Cremation Authorization Form Template
A free sample cremation authorization form for funeral homes. The next of kin confirms the details, chooses the disposition and signs online.
Customize the pages and design to fit your needs.
About this template
The authorizing agent confirms who they are, the details of the person who passed, any implants and what should happen to the remains. They sign online and you keep a signed PDF for the file. Check your state's rules first, as some require a witness or notary.
Common uses
- Funeral homes and crematories
- Next of kin signing from home
- Direct cremation services
Key features
- Right to decide and implant questions
- Disposition of remains
- Signed PDF for the file
What this template asks
What's your full name?
Short Text
What's your email address?
Email
What's your phone number?
Phone
What's your home address?
Short Text
How are you related to the person who passed?
Single Choice · Spouse or partner, Adult child, Parent, Sibling, Legal representative, Someone else
Does anyone else share your legal right to decide, such as a sibling?
Yes / No
If so, who are they and do they agree?
Long Text · Optional
What was the full legal name of the person who passed?
Short Text
When were they born?
Date
When did they pass away?
Date
Where did they pass away?
Short Text
Did they have a pacemaker or any other implant?
Yes / No
Describe any implants
Short Text · Optional
What should happen to the cremated remains?
Single Choice · Returned to me, Picked up by someone else, Buried in a cemetery, Placed in a columbarium, Scattered, Not decided yet
Who will receive the remains?
Short Text · Optional
Cremation authorization
Agreement text, accepted with “I agree”
Sign the cremation authorization
Signature
How to use this template
Copy it
Select Use template and a copy opens in your workspace as an unpublished draft.
Make it yours
Edit any question or answer, choose a theme, and add your logo.
Share it
Publish, then send the link, show a QR code, or embed the form on your site. Responses arrive in Submissions.
Cremation authorization
Signers read this text in the form before they accept it. Edit the bracketed details to match your business, and have the wording reviewed for your situation.
Please read this before you sign.
This authorization is between [Funeral home name] (the "Funeral Home") and the authorizing agent named in this form.
- Right to decide. I am the person with the legal right to decide on cremation, or I have the agreement of everyone with an equal right, as listed above.
- Identity. I have identified the person who passed, or I ask the Funeral Home to confirm identity by [method].
- Implants. I have listed every pacemaker or implant I know of. The Funeral Home removes devices that must come out before cremation.
- Cremation is final. I understand cremation cannot be undone, and small amounts of remains may be left in the chamber.
- Personal items. Jewelry and other items are removed before cremation and returned to me unless I say otherwise in writing.
- Remains. The remains are released as chosen above. If no one collects them within [number] days, the Funeral Home may place them in [place].
- Release. I release the Funeral Home and the crematory from claims that come from following this authorization.
By signing below, I confirm that the information in this form is true and I authorize the cremation.
Frequently asked questions
What does a cremation authorization form cover?
Who the authorizing agent is and their right to decide, the details of the person who passed, any pacemaker or implant, and what happens to the remains.
Is this form valid in every state?
It's a sample to start from, not legal advice. Each state sets who may authorize a cremation and what the form must say, so edit the terms to match your state.
Can the next of kin sign from home?
Yes. Send the link by email or text, and the signature is saved as a signed PDF with an audit trail for your file.