Source: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/rhode-island-home-funeral-laws.html
Timestamp: 2019-02-16 00:14:30
Document Index: 374896779

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 23', '§ 13', '§ 13', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23', '§ 23']

Rhode Island Home Funeral Laws | Nolo.com
Rhode Island Home Funeral Laws
Learn the rules that govern home funerals in Rhode Island.
If you are interested in holding a home funeral for a loved one who has died, you’ll need to be aware of the laws that apply. Here is an overview of the rules that govern home funerals in Rhode Island.
Do You Need a Funeral Director in Rhode Island?
In all states, it is legal to have your loved one’s body at home after they die. Rhode Island does not require you to involve a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. (See, for example, Rhode Island General Laws § 23-3-16 (2018), which permits the “funeral director, his or her duly authorized agent, or person acting as agent” to file the death certificate.)
Rhode Island law determines who has the right to make final decisions about a person’s body and funeral services. This right goes first to any funeral planning agent appointed by the deceased person before death, and after that to family members in an established order.
To learn the rules and the exact order of priority, see Making Funeral Arrangements in Rhode Island.
Embalming is almost never required. Rhode Island regulations require a body to be embalmed or refrigerated if disposition will not occur within 48 hours after death. (Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Embalmers, Funeral Directors and Funeral Service Establishments § 13.2 (2018).)
Furthermore, a body must be embalmed if it will be transported by common carrier, such as an airplane or train. If embalming is not possible, the body must be placed in a “strong, sealed outer case.” (Rules and Regulations Pertaining to Embalmers, Funeral Directors and Funeral Service Establishments § 13.12 (2018).)
If you will not be using a funeral director to carry out final arrangements, you must complete and file the death certificate yourself. Rhode Island law requires you to file the death certificate with the state registrar of vital records within seven days after the death and before the body is removed from the state. (Rhode Island General Laws § 23-3-16 (2018).)
The deceased person’s doctor or, if the death occurred in a hospital, a hospital medical officer will “immediately” supply the death certificate and fill in the date, time, and cause of death. If the death occurred without medical attendance, the medical examiner will furnish and sign the death certificate within 48 hours. You will then need to fill in the rest of the required information and file the death certificate. (Rhode Island General Laws § 23-3-16 (2018).)
The funeral director or person acting as the funeral director must prepare a burial-transit permit within seven days after the death and before final disposition. The burial-transit permit must be attached to the death certificate and signed by the medical provider who signed the death certificate. This permit will allow you to move the body for purposes of burial or cremation. (Rhode Island General Laws § 23-3-18 (2018).)
In Rhode Island, city or town councils have the authority to regulate burials and cemeteries. (Rhode Island General Laws § 23-18-10 (2018).) Before burying a body on private property or establishing a family cemetery, you should check with the city or town clerk for any zoning laws you must follow.
Some crematories require that you use a funeral director to arrange cremation. If you don’t want to use a funeral director, make sure the crematory is willing to accept the body directly from the family. In Rhode Island, the medical examiner must issue a permit before cremation can occur. There is also a required waiting period of 24 hours before cremation may occur, unless the person died of a “contagious or infectious disease.” (Rhode Island General Laws § 23-3-18 (2018).)
For more information about cremation, including information on scattering ashes, see Burial and Cremation Laws in Rhode Island.