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How Long Does It Take to Get Ashes After Cremation?
Most individuals receive the ashes of their loved ones within two weeks. The general process can take up to 15 business days, most of which is influenced by state regulations […]
Most individuals receive the ashes of their loved ones within two weeks. The general process can take up to 15 business days, most of which is influenced by state regulations and the activities that need to occur according to those regulations. For example, this process can include:
- The doctor signing and returning the death certificate
- The medical examiner providing approval for cremation
- Getting authorization, documents, and signatures from the family, such as a Durable Power of Attorney
- Returning necessary paperwork to the crematorium
- Completing the cremation
Some steps of the process and the length of time expected to complete them can vary by state. Gathering signatures from the individual listed on the durable power of attorney isn’t required in Florida, but is required in California and can take time if the funeral home has to locate the next of kin in the absence of the intended documentation. In a typical cremation process in Florida, it can take up to three days for a doctor to sign and return the death certificate, followed by two days for the medical examiner to approve the cremation. The cremation can then be completed within three days after all of the necessary paperwork is received. It usually takes a few hours to cremate the body, but the crematorium also has its own turnaround time which can last up to a week.
Funeral homes and crematoriums can sometimes develop a backlog of cremations if the facility is understaffed or if there is an unpredictable increase in the death rate, such as due to a mass casualty event or a disaster. There is usually a delay in receiving ashes after cremation in those scenarios due to the overall volume of clients that need to be served. In most instances, ashes are typically returned in a timely manner and a general estimate of when the ashes will be ready for pickup can be provided by the funeral director or crematorium staff.
Sources
“How long does it take to get ashes after cremation?” Urns.com. https://www.urns.com/blogs/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-ashes-after-cremation
“FAQs about What to Do with Ashes after a Cremation”. Evergreen Cemetery. https://evergreenjax.com/faqs-ashes-after-cremation/
