The Final Ride

Families may choose to create their own procession to the place of ceremony or final disposition; to forgo the ceremonial aspects and provide their transportation in a suitable vehicle of their own; or to hire a funeral home or direct-to-cremation provider to handle transportation. ​​​​

On This Page

• Obtaining the necessary legal paperwork and permit
• Practical issues involved in moving a body

Legal Issues

In Virginia, it is legal for a family member to transport a deceased body. This could include transportation from place of death to place where viewing or ceremony will take place (for example, at home if death didn’t occur at home, or to a place of worship or community or ceremony hall). You can also transport to final disposition for a burial or cremation.

Some hospitals and care facilities are unfamiliar with Virginia families’ rights under the law. Because businesses can write their own policies, such institutions may have body release protocols in place that insist or imply that use of a funeral services company is required, or believe erroneously that transferring the body back home or to another location prior to disposition requires hiring a funeral director. To address this barrier, see How Hospital Staff and Administrators Can Support Virginia Families in Caring for Their Own Dead and Sample Hospital Policy Language Regarding Removal of the Body.

Practical Considerations

There are practical and logistical considerations that are important for families to evaluate prior to deciding to transport a body themselves. Here are a few:

• Take into account the size and weight of the deceased. There are physical risks involved for those who are doing the lifting and moving, so be realistic about who will be on hand at critical moments that require strength and flexibility. It's good to have 4 - 5 people strong enough to do sustained lifting and moving.
• Measure doorways that lie in the path you plan to take when moving the body, with particular attention to stairs. If you plan to place the body in a casket before moving, be sure the container will be able to make corners easily without squishing carriers. It's a good idea to practice with an empty container before trying it with a heavy body inside to plan strategies.
• Bodies go in and out of rigor, so they require a rigid base for ease of moving.  You might use an alternate container tray, a shroud with a built-in board, a shrouding or lowering board, a backboard, a cardboard casket, a wooden casket—anything that supports the body, is easy enough to grip and carry, and that feels stable enough to make the distance both on the way out and at the destination.
• It is sensible and courteous to have a closed vehicle or cover of some kind to avoid problems with weather and to be sensitive to people along the route.

Resources and Online Links

How to Transport a Dead Body by Plane
​Repatriation of Mortal Remains
​International SOS
Global Rescue 10 Things You Need To Know About Shipping a Body
Death Away From Home
Sample Body Release Policy