What is the FTC Funeral Rule?

A federal consumer-protection regulation (16 CFR Part 453) that requires funeral homes to give you an itemized price list, sell goods and services separately rather than only as packages, and accept a casket or outer burial container you bought from a third party without charging a handling fee.

Does the Funeral Rule cover headstones and grave markers?

No. The Rule applies to funeral providers, not cemeteries or monument dealers, which generally fall outside its jurisdiction. A cemetery can set its own rules for outside monuments. This is the single most misunderstood part of the law, many articles online incorrectly state that it covers headstones too.

What can I do if a funeral home refuses a casket I bought elsewhere?

Refusing to accept it, or charging a handling fee for using it, is a direct violation of the Funeral Rule. Get the refusal in writing if you can, then file a complaint with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and with your state's funeral board.

Do I have to buy a package, or can I pick individual items?

You can buy individual goods and services and decline anything you don't want, with limited exceptions (a few states require specific items like a container for cremation). The funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List (GPL) on request, including over the phone.

Are online reviews of this Rule usually accurate?

Not always. It's common to see the Rule described as covering "caskets and headstones", it doesn't. Always verify against the FTC's own page before relying on a secondary source, including this one.

Guides · verified July 2026

Your FTC Rights: Buying a Casket or Headstone From Anywhere

The FTC Funeral Rule gives you real, enforceable rights when buying a casket or urn. It does not extend the same protection to headstones bought through a cemetery. Knowing exactly where the line falls is worth more than any single tip in this guide.

A close-up of a gavel and scales of justice on a wooden table beside legal books — The FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453) has been federal law since 1984.

What the Funeral Rule actually requires

A funeral home must, by federal law:

Give you an itemized General Price List (GPL), in person, and read prices over the phone on request.
Let you buy individual goods and services rather than only pre-set packages.
Accept a casket or urn you bought from a third party, with no handling fee and no refusal.
Disclose in writing if state law requires a specific item you might otherwise think is optional (e.g., a container for direct cremation).
Get your approval before any embalming you didn't specifically authorize, and disclose when embalming isn't legally required.

Covered vs. not covered, by product

Product	Covered by the Funeral Rule?	Notes
Casket	Yes	Funeral home must accept a third-party casket, no fee
Urn	Yes	Same protection as caskets
Outer burial container / vault	Yes	Same third-party protection applies
Headstone / grave marker	No	Cemeteries and monument dealers generally fall outside the Rule
Cremation jewelry / diamonds	No	Not a funeral-provider good under the Rule; no comparable restriction exists to opt out of anyway

A person reviewing a printed document with a pen in hand — Ask for the General Price List in writing before you agree to anything.

Why headstones are different

This surprises most people: the Funeral Rule regulates funeral providers, and most cemeteries and monument dealers aren't one. A cemetery can require monuments to meet its own size, material, and foundation specifications, and can restrict which vendors install on its grounds, none of that is a Funeral Rule violation. The practical fix isn't a legal one: call the cemetery office and get its monument requirements in writing before you order from anyone. See our headstone cost guide for pricing once you know the rules.

Worth flagging directly: it's common to see the Rule described online as covering "caskets and headstones," it doesn't, and that's not a rare typo, it shows up across a lot of otherwise reputable-looking content. Always verify a claim like this against the FTC's own page, including anything stated on this site.

What to say to a funeral home

You don't need to cite the regulation by number. Plain language works: "I'd like your General Price List, including prices for individual items, not just packages." and, if buying a casket elsewhere, "I'll be providing my own casket, please confirm there's no additional fee for that." If you hear resistance, that's the moment to note names, dates, and get anything unusual in writing.

A customer-service representative wearing a headset, smiling during a call — A five-minute call to the cemetery or funeral home before you order anything can save real money.

If something goes wrong

Refusing a third-party casket, charging an undisclosed handling fee, or declining to itemize prices are direct violations. File a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov and with your state's funeral or cemetery licensing board, most states have one, and consumer complaints are how a lot of enforcement actually starts.