Who Has to Sign the Cremation Authorization Certificate?

When a loved one passes away, there are, unfortunately, some time-sensitive tasks that need to be completed. Law-abiding funeral homes will require you to present a cremation authorization certificate before they proceed.

The cremation authorization is one of the most important forms to be completed if cremation is to take place. In order to get approval, a medical professional needs to sign off on the death certificate. The cause of death needs to be determined and noted on the death certificate before cremation approval will be given. The person who signs the form is known as the authorization agent.

Who Is Responsible for Authorizing Cremation?

This list will help you determine who is authorized to arrange a cremation and could also be used to determine who has legal rights to cremated remains:

• A legal representative appointed by the deceased
• The deceased’s surviving spouse
• The sole surviving child of the deceased or, if there is more than one child, all of the children collectively
• The deceased’s surviving parents
• The deceased’s surviving siblings
• The deceased’s surviving grandparents
• The lineal descendants of the deceased’s grandparents
• The person appointed as the guardian of the deceased at the time of death
• Any person willing to accept the right of disposition, including the licensed funeral director or personal representative of the estate, after confirming in writing that none of the individuals listed above could be located

In Summary

One of the key differences between burial and cremation is that cremation leaves no DNA behind. Cremation authorization is required to ensure no foul play was involved before the body was cremated. It may be a frustrating process, but the fact remains that people have tried to use cremation to eliminate evidence or DNA in the past.