Direct cremation is cremation with no viewing or ceremony beforehand: the provider brings the person into its care, handles the paperwork, performs the cremation, and returns the ashes to the family.
$639–$3,790
Direct cremation on Salt Lake County price lists, 2026
$157
Required Utah cremation permit, included in some prices and added to others
Varies by provider
What a direct cremation price can include
People in the industry agree on the name. They don’t agree on what goes into the price.
- 1How many days of refrigerationEvery price includes some time in refrigeration before the cremation. The number of days differs.Cannon Mortuary’s $1,900 price includes 1 day (price list effective February 1, 2026). Starks Funeral Parlor’s $2,200 price includes up to 4 days (effective August 17, 2025).
- 2Whether the state permit is includedUtah’s cremation-related charge, currently $157, is sometimes inside the headline price and sometimes added at the end.Utah Simple Cremations’ $995 online checkout includes the $157 in permits (checked August 17, 2026). Cannon Mortuary’s $1,900 price excludes the cremation permit and the Medical Examiner review charge.
- 3Whether an urn comes back with the ashesSome prices include an urn. Others return the ashes in a temporary container.Starks Funeral Parlor includes a natural wooden urn, and Neptune Society includes a choice of urns in its $2,815 plan (price list effective July 22, 2026). Larkin Mortuary’s price list excludes the urn (effective April 1, 2025).
- 4Whether the family can see the person firstMost direct cremation prices include no viewing. A few include a short private one.Independent Funeral Service includes a private family viewing within 24 hours in its $975 cash price (price list effective August 11, 2025).
Ask“Is the $157 permit included, and how many days of refrigeration are in this price?”
In Utah
To many Utah families, “cremation” means direct cremation. In fact, cremation is the disposition: it answers what happens to the body. A family that chooses it still has many options for services for the people who are living, in whatever form fits the family. Families who want a viewing or funeral first choose cremation with a service instead, often with a rental casket.
You’ll see this on
The price list. Usually its own line, sometimes called “simple cremation” or “direct cremation without ceremony.”
Online checkouts. Some providers sell it online with a fixed total.
Sources
- Wayfinder survey of Salt Lake County funeral home price lists and phone quotes, collected August 11 to September 19, 2026.
- Wayfinder interviews with Salt Lake County funeral and preneed professionals, July and August 2026.
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Prices change; check the provider’s current price list.