What is an Immediate Burial?

Choosing an “immediate burial” when making funeral arrangements can have a big impact on the total cost of a funeral. This article will explain what the funeral home does when you choose an immediate burial instead of a traditional funeral.

What are the key elements of an immediate burial?

The funeral home does four things when you choose an immediate burial:

remove body from place of death to funeral home

obtain permits

transport body to a final resting place

bury or entomb the body upon arrival at the cemetery

What is an immediate burial?

With an immediate burial the body is taken directly from the place of death (or from the morgue) to the cemetery. Normally, the body stops at the funeral home just long enough to secure the death certificate and burial permit - and for the family to buy the cemetery lot. The body is then transported to the cemetery where it will be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum crypt.

With an immediate burial there is no:

funeral ceremony

viewing or visitation ceremony

grave side ceremony

embalming or other body preparation

Although immediate burials do not include any type of formal ceremony, many families choose to hold a get-together at a relative’s house following the burial. This allows the family to get a sense of closure without incurring additional expenses at the funeral home.

Click here to find out how much an immediate burial costs.