Glossary
Immediate burial
Immediate burial is burial that takes place soon after death without embalming, a viewing, or a formal ceremony beforehand. Like direct cremation, it is a lower-cost option, and any memorial service can be held separately afterward.
Because it skips embalming and the use of facilities for a service, immediate burial keeps costs to the essentials: a simple casket or container, transfer of the body, and the burial itself.
The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to offer immediate burial as a separate option. Cemetery charges, such as the plot and opening and closing the grave, are paid to the cemetery separately.
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Common questions
- How much does immediate burial cost?
- Immediate burial is a lower-cost option because it skips embalming and the use of facilities for a service, leaving the essentials: a simple casket or container, transfer of the body, and the burial. Cemetery charges for the plot and opening and closing the grave are paid separately.
- What is the difference between immediate burial and direct cremation?
- Both take place soon after death with no viewing or ceremony beforehand and keep costs low. The difference is the final disposition: immediate burial places the body in the ground, while direct cremation cremates it.
- Can I hold a service after an immediate burial?
- Yes. A memorial service can be held separately afterward, at a time and place of your choosing, since the body has already been buried. Families often pick immediate burial to separate the practical step from the gathering.
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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.