Locate Affordable Cremation Services in Ohio

Since 2012, DFS Memorials has helped Ohio families arrange simple, dignified cremation at a fair price. We work with an established network of independent funeral homes and cremation providers. Each is licensed, local to the community it serves, and committed to a clear price that families know before they commit.

A direct cremation is a cremation without a viewing or ceremony beforehand. It is the most affordable choice in Ohio, and it leaves your family free to hold a memorial later, when and where you choose.

How much does a direct cremation cost in Ohio?

Through the DFS Memorials network, a direct cremation in Northeast Ohio costs $825. That price applies across Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Warren, Medina, Kent and Mentor, where the typical local charge for the same service is around $1,500 to $1,650. Choose your city to call the local provider directly.

Outside Northeast Ohio, including Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo, choose your city above and we will help you find an affordable local provider. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, every funeral home must give you its General Price List, which shows its direct cremation charge. You are entitled to see it before you agree to anything.

Your cremation provider handles the paperwork, but it helps to know what happens behind the scenes so the timeline does not come as a surprise.

• A 24-hour minimum. Ohio law does not allow a cremation until at least 24 hours after death (Ohio Rev. Code § 4717.23). The time is measured from the death recorded on a complete, final death certificate.
• A permit that needs a final death certificate. The crematory must receive a burial or burial-transit permit authorizing the cremation. That permit cannot be issued on a provisional death certificate, so the physician’s or coroner’s sign-off on the cause of death sets the pace.
• The coroner, when needed. Sudden, violent or unexplained deaths must be reported to the county coroner, and the coroner certifies the cause of death. If your loved one is with the coroner, the provider you choose arranges the release directly.
• Who signs the authorization. A written declaration naming a representative overrides everything else (Ohio Rev. Code § 2108.70). Otherwise the order is set by law (§ 2108.81): the surviving spouse, then adult children, then parents, then siblings, then grandparents. Within a group, the majority decides, and if they cannot agree, the probate court decides. A person who does not act promptly after being told of the death can lose that right.
• Pacemakers and implants. The cremation authorization form asks about pacemakers and other implanted devices so they can be removed safely before the cremation.
• No embalming or casket needed. A direct cremation uses refrigeration rather than embalming, and a simple rigid container in place of a casket.

What if we cannot afford a cremation in Ohio?

If there is no insurance and money is tight, there are still options. Little public money is available for funeral costs, but it is worth checking what you may be entitled to:

• Local government assistance. In Ohio, help with an indigent burial or cremation comes from local government rather than the state. Ask the township, city or county where your loved one lived what applies.
• Social Security. A one-time $255 death payment is available to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent child. Your provider can help you claim it.
• Veterans. Eligible veterans can be buried at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman or Dayton National Cemetery. The VA provides the burial space, the opening and closing, and a headstone or marker at no cost, and cremated remains are accepted.
• Whole-body donation. Ohio’s medical schools run body donation programs that usually cover cremation after study. Acceptance is never guaranteed at the time of death, so a back-up plan matters. Read more in our body donation guide.

If there is no prepaid plan or insurance, the person who signs the arrangement is responsible for the bill. That is why choosing an affordable provider at the outset matters so much. For more help, read what to do if you can’t afford a funeral on our sister site, US Funerals Online.

Direct cremation gives your family time. With the ashes returned to you, there is no deadline and no venue to book in a hurry. You can gather when relatives can travel, in a place that meant something to your loved one. Our guide to holding a memorial after cremation walks you through planning a personal farewell without the cost of a funeral home service.

Places to hold a farewell in Ohio

Lake Erie. For a loved one who fished, sailed or simply loved the shoreline, the Lake Erie coast and islands make a fitting setting, from the Cleveland lakefront to Put-in-Bay. Check with the city, park or agency that manages the shore or water before scattering.

Parks and forests. Cuyahoga Valley National Park lies between Cleveland and Akron, and Hocking Hills in southeast Ohio is loved for its gorges and waterfalls. Both are peaceful places for a small gathering. Scattering in a national or state park needs permission from the park office first.

The rivers. The Ohio, Cuyahoga and Scioto rivers run through the state’s largest cities, and a riverside park makes an easy place for family to meet. Local rules apply, so check before scattering.

Closer to home. Many of the most moving farewells happen in a family garden, on a farm, or in a church hall. Scattering on private land only needs the landowner’s permission, and a memorial at home costs nothing.

Many families also keep a small amount of the ashes in a keepsake urn before scattering the rest. Read more about planning an ash-scattering ceremony.