiums for that person are refunded. Premiums paid can exceed the benefit, and the benefit may not cover the whole funeral. Momentum's A.M. Best rating is B (Fair); see its financial strength page. The funeral insurance hub compares other options, and the buttons on this page lead to Momentum's own quote.

If you are planning ahead for your own funeral costs

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Life cover: Conditions you already have aren't covered for the first 2 years (premiums refunded instead). Suicide isn't covered for the first 2 years, and a few conditions can be excluded permanently.

Funeral cover: Only accidental death is covered for the first 2 years. Total premiums can add up to more than the cover, and it may not meet the whole cost of a funeral.

Insurer: Momentum Life Limited. Financial strength rating B (Fair) from AM Best, affirmed 11 February 2026; B ratings sit in AM Best's 'vulnerable' range. The rating scale is available for inspection at every Momentum Life office in New Zealand. What this means

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Opens Momentum Life's online application; its guidance only covers eligibility. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner. Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy. General information, not advice.

Adviser's view

A family-led funeral is lawful in New Zealand and many families do it, but it is paperwork-heavy and much of the practical detail is set by the cemetery or crematorium rather than by the Act. The main line you can avoid is the funeral director's professional services fee, while the cremation or burial fee, a casket or shroud and certificates still apply. Ring the cemetery or crematorium before you plan anything else.

Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). General information, not personalised financial advice.

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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). DIY Funerals NZ: Legal Steps, Home Care and Costs. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/diy-funeral-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.