Burial Permit: What It Is and Who Obtains It
A burial permit is an authorization needed before a body is buried, cremated or moved, depending on the state. Names differ. Texas calls it a burial transit permit, and the CDC refers more generally to disposition authorization.
What vital record do you need?
Choose your certificate to start your order.
How it works
According to the CDC's handbook for funeral directors, most states require the funeral director to obtain explicit authorization before removing, burying, cremating or otherwise disposing of a body. Depending on the state, it is issued by the local registrar once a complete death certificate is presented, or signed by the certifier. Some states require only a notice of disposition. The authorization travels with the body, and the person in charge of the place of disposition returns it to the registrar.
Texas example
In Texas, a burial transit permit is required to remove a body from the state, transport it by common carrier within the state, or cremate it. The registrar cannot issue it until a death certificate, complete as far as possible, has been presented. Texas also bars cremation within 48 hours of the time of death on the certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Who applies for the permit?
Usually the funeral director. If no funeral home is used, ask the local registrar who can act in that role.
Is a burial permit the same as a death certificate?
No. The permit authorizes disposition, while the death certificate records the death. The permit generally depends on the certificate being filed.
Does every state use the same name?
No. Names and rules vary by state.
Sources
US Records is a private company and is not a government agency. Government agencies issue certified records; we help you order them.
Written By
US Records TeamThe US Records Team writes and reviews guides on birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates, using state statutes, agency instructions and court records as sources.
Most popular definitions
- Birth Certificate Number: What It Is and What the Digits Mean
- Adoption Birth Certificate: The New Certificate Issued After Adoption
- Affidavit of Birth: A Sworn Statement Used to Establish a Birth
- Amended Birth Certificate: What It Is and How It Appears
- Apostille: What It Is and When You Need One
- Authentication Certificate: Preparing U.S. Documents for Non-Hague Countries
- Authorized Requester: Who Can Order a Certified Vital Record
- Beneficiary: Who Receives Insurance, Accounts or an Estate
Recent definitions
- Adoption Birth Certificate: The New Certificate Issued After Adoption
- Affidavit of Birth: A Sworn Statement Used to Establish a Birth
- Amended Birth Certificate: What It Is and How It Appears
- Apostille: What It Is and When You Need One
- Authentication Certificate: Preparing U.S. Documents for Non-Hague Countries
Related guides
To get a death certificate, you order a certified copy from the state or county vital records office where…
Yes, a person can be legally dead and still be alive.
