Practical and immediate
Do I have to have a funeral?
Short answer
No. There is no legal requirement for a funeral service in California. You must arrange for disposition of the body (burial or cremation), but a public service is optional. A private or no-service cremation is a legal choice.
What this usually means
No. There is no legal requirement for a funeral service in California. You must arrange for disposition of the body (burial or cremation), but a public service is optional. A private or no-service cremation is a legal choice.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county phone numbers for coroner, vital records, and local offices.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.