The cost to transport a dead body to another state usually falls between $1,500 and $10,000 or more. Where you land in that range depends on distance, whether the body flies or goes by road, and the service fees charged by the two funeral homes involved. Cremated remains are a different story: shipping ashes across the country typically costs under $500 all in.
Why Two Funeral Homes Show Up on the Bill
Almost every interstate transfer involves a forwarding funeral home where the death occurred and a receiving funeral home at the destination. Each bills separately, and together they usually account for the largest portion of the total.
The forwarding funeral home handles pickup, paperwork, embalming or preservation, and coordination with the carrier. Its “forwarding remains” or “ship-out” fee generally runs $1,000 to $3,000. The receiving funeral home collects the remains at the airport or from the ground transport vehicle, files local permits, and delivers to the cemetery or crematory. That side typically costs $800 to $3,000.
Add them up and you’re looking at $3,000 to $6,000 in professional service fees before a single mile of transport is paid for. Federal law requires every funeral home to hand you an itemized price list, so you can see exactly what each fee covers before you agree to anything.
Ground Transport: Roughly $2 to $4 Per Mile
For distances up to about 500 miles, ground transport is almost always the cheaper option. Funeral homes either use their own vehicles or hire specialized mortuary transport companies operating refrigerated vans. Per-mile rates generally fall between $2.00 and $4.00, sometimes with a flat removal fee added on top.
A 300-mile transfer at $3.00 a mile works out to around $900 for transport alone, on top of the funeral home fees above. Some companies also add fuel surcharges or airport pickup minimums. If the body is not embalmed, refrigeration during transit is required, and longer drives may carry an extra charge for that. Under 200 miles, ground is by far the cheapest route.
Air Cargo: $250 to $1,200 or More
Once you’re past a few hundred miles, or when timing matters, airlines carry human remains as cargo. The price depends on the origin, destination, and the total weight of the shipment, which includes the casket or container. Published airline rate sheets put domestic air cargo for human remains between roughly $250 for a short regional route and $1,200 or more for cross-country flights or shipments to Alaska and Hawaii.1Delta Cargo. Human Remains U.S. Domestic Rates Those base rates usually include fuel and security surcharges but exclude screening fees and taxes.
Only funeral homes and businesses registered as “known shippers” with the TSA can book human remains cargo directly with airlines. Your funeral director does the coordination, and the cargo fee passes through to you. Different airlines serve different routes, so between two given cities you may not have a choice of carrier.
Shipping Containers Are a Separate Line Item
Airlines and ground carriers require specific containers, and these show up as their own charge:
- Air tray. A plywood or cardboard tray that holds a casket during air transport. Roughly $100 to $130.
- Combo tray. A tray with cardboard or wood walls that substitutes for a casket when the family plans to buy one at the destination. Similar range, around $100 to $130.
- Ziegler case. A sealed metal shipping container used when remains are unembalmed, being forwarded without a casket, or headed to cremation. Approximately $350 to $500 depending on size.
If the body is shipped in a purchased casket, an air tray goes underneath for stability. Without a casket, the combo tray or Ziegler case becomes the outer container. The funeral home buys it and adds it to your itemized bill.
Embalming or Preservation
Embalming is the most commonly required prep step for interstate transport. Airlines generally require it, and some states require it for any body crossing their borders. It currently averages $750 to $800, plus another $250 to $300 for cosmetic preparation if a viewing is planned.
When embalming is declined or not possible, the body must be preserved with dry ice and placed in a sealed, leak-proof container such as a Ziegler case. That trades the embalming fee for a container cost. For shorter ground trips, refrigeration during transit can substitute for embalming in most jurisdictions.
Permits and Death Certificates
Moving a body across state lines requires paperwork, and each document carries a fee.
- Certified death certificates. You’ll need multiple certified copies for insurance, estate matters, and the transport itself. Fees vary by jurisdiction, generally $5 to $30 per copy, and most families order five to ten copies.
- Burial transit permit. This authorizes the physical movement of the remains and must be obtained before transport begins. Fees typically run $25 to $100 depending on where it’s issued.
The forwarding funeral director handles both documents: filing the death certificate with the local registrar after medical certification of cause of death, then obtaining the burial transit permit from the local health department or registrar’s office.
Cremated Remains Cost Far Less to Ship
If the body is cremated before transport, costs drop sharply. The U.S. Postal Service is the only carrier that ships cremated remains by mail. As of March 2025, all shipments must use USPS-branded cremated remains packaging (BOX-CRE kits) and be sent via Priority Mail Express.2Federal Register. Cremated Remains Packaging Requirements Total cost for postage plus packaging is typically under $100 for domestic shipments.
You can also carry cremated remains on a passenger flight as carry-on or checked luggage. TSA requires the container be made of a material that can be X-rayed, such as wood or plastic. If it produces an opaque image, it won’t be allowed through the checkpoint, and TSA officers will not open the container even if you ask.3Transportation Security Administration. Cremated Remains Some airlines restrict cremated remains in checked bags, so confirm with your carrier before you fly. FedEx, UPS, and other private carriers do not accept cremated remains.
How to Keep the Bill Down
The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule gives you real leverage on price. Every funeral home must provide a written, itemized General Price List showing each good and service separately. You have the right to buy only what you want, and you cannot be forced into a bundled package.4Federal Trade Commission. The FTC Funeral Rule The rule specifically requires embalming, transportation of remains, and use of facilities to be disclosed as separate line items.5eCFR. 16 CFR Part 453 – Funeral Industry Practices
This matters most on interstate transport, where two funeral homes each have room to bundle. If a home tells you embalming is “required” without pointing to a specific legal basis, push back. In most states, embalming is not legally required for transport when refrigeration or a sealed container is used instead.
Several programs can offset some of the cost, though none typically cover the full bill:
- Social Security lump-sum death benefit. A one-time $255 payment to a surviving spouse or eligible family member of a fully or currently insured worker.6Social Security Administration. Handbook 0428 – When Is a Lump-Sum Death Payment Paid
- VA burial benefits. Burial reimbursements from $300 to $796 depending on veteran status and cause of death. The VA reimburses after the fact, and processing can take several months.
- FEMA funeral assistance. If the death resulted from a federally declared disaster, FEMA may reimburse eligible funeral expenses including transfer of remains.7FEMA. COVID-19 Funeral Assistance
- Life insurance. Beneficiaries can put the payout toward transport and funeral costs, and some policies offer an accelerated advance for funeral expenses.
- Religious and community organizations. Local churches, mosques, synagogues, and community nonprofits sometimes help with burial and transport for families in financial hardship.
Arranging the Transport
Start by calling a funeral home at the destination, where the final disposition will happen. The receiving funeral director can usually recommend or coordinate with a home near where the death occurred, which simplifies things considerably. If you already have a relationship with a home at either end, start there.
The forwarding home handles initial pickup, embalming or preservation, obtains the death certificate and burial transit permit, arranges the container, and books the air cargo or ground transport. The receiving home takes over on arrival: local permits and delivery to the cemetery or crematory.
Before you commit, get the itemized price list from both funeral homes and compare. Ask specifically about the forwarding fee, receiving fee, container cost, and embalming charge. Get the cargo or mileage estimate in writing. The total should be transparent before you authorize services. A funeral home that resists itemized pricing is violating the Funeral Rule, and that’s reason enough to look elsewhere.4Federal Trade Commission. The FTC Funeral Rule