Preparation and embalming
After a death, a funeral home cares for the body until the burial or cremation. Embalming is one form of that care. This page explains what embalming is, why some families choose it, when it is required, and what the alternatives are, so you can decide what fits your family.
Usually not. The FTC says no state law requires routine embalming for every death. In Utah, a body held more than 24 hours must be refrigerated or embalmed, so refrigeration is the alternative. Many funeral homes require embalming for a public viewing as their own policy, and you can ask about a private family viewing without it.
What happens to the body after a death
- The funeral home brings your loved one into its care
- Identification and paperwork
- Refrigeration, or embalming if chosen
- Washing, dressing, and preparation
- Viewing, service, burial, or cremation
Every funeral home follows its own routine, and families can ask to bring clothing, jewelry, or items to place with the person.
What is embalming?
Embalming is a procedure done by a licensed embalmer that slows the body’s natural changes for a time. It is most often chosen when a family wants a public viewing, when a service will happen several days after the death, or when the body will travel a long distance. It does not preserve a body permanently.
If the funeral home embalms without permission, it generally can’t charge for it. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home may charge for embalming only with the family’s permission, when the law requires it, or in a narrow emergency situation.
Why some families choose embalming
Embalming is a preparation process that slows the body’s natural changes for a time. Families most often choose it when they want a viewing or visitation, when services will be held several days after the death, or when the body will travel a long distance. It is not the right choice for every family or arrangement. Refrigeration meets Utah’s 24-hour rule on its own, and some families whose traditions avoid embalming choose it.
Ask the funeral home what preparation is needed for the kind of viewing you want, and what each option costs.
When embalming may be needed
- By law
- Utah requires refrigeration or embalming if a body is held more than 24 hours. Refrigeration meets that requirement on its own.
- By the arrangement
- Many funeral homes require embalming for a public viewing with an open casket. That is a provider policy, not a Utah law.
- For travel
- Moving a body out of state or by air can involve rules set by the other state or the carrier. Ask the funeral home what applies.
- By choice
- Some families choose it for a longer or later viewing.
Every General Price List must carry an FTC-required note: embalming is not required by law, except in certain special cases, and a family that doesn’t want it can usually choose an arrangement such as direct cremation or immediate burial.
Other preparation options
Preparation doesn’t have to mean embalming. Depending on the funeral home, it can include refrigeration, washing, dressing, hair, and cosmetics. At least one Salt Lake County price list Wayfinder collected lists “preservation and care without embalming” as its own service. Families choosing green burial also usually skip chemical embalming. See other disposition options.
Some funeral homes charge a daily refrigeration fee if embalming isn’t chosen and the burial or cremation happens more than a day after the death. Ask when that charge would start. See additional costs families may miss.
When preparation may matter
Preparation matters most when the body will be seen: at a viewing, a visitation, or an open-casket funeral. It matters less for a direct cremation or an immediate burial with no viewing. Faith traditions may also shape it. Some call for ritual washing by the community and no embalming. See viewing and saying goodbye and faith and cultural considerations.
Questions to ask
- Is embalming required for what we’ve chosen? If so, is that a law or your policy?
- Can we have a private family viewing without embalming?
- Do you refrigerate, and is there a daily charge?
- Can we provide clothing, or help with washing or dressing?
- If our loved one is traveling out of state, what preparation is needed?
“Is embalming required for what we’re planning, and if not, what are our other options?”
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- Refrigeration or embalming after 24 hours: Utah Admin. Code R436-8-4.
- No routine embalming requirement, viewing policies: FTC Funeral Rule (consumer guidance).
- Embalming disclosure and permission to charge: FTC, Complying with the Funeral Rule.
- Preservation without embalming and refrigeration charges: General Price Lists from Salt Lake County funeral homes, collected by Wayfinder, August–September 2026.
This page provides general information and is not legal or medical advice.