What You Should Know About Shipping A Body For A Funeral Service

If your loved one has passed away and they will be buried away from the location where they died, you may need to have their body shipped to the new location. While this can be a very stressful and emotional time, it is important to not delay. Here are some helpful tips for shipping the body for a funeral service.

Find a Known Shipper

When you are planning on shipping a body for a funeral service, you will first need to find what is called a known shipper. This will be a body transporting service that has been pre-approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). You can't legally ship a body by plane to or from the United States without first verifying that they are a known shipper according to the TSA. Funeral homes often have their own known shippers that help to transport the body, simplifying the process for you.

Know the Body Preparation Requirements

You might find that some areas have strict requirements about how the body is prepared prior to transport. If the body has already been embalmed by a funeral home, then you don't need to worry about this. If it hasn't, find out if there are requirements about embalming it before transport. The requirements might only be in place if it is being shipped by trucking line, bus, airplane, or train. If you are transporting the body yourself, it is up to you whether or not you have it embalmed first.

The Costs Are Based on Weight

Just like when you ship anything else via commercial transportation services, the cost of shipping a body will be based on its weight. If it is placed in a casket prior to transport, that can definitely add to the weight. There are other shipping containers that are safe to transport a body in, so ask the funeral home beforehand. However, if the casket is with the body and has already been purchased, you will need to pay for the full weight, including the weight of the casket.

Funeral Homes Can Handle the Arrangements

If you are already working with a funeral home (such as Hempstead Funeral Home), ask them if they handle shipping the body to another location for burial. They are often more than happy to oblige. Funeral homes do everything from embalming the body and helping choose a casket, to doing the burial themselves or shipping the body elsewhere. This can take a lot of the stress and burden off you, so that you are able to dedicate your energies to dealing with other funeral arrangements.