Locate Affordable Cremation Services in Georgia

Since 2012, DFS Memorials has helped Georgia 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 Georgia, and it leaves your family free to hold a memorial later, when and where you choose.

How much does a direct cremation cost in Georgia?

Through the DFS Memorials network, a direct cremation in Georgia costs $995 in metro Atlanta and $1,295 in Athens, Augusta, Columbus and Savannah. The typical local charge for the same service runs from about $1,850 to $2,870, so families can save roughly $850 to $1,640. Choose your city to call the local provider directly.

Many funeral homes that keep long-standing local names are now owned by national corporations, and their prices are usually higher. 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.

• No fixed waiting period. Georgia sets no single statewide minimum wait before a cremation. It can take place once the authorization is signed, the death certificate is under way and a disposition permit has been issued. The funeral director must file the death certificate within 72 hours (O.C.G.A. § 31-10-15).
• A disposition permit. A permit is required for every cremation (O.C.G.A. § 31-10-20). Your provider obtains it from the local registrar.
• Coroner or medical examiner approval when needed. If a death is sudden, unexplained or otherwise subject to inquiry, the county coroner or medical examiner must approve before the permit is issued. If your loved one is with the coroner, the provider you choose arranges the release directly.
• Who signs the authorization. Georgia law sets the order (O.C.G.A. § 31-21-7). A health care agent or a person the deceased named in writing comes first, then the spouse, a majority of adult children, the parents, a majority of siblings and then grandparents. Anyone who does not act within two days of being told of the death, or three days after the death, can lose that right. If family members with equal rights disagree, the probate court decides.
• 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 Georgia?

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:

• County assistance. Georgia counties provide a basic burial or cremation when a family genuinely has no means to pay. Eligibility is narrow. Contact the county coroner or social services office to ask 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 Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. The VA provides the burial space, the opening and closing, and a headstone or marker at no cost, and cremated remains are accepted. A direct cremation followed by a national cemetery burial is one of the lowest-cost ways to honor a veteran.
• Whole-body donation. Georgia’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 Georgia

The mountains. North Georgia’s Blue Ridge, from Amicalola Falls to Brasstown Bald, suits a loved one who spent weekends hiking. For a gathering or scattering in a state park, ask the park office first. In the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, check with the local ranger district.

The river and the lakes. The Chattahoochee runs through metro Atlanta, and Lake Lanier and Lake Oconee are favorite places for families who fished or boated together. Check with the agency that manages the water before planning a ceremony on it.

The coast. Tybee Island, St. Simons and Jekyll Island make beautiful settings for a sunrise gathering on the sand. Charter boats out of Savannah and Brunswick can arrange a scattering at sea. Federal rules ask that ashes be scattered at least three nautical miles from shore and that the EPA is notified within 30 days, which the charter operator usually handles.

Closer to home. Many of the most moving farewells happen in a family garden, on a farm, or in a church fellowship 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.