Planning a non-religious or humanist funeral or memorial in New Zealand

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.

A non-religious funeral in New Zealand is a service with no prayers or religious rites, built around the life and relationships of the person who died. It can be led by a funeral celebrant or by a family member, and it can end in cremation, burial or natural burial. The legal steps are the same as for any funeral.

In this guide, "non-religious" means a service without prayers, hymns or religious ritual, and "humanist" is the name some celebrants and families use for a service of that kind, focused on the person's life rather than on belief. We found no New Zealand law or official register that defines either word, so treat them as descriptions, not as a licensed category. Nothing here is a criticism of religious services; families often mix the two, for example by including a hymn a relative asked for. The Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) says that if beliefs are not strongly held, "a less formalised service" may suit, and that "there is no right way to celebrate a person's life" (FDANZ: Funeral and farewell choices).

What stays the same, and what you choose

A non-religious funeral changes the service, not the rules around it. A body cannot be buried or cremated without a cause-of-death certificate or the coroner's authorisation (Burial and Cremation Act 1964, s46AA). For a cremation you also need Form A, signed by the executor or a near relative, a doctor's or nurse practitioner's form and the medical referee's permission (Health NZ: Cremation). The executor named in the will, or otherwise the closest relative, makes the final decision about the funeral. A wish written in a will or told to the family does not bind relatives, though families rarely ignore it (Community Law: Funerals and tangihanga). If you want a non-religious farewell for yourself, write it down and tell your executor.

What you choose is the form of the service. Community Law lists it as a decision for the family: whether it is led by a minister, a non-religious funeral celebrant or a family member. Community Law says FDANZ members must follow the Association's standards, which require them to "respect the ethnic origin and spiritual beliefs of the deceased person", so say plainly at the first meeting that you want no religious content. Membership is not a legal requirement, and Community Law notes that.

Who can lead the service

There are three common options.

Option	What the sources say	What to ask
Funeral celebrant	FDANZ describes celebrants as "members of the community who have a special interest in leading public rituals". Indicative fee $300 to $900 (July 2025); one Auckland price list shows $590 to $705	Their fee in writing, what it includes, and a sample order of service
A family member or friend	FDANZ: the answer to who can lead is "anybody", though people usually choose someone with experience. Community Law lists a family member as an option	Whether they are comfortable speaking, and who steps in if they cannot continue
Funeral director's team	Directors can organise the celebrant for you (Community Law)	Whether the celebrant's fee is on the director's invoice or paid separately

We found no official register or certification requirement for funeral celebrants in the sources we read, so a claim that someone is "certified" is worth asking about: who certified them, and what training did it involve. Our celebrant fee guide sets out the published fees and the questions to ask. FDANZ's 2026 report found a celebrant or clergy member at 76% of 2025 funerals, down from 80% in 2023 (FDANZ 2026 Industry Trends Report), which implies about a quarter of funerals had neither.

A simple order of service

The sources do not prescribe a script, and no order is right. This is one common shape, offered as a starting point, which you can shorten or reorder.

Gathering. Music while people arrive, perhaps a slideshow or photographs on a table.
Welcome. The celebrant or a family member says who has died, who is present and what the next half hour will include.
The life story. A short account of the person's life, written with the family. See our guide to writing a eulogy.
Tributes. Two or three people speak. Agree a time limit for each speaker beforehand.
A reading or poem. FDANZ lists readings, poems and music among the performances a family can choose. Our readings guide is the place to look; check whether a poem is in copyright before you print it.
Music or a moment of silence. FDANZ advises listening to a song carefully first so the words suit the occasion; our funeral songs guide has ideas.
Committal. At the crematorium or graveside, a few words and a pause. No religious content is needed.
Closing and invitation. Say where people are going afterwards, whether that is a wake, a meal or home. See wakes and celebrations of life.

We do not list poems or songs here because we could not source a New Zealand reading list, and a reading is best chosen by someone who knew the person.

Cremation, burial or natural burial

Disposal is separate from belief. FDANZ's 2025 figures show 69% of funerals ended in cremation and 25% in burial (FDANZ 2026 Industry Trends Report). Council fees are the part that varies most by place. These are the figures we could read on 20 October 2026, GST included, for a weekday adult:

Council	Cremation	Natural burial
Auckland	$750	Waikumete: adult right $5,360 plus burial fee $1,410
Wellington	Karori: $885 for cremation only	Mākara: $3,615 in total
Christchurch	No council cremation fee listed	Green burial $2,925 "or actual costs if greater"
Dunedin	$1,182.20	Green Park: rights $2,863.40

Sources: Auckland Council fees, Wellington City Council cremation fees, Mākara fees, Christchurch City Council, Dunedin City Council burial fees and crematorium fees. Natural burial rules differ: Auckland requires an untreated casket or natural-fibre shroud and no embalming, and Wellington requires a biodegradable casket and a native tree at each plot. Our natural burial page has the detail, and the direct cremation page covers a cremation with no service, which can be followed later by a separate memorial.

What it costs

A non-religious funeral does not have its own price. FDANZ's 2026 report puts a full funeral with cremation, 50 attendees, catering, a celebrant and a mid-price casket at an average of $11,700 (range $10,000 to $13,900), and the same funeral with burial at $14,300. An unattended cremation averages $4,700. FDANZ's indicative component ranges from July 2025 include a professional services fee of $3,000 to $6,500, chapel hire $200 to $500, a slideshow $300 to $500 and catering $15 to $25 a head (FDANZ: Financial matters). If you hold the service at a hall or a home instead of a chapel, you may save the chapel fee, but the director's fee and the council charges remain. See what a funeral costs for the full breakdown.

Paying for it

The Work and Income Funeral Grant has a maximum of $2,697.43 as at 1 April 2026. It is tested on income and assets, and other help, including prepaid funeral cover, can affect eligibility (Work and Income: Funeral Grant). It lists a celebrant or clergy fee and a slideshow among reasonable expenses. Our funeral grant guide explains the tests.

Funeral insurance is one way to plan ahead, not a way to pay for this one. Momentum Life's Funeral Insurance, issued by Momentum Life Limited, accepts New Zealanders aged 40 to 75 with no health questions and pays a fixed benefit of $3,000 to $30,000 towards costs. In the first 24 months it pays only for accidental death within 90 days of the accident; for any other death in that period, premiums are refunded. Total premiums can end up larger than the benefit, and the benefit may not cover a whole funeral. Momentum Life is rated B (Fair) by A.M. Best (Momentum: financial strength). Setting money aside is the alternative; see the funeral insurance hub. The buttons on this page open Momentum's online quote. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner, and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy through our link (how we are paid).

A checklist for a personal farewell

Tell the executor and family what you want, and write it down.
Choose who leads, and agree what the celebrant will and will not include.
Ask the funeral director for a written estimate for the chosen venue and method.
Decide on two or three speakers and a time limit for each.
Choose music and readings, and check any printed text for copyright.
Decide what happens to the ashes; see what to do with cremation ashes.
Plan the gathering afterwards, including food and who hosts.

Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). This page is general information, not advice.

How we made this page

The QuoteHub Editorial Team wrote this page on 20 October 2026 from the sources listed below, with AI assistance, and every fact was checked against its source. We found no New Zealand humanist body we could read, so the service structure is our own suggestion and is labelled as such. See our editorial policy. Back to the when someone dies guide.

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Adviser's view

A non-religious funeral is a matter of choice, not a different legal process: the same paperwork, cemetery and crematorium rules apply. The service itself is the part you design, and the sources we read say there is no right way to do it. Costs come from the venue, the director and the disposal method, not from the absence of religion, so compare quotes line by line.

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

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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Non-Religious Funeral NZ: Humanist Memorial Guide. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/non-religious-funeral-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.

References

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