Caskets and Urns
A casket holds the body for a viewing, funeral, or burial. An urn holds cremated remains. Both come in a wide range of materials and prices, and much of what a family chooses is a matter of taste, not a requirement.
No state or local law requires a casket for cremation, and you can buy a casket or urn somewhere other than the funeral home. The funeral home can’t refuse it or charge a fee to handle it. A cemetery may have its own rules about containers, so ask the cemetery.
What a casket is
A casket is the container that holds the body for a viewing, a funeral, and burial. For a burial, the casket is placed in the grave, often inside an outer burial container or vault if the cemetery requires one. For a cremation, a simple cremation container or a rental casket for the viewing is common instead.
Casket vs. coffin
In the U.S., “casket” usually means a rectangular box, and “coffin” a six-sided box that is wider at the shoulders. Many people use the two words the same way.
Different casket options
- Metal
- Steel, copper, or bronze, in different thicknesses and finishes.
- Wood
- Hardwoods or softwoods, from simple pine to polished finishes.
- Cloth-covered
- A wood or fiberboard frame covered in fabric.
- Cremation and alternative containers
- Cardboard, fiberboard, or simple wood, used for cremation.
- Biodegradable
- Bamboo, willow, or untreated wood, used for green burial.
- Rental
- A casket used for the viewing and service, with a removable insert for the cremation.
What a cremation urn is, and types of urns
An urn holds cremated remains. You can pick one before the cremation or later. The funeral home will return the remains in a temporary container if you haven’t chosen one.
- Standard urns
- Wood, metal, stone, or ceramic, sized to hold one person’s remains.
- Companion urns
- Sized for two people.
- Keepsake urns and jewelry
- Small containers that hold a portion of the remains, for families who share them.
- Biodegradable urns
- Paper, clay, or plant material, made to break down in soil or water.
- Niche urns
- Sized to fit a cemetery niche. Ask the cemetery for the measurements before you buy.
How much does a casket cost? And an urn?
On the 2026 Salt Lake County price lists Wayfinder collected, the lowest-priced casket at each funeral home ranged from about $600 to $1,750, and the most expensive reached about $29,500. Urns started at $25 to $125. Price reflects material and finish more than anything the arrangement needs.
For how merchandise fits into the total, see what’s included vs. what’s extra and traditional funeral and burial costs.
Buying elsewhere, and seeing prices first
Under the FTC Funeral Rule:
- You can buy a casket or urn online, from a local store, or anywhere else. The funeral home cannot refuse to handle it or charge you a fee to do so.
- A funeral home must show you its casket price list before showing you the caskets themselves.
- A funeral home that offers cremation must tell you alternative containers are available, and make them available.
Cemeteries set their own rules. Before buying, ask the cemetery whether it requires a particular container or a vault, and whether an urn must fit a niche.
Questions to ask
- May we see your casket and urn price lists?
- What is the simplest container you offer for what we’ve chosen?
- Is a casket part of this package, and what changes if we bring our own?
- Does the cemetery have any container or size rules?
- Do you offer a rental casket for a viewing before cremation?
“What does our arrangement require for a container, and what is only a choice?”
Ready to see how these choices apply to your situation?
Your Wayfinder Plan can help organize the options you’re considering and give you a clearer picture of what to ask and compare.
Build My Wayfinder Plan- Buying a casket or urn elsewhere, no casket required for cremation, alternative containers: FTC Funeral Rule (consumer guidance).
- Casket price list requirements: FTC, Complying with the Funeral Rule.
- Casket and urn prices and container types: General Price Lists from Salt Lake County funeral homes, collected by Wayfinder, August–September 2026.
Prices from price lists are examples from individual providers, not statewide averages. This page is general information, not legal advice.