Caring for Your Own

Family-Led Death Care & DIY Funerals

In New Zealand, families have the full legal right to care for their deceased loved ones at home, build their own caskets, transport the body, and arrange burials or cremations directly with local authorities. This guide outlines the legal steps and physical care requirements to do so safely and with dignity.

Your Action Checklist

Track your progress through the legal and practical requirements

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1. Immediate Care & Cooling

You do not legally need to embalm a body in New Zealand under normal circumstances.

Keep the room as cool as possible (air conditioning high, windows closed, curtains drawn).

Use ice packs, gel packs, or dry ice (wrapped in towels) placed around the torso and head to maintain body coolness.

Wash and dress the person if desired. This can be done slowly and gently by whānau.

Place a waterproof sheet underneath the person in bed.

2. Obtain Required Medical Forms

Before the body can be moved or cremated, you need medical clearance from the doctor or coroner.

Obtain the "Medical Certificate of Cause of Death" (signed by the doctor who was treating the deceased, or the coroner).

If cremating, request the doctor to complete the "Cremation Certificate (Form A)". This is legally required by NZ crematoria.

3. Choose a Casket or Shroud

You do not have to buy an expensive commercial casket.

The body must be in a solid, combustible, leak-proof casket or shroud cover with a solid base for crematoria/burial plots.

Consider contacting a local Coffin Club or MenzShed to purchase a low-cost, custom-decorated wooden coffin (typically $200–$400).

Alternatively, construct a simple plywood casket or purchase a plain cardboard casket.

Ensure the casket has secure handles and is sized correctly.

4. Arrange Transport legally

You can legally transport a body yourself in a private vehicle.

Ensure you have the "Transfer of Charge" form filled out (authorizing you to move the body).

Use a spacious vehicle like a station wagon, van, SUV, or large hatchback where the casket can lie completely flat.

Drive directly to the crematorium, burial site, or home without unnecessary stops.

5. Book the Municipal Cremation or Burial

Book directly with your local city or district council to bypass commercial markups.

Contact the council-owned crematorium or cemetery department directly.

Submit the required paperwork (Medical Certificate, Form A, and the Council Burial/Cremation Application).

Deliver the casket directly to the crematorium transfer bay at the agreed booking time.

Collect the ashes in a basic container (usually ready within 24–48 hours).

6. Register the Death within 3 Days

This is a legal requirement in New Zealand.

Complete the "Notification of Death for Registration (BDM93)" form.

Submit the BDM93 along with the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to Births, Deaths and Marriages (DIA).

Order an official Death Certificate if needed for estate/bank closures ($33).

Find Local Alternatives

You do not have to do this entirely alone. New Zealand has volunteer collectives, Coffin Clubs, and digital disrupters to assist you with equipment hire, coffin decorating, and affordable cremations.

Browse Alternative Providers →

Printable Checklist

Need a physical checklist to keep in the kitchen or share with whānau members? You can print this page using your browser's standard print function (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) for a beautifully formatted paper copy.