Family-led funerals in NZ

What you can do yourself

• Keep the body at home
• Wash and dress your person
• Build or buy your own casket
• Transport the body in any vehicle (it must be covered and secured)
• Hold the funeral at home, on a marae, outdoors, or any suitable place
• Liaise directly with the crematorium or cemetery
• Register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages

What is legally required

• A doctor must issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death before the body can be moved (for a natural death)
• If cremation is planned, two doctors must sign off (unless a coroner has investigated)
• The death must be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) within 3 working days of burial or cremation
• The body must be in a coffin or other suitable container for transport
• Anyone with a valid driver's licence can transport a body — no special licence needed

What is NOT required

• Embalming is not mandatory. If burial or cremation happens within 2–3 days, simply keeping the body cool is enough — turn the heating off in the room, open windows, use cold packs or ice on the abdomen. A funeral director can also provide cooling without embalming.
• You do not need a hearse
• You do not need a funeral director for any part of the process

Private burial on your own land

This is legal in New Zealand with local council approval. The burial site must be at least 30 metres from any waterway and must be recorded on the land title.

Costs

A family-led funeral can cost as little as a few hundred dollars (cremation fee + basic casket) compared to $8,000–$10,000 for a standard funeral with a funeral director.