How to Read a Funeral Home General Price List

A funeral home's General Price List is the single most important document for families making funeral arrangements. It tells you exactly what each service and product costs, which allows you to compare funeral homes and build an arrangement that fits your budget. Yet many families never see or ask for one. Understanding how to read a GPL can save you thousands of dollars and protect you from paying for things you do not want or need.

What Is a General Price List

A General Price List (GPL) is a written document that every funeral home in the United States is required to maintain and provide to consumers. It lists all of the goods and services the funeral home offers along with their individual prices. The GPL is your menu for funeral planning, and it is the foundation for comparing costs between different providers.

The requirement to provide a GPL comes from the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule, which has been in effect since 1984. The rule was created to protect consumers from deceptive practices and to ensure transparency in funeral pricing. Without the Funeral Rule, families would have no standardized way to compare prices between funeral homes.

A well organized GPL will list each service and product on a separate line with a clear price. Some funeral homes also include package prices that bundle multiple services together. When reviewing packages, always compare them to the individual item prices to make sure the package actually saves you money.

What the FTC Funeral Rule Requires

The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide a GPL to anyone who asks for one, whether in person or over the phone. When you visit a funeral home to discuss arrangements, they must give you the GPL before showing you any merchandise or discussing specific prices. This ensures you have all the pricing information before you start making decisions.

The rule also requires funeral homes to provide price information over the phone. If you call and ask how much a direct cremation costs, they must tell you. This allows you to comparison shop without having to visit every funeral home in person. Some funeral homes also post their GPL on their website, though this is not yet required by federal law.

Importantly, the Funeral Rule prohibits funeral homes from requiring you to purchase items or services you do not want. With only a few exceptions (most notably the non-declinable basic services fee), you have the right to select only the items and services you need. The funeral home cannot refuse to serve you because you declined embalming, chose to provide your own casket, or opted for a simpler arrangement.

How to Request a General Price List

Requesting a GPL is simple. You can call the funeral home and ask them to mail, email, or fax it to you. You can also visit in person and ask for a copy. The funeral home is required to give it to you without requiring you to provide your name or any other information. You do not need to be making arrangements to request a price list.

For the most effective comparison shopping, request GPLs from three to five funeral homes in your area. This gives you a clear picture of the local market and helps you identify which providers offer the best value for the services you need. Price differences between funeral homes in the same city can be significant, sometimes varying by $2,000 or more for similar services.

If a funeral home refuses to provide a GPL or gives you a hard time about it, that is a red flag. A reputable funeral home will be transparent about its pricing and happy to provide the information. If you encounter resistance, consider reporting the funeral home to the FTC and taking your business elsewhere.

Line Items Every GPL Contains

Basic services fee: This is a non-declinable charge that covers the funeral home's general overhead and staff costs. It includes planning the funeral, coordinating with third parties (cemetery, crematory, clergy), obtaining required permits and death certificates, and sheltering the body. This fee typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 and is charged for every arrangement.

Transportation: This includes transfer of the body from the place of death to the funeral home (often called "first call" or "removal") and transportation to the cemetery or crematory. Each trip is usually listed separately, with prices ranging from $200 to $500 per trip. Some funeral homes include the first transfer in their basic services fee; others list it separately.

Embalming: The cost of embalming is listed as a separate line item, typically $500 to $1,000. The GPL must include a disclosure stating that embalming is not required by law in most cases and that you have the right to choose alternatives such as refrigeration or direct cremation.

Facility use: Charges for using the funeral home's facilities for a viewing, ceremony, or both. These are typically listed separately (viewing room and ceremony room) and range from $200 to $800 each. If you hold the ceremony at a church or other venue, you can avoid the ceremony room charge.

Casket and outer burial container: Casket prices vary enormously, from $1,000 for a simple model to $10,000 or more for a premium option. The GPL must list caskets separately and include a statement that you have the right to purchase a casket from an outside vendor. Outer burial containers (vaults) are required by most cemeteries and typically cost $1,000 to $5,000.

Items You Can Decline

You have the right to decline any item on the GPL except the basic services fee. If you do not want embalming, you can choose refrigeration or proceed directly to cremation or burial. If you do not want to use the funeral home's facilities, you can hold the service at a church, community center, or private residence. If you do not want to purchase a casket from the funeral home, you can buy one from an outside retailer and the funeral home cannot charge you a handling fee for using it.

You can also decline cosmetic services, hair styling, printed memorial materials, and any other add-on services. The key is to review each line item carefully and ask yourself whether it is something you truly want and need. Funeral directors may recommend certain services, and their recommendations are often well intentioned, but the final decision is always yours.

Be aware that some funeral homes structure their packages in ways that make it difficult to see which items you are paying for. If you are offered a package, ask for the itemized breakdown. If the package includes services you do not want, ask whether you can substitute or remove individual items. You are always entitled to build your own arrangement from the a la carte menu.

How to Compare GPLs from Multiple Funeral Homes

To compare GPLs effectively, create a simple spreadsheet or list with the services you need in one column and the price from each funeral home in adjacent columns. Focus on the items you know you will use: basic services fee, transportation, embalming (if applicable), facility use, and the casket or urn. Add up the totals for each funeral home to get an apples to apples comparison.

Pay attention to what is included in each line item. One funeral home might include the first transfer in their basic services fee while another charges for it separately. These differences can make a direct comparison tricky if you only look at individual line items without understanding what each one covers.

Do not choose a funeral home based solely on the lowest price. Quality of service, reputation, location, and your personal comfort with the staff all matter. But knowing the prices allows you to make an informed decision and ensures you are not overpaying for services that are significantly cheaper down the road.