How to Open Your Own Crematorium

If you're already working in the funeral industry, you may be thinking about opening your own crematorium as a way to increase revenue. More and more people are choosing to be cremated because it is less expensive than burial. According to the owner of one West Virginia funeral home, only about 5 percent of families in 2000 asked that their loved ones be cremated. In 2009, that percentage jumped to 21 percent. By adhering to some local regulations and coming up with venture capital, you can open your own crematorium and start serving the wishes of the deceased and their loved ones.

Things You'll Need

• Local permits
• Crematory licensure
• Courses on handling corpses
• Cremation equipment

Instructions

1. Talk to crematorium owners in other communities. Many crematoriums are either owned or operated by local funeral homes and cemeteries. These places are good starting points for finding crematorium owners. It is best to go to other communities because the owners will not see you as competition.

2. Look for a location. Due to the nature of the business and the traffic that will be coming through your crematorium, your location should be a large open area without any neighbors close by. A local real estate professional can help you find a piece of land in a large open area that is zoned for a business like a crematorium. Zoning regulations are different among municipalities, so it is best to investigate local ordinances when finding the ideal location.

3. Obtain the required certifications, permits and licenses. To open your own crematorium, you will need to know how to handle corpses according to certain guidelines. The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) offers a program for crematory licensure that satisfies the requirements of several states. The ICCFA offers separate courses for crematory operators, administrators and arrangers so that you can learn the proper techniques of running a cremation business and handling the bodies ethically and with respect.

4. Purchase the needed equipment and supplies. The equipment you need can range from the cremation oven to the urns in which to place the remains of the body. Crematoriums also need a special machine that crushes the larger bones into smaller particles after the cremation so they will fit in the urn. You can even get equipment for bio-cremation, which is a less polluting and more eco-friendly option.

Tips & Warnings

• Take some funeral-related courses at your local community college to understand the funeral business. This will help you deal with families who are mourning, and it will help you counsel the loved ones considering cremation.

• It may be difficult to get permission to open your own crematorium in some areas. Besides zoning regulations, nearby neighbors may object to the increased traffic and the pollution that your new business will bring.

References

• International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association: Cremation Certifications
• Indeed2Know: The Process of Cremation
• Matthews Cremation: Bio-Cremation Supplies

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish