The Final Ride
In the Pacific Northwest, it’s rare to see a conventional formal funeral procession led by a police escort and a hearse carrying the casket, followed by a long line of cars driving slowly with headlights on. Family and community may choose to create their own procession to the place of ceremony or final disposition; to forgo the ceremonial aspects and provide their transportation in a suitable vehicle of their own; or to hire a funeral home or direct-to-cremation provider to handle transportation.
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Legal Issues
In Washington, it is legal for a family member, friend, or other designated unpaid support person to transport a deceased body. This could include transportation from place of death to place where viewing or ceremony will take place (for example, at home if death didn’t occur at home, or to a place of worship or community or ceremony hall). You can also transport to final disposition for a burial or cremation. The permit will be issued after the death certificate is officially accepted after being processed through the electronic filing system at the Registrar’s office in the local health jurisdiction where the death occurred. (See How to Complete Paperwork and view an example of the Burial-Transit Permit which must accompany the body to the place of final disposition.)
Even though a transportation permit is required only for transferring the body to burial or cremation, there are hospitals and care facilities that are unfamiliar with Washingtonian’s rights under the law. Because businesses can write their own policies, such institutions may have body release protocols in place that insist or imply that use of a funeral services company is required, or that transferring the body back home or to another location prior to disposition requires completion of the Death Certificate. To address this barrier, see How Washington Hospital Staff and Administrators Can Support Washington Families in Caring for Their Own Dead and Sample Hospital Policy Language Regarding Removal of the Body.
Funeral homes must embalm, refrigerate, or place in a sealed casket if body is not expected to reach destination within 24 hours, by regulation, not statute—this rule applies to funeral directors only. A sealed casket may substitute for embalming when shipping by common carrier.
Even though a transportation permit is required only for transferring the body to burial or cremation, there are hospitals and care facilities that are unfamiliar with Washingtonian’s rights under the law. Because businesses can write their own policies, such institutions may have body release protocols in place that insist or imply that use of a funeral services company is required, or that transferring the body back home or to another location prior to disposition requires completion of the Death Certificate. To address this barrier, see How Washington Hospital Staff and Administrators Can Support Washington Families in Caring for Their Own Dead and Sample Hospital Policy Language Regarding Removal of the Body.
Funeral homes must embalm, refrigerate, or place in a sealed casket if body is not expected to reach destination within 24 hours, by regulation, not statute—this rule applies to funeral directors only. A sealed casket may substitute for embalming when shipping by common carrier.
Practical Considerations
There are practical and logistical considerations that are important to evaluate prior to deciding to transport a body yourself. Here are a few:
- Take into account the size and weight of the deceased. There are physical risks involved for those who are doing the lifting and moving, so be realistic about who will be on hand at critical moments that require strength and flexibility. It's good to have 4 - 5 people strong enough to do sustained lifting and moving.
- Measure doorways that lie in the path you plan to take when moving the body, with particular attention to stairs. If you plan to place the body in a casket before moving, be sure the container will be able to make corners easily without squishing carriers. It's a good idea to practice with an empty container before trying it with a heavy body inside to plan strategies.
- Bodies go in and out of rigor, so they require a rigid base for ease of moving. You might use an alternate container tray, a shroud with a built-in board, a shrouding or lowering board, a backboard, a cardboard casket, a wooden casket—anything that supports the body, is easy enough to grip and carry, and that feels stable enough to make the distance both on the way out and at the destination.
- It is sensible and courteous to have a closed vehicle or cover of some kind to avoid problems with weather and to be sensitive to people along the route.
5 Stories
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Read Heather’s Story, Mikaela’s Story, Alicia’s Story, Jake’s Story and Karen’s Story for examples of families providing their own transportation to cremation or burial.
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Resources and Online Links
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Washington Funeral Resources
and Education WAstatefuneral@gmail.com Contact Landscape photos courtesy of Sean Proll Justin Craig All Rights Reserved 
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Washington Funeral Resources and Education is a non-commercial public interest site dedicated to helping Washington consumers care for their own dead with or without the assistance of a funeral director. See FuneralPartnership.org for more state funeral information. This site is maintained as a project of White Eagle Memorial Preserve and Sacred Earth Foundation, which coordinates responses to inquiries with other Washington-based organizations and practitioners that support the mission of the Funeral Partnership.
Disclaimer:
This website has been created by volunteers making reasonable efforts to provide resources and materials for informational purposes only. Any information you obtain from this website is not legal advice and should not be relied upon without confirmation of current law. No warranties, expressed or implied, are made with respect to the information herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained here is complete or up-to-date as of the date that you view this site. The agencies linked via hyperlinks are responsible for the content of those sites. Their information is subject to change and should be consulted directly to ensure accurate and up-to-date information. Please report any inaccuracies to us in the form on the CONTACT page. Thank you!
This website has been created by volunteers making reasonable efforts to provide resources and materials for informational purposes only. Any information you obtain from this website is not legal advice and should not be relied upon without confirmation of current law. No warranties, expressed or implied, are made with respect to the information herein. There is no guarantee that the information contained here is complete or up-to-date as of the date that you view this site. The agencies linked via hyperlinks are responsible for the content of those sites. Their information is subject to change and should be consulted directly to ensure accurate and up-to-date information. Please report any inaccuracies to us in the form on the CONTACT page. Thank you!