Glossary
Funeral director
A funeral director is a licensed professional who arranges and oversees funeral, burial, and cremation services. They handle the body, coordinate paperwork such as permits and death certificates, and guide families through the choices involved.
Also called a mortician or undertaker, a funeral director coordinates transport of the body, preparation, the service, and final disposition, while helping the family with documents and logistics.
Licensing requirements vary by state and typically include education and supervised training. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, the director must provide itemized prices and honor your right to decline goods or services you do not want.
Related terms
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Common questions
- Do I have to use a funeral director?
- It depends on your state. Most families use one, but several states allow families to handle much of a death themselves, while a few require a licensed funeral director for certain steps such as filing paperwork or transporting the body.
- What does a funeral director do?
- A funeral director arranges and oversees the service, coordinates transport and preparation of the body, files permits and helps order death certificates, and guides the family through the choices involved. Under the FTC Funeral Rule they must provide itemized prices.
- What is the difference between a funeral director and a mortician?
- In everyday use the terms are interchangeable; mortician and undertaker are older words for the same licensed professional. Licensing requirements vary by state and typically include education and supervised training.
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This definition is general information, not legal or financial advice. Laws and prices vary by state and provider. See our editorial standards.