How Soon Can You Cremate Someone in Massachusetts?

Are you interested in trying to hold a cremation service in Boston, MA for a loved one as soon as possible in the aftermath of their death? Well, you should know that Massachusetts law prevents crematories from carrying out cremations right away after people have died. You should be aware of how long you might have to wait to cremate a loved one. Continue reading to find out what the cremation waiting period is in Massachusetts as of right now.

You must wait at least 48 hours to cremate a loved one in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, families aren’t legally allowed to conduct Boston, MA cremations right after their loved ones have died. Instead, they must wait at least 48 hours before they can cremate their family members. A crematory will see to it that you abide by this law since they could get into serious trouble if you don’t. They aren’t going to be able to cremate your loved one until about three days after their death in most cases. And in some instances, you may be required to wait even longer than that depending on the circumstances.

This waiting period is in place for a good reason.

There is a very good reason why Massachusetts law dictates that families can’t cremate their loved ones for at least 48 hours. It’s because they must make sure that there aren’t any criminal and/or civil liabilities connected to a person’s death. If, for example, a person dies and there is some suspicion surrounding their death, police might want to step in and investigate it and even perform an autopsy. But this won’t be possible if a person has been cremated, which is why families have to wait to cremate their loved ones.

There are other things you’ll need to do before cremating a loved one.

You and your family will need to do more than just wait for 48 hours to cremate a loved one in Massachusetts. You’ll also need to work with a crematory to obtain a death certificate for your loved one. A good crematory isn’t going to conduct a cremation for your loved one without a death certificate. They also aren’t going to do it if they haven’t gotten the proper cremation authorization from you and your family.

A great crematory can help you cremate a loved one ASAP.

Although a good crematory isn’t going to be able to speed up the cremation process for you too much, they can work diligently on your behalf to secure a death certificate for your loved one. They can also begin to prepare your loved one’s body so that it’s all ready to go once they’re legally allowed to cremate it. Additionally, they’ll answer any and all questions you might have about cremation so that you feel comfortable with the idea of having your loved one cremated in the end.

If you and your family are preparing to hold a Boston, MA cremation for a loved one, we can help. We can walk you through the cremation process and ensure everything goes the way it’s supposed to from beginning to end. Contact us now to get the process started.