No Money for a Funeral in LA County? How County Cremation Works
When someone dies in Los Angeles County and there's no money for a funeral, the County can step in with a simple cremation. It isn't automatic, it isn't fast, and it isn't quite free. Here's which county office will have your loved one, what you'll be asked to prove, what it costs to get the ashes back, and other money worth checking before you decide.
AT A GLANCE
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First, find out which office has your loved one
Two county departments handle the dead in LA County, and the first call depends on how the person died. The DHS "Find a Deceased Relative" page lists both, and says the County handles the remains of people "who are unclaimed, indigent, and/or unidentified."
Situation | Office | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
Sudden, violent or unusual death, or the person hadn't seen a doctor in the 20 days before death | Department of Medical Examiner, 1104 N. Mission Rd., Los Angeles 90033 | (323) 343-0714 (main facility); the DHS page lists (323) 343-0512 for families searching for a relative |
Death at LA General Medical Center, or the person is unclaimed or indigent | Office of Decedent Affairs (County Morgue and Cemetery), 2051 Marengo St., Los Angeles 90033 | (323) 409-7161 (service and intake); DecedentAffairs@dhs.lacounty.gov |
Death in another hospital or a nursing home | Start with that facility's social worker or decedent office, then ask whether the case is being referred to the County | Use the facility's own number |
The County's online directory lists ODA's hours as Monday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ODA manages the morgue at LA General Medical Center for that hospital's patients. It also coordinates what happens to indigent and unclaimed people across the county.
If you don't know where your relative is, DHS posts a searchable Register of Cremations for each year back to 2012. The 2025 register lists 2,108 cremations. Search it by name, then call ODA with the cremation number.
What "County disposition" means
The Medical Examiner's family FAQ answers the question directly: "There are no funds for burial. What can I do?" Its answer is that if the person who died or their legal next of kin can't pay for a burial, "the alternative may be County disposition." The County then cremates the body. You don't get a funeral home service, a casket or a private plot.
Three rules come with it:
You have to show you can't pay. The DME says "proof of indigence is required." Neither the DME nor ODA publishes an income limit or a list of documents, so ask the caseworker exactly what they'll accept before you gather paperwork.
Paperwork can be slow. The DME warns that with County disposition "there may be substantial delays in receiving a death certificate and as a consequence, certain benefits." If you need a death certificate for life insurance, a pension or Social Security, say so early.
The ashes are held for a limited time. ODA says it holds the remains for two years. The DME glossary says "about three years." Either way, unclaimed ashes end up in a common grave at the Los Angeles County Cemetery. Plan on the shorter deadline.
"If the deceased or the legal next of kin do not have sufficient funds for burial, the alternative may be County disposition." (County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner)
What it costs
People often assume a county cremation is free. In LA County, getting the ashes back usually costs money, though a big Medical Examiner fee has been dropped.
Charge | Amount | What the County says |
|---|---|---|
ODA cremation fee | $352 | Collected when the ashes are released (ODA report to the Board, April 17, 2024) |
ODA cremation fee with transportation | $466 | Same report |
DME transportation and storage fees | $0 | The Board of Supervisors voted on Jan. 7, 2025, to permanently waive the $400 fees |
Death certificates | Varies | Ordered from the funeral home, Public Health (first year) or the Registrar-Recorder (after a year) |
Can the ODA fee be waived? ODA told the Board that it "does not have the authority to pardon cremation fees" and that "the Board of Supervisors has the sole authority to waive fees." If a relative says they can't afford to pick up the remains, ODA still cremates the person and holds the ashes for two years. That gives you time to save the fee or find help. ODA said it gets about one financial-hardship request a year. If you need one, put it in writing and keep a copy.
Some of the Medical Examiner's older pages still say families will be billed for transportation and handling. The January 2025 announcement says next of kin "will not be charged transportation and storage fees." If you get a DME transport bill, call (323) 343-0714 and mention the waiver.
Who has the right to decide
Under California law, only the legal next of kin can direct what happens to the body. The DME lists the order as the spouse, then adult children, then parents, then the closest blood relative, unless a legal document such as a power of attorney for health care says otherwise.
Under Health and Safety Code Section 7100, as quoted in LA County's DCFS policy guide, the cost of final disposition falls "jointly and severally upon all kin of the decedent in the same degree of kinship and upon the estate of the decedent." If there are several adult children, the cost is shared among them and the estate, not owed by whoever answers the phone.
If someone other than the next of kin is making arrangements, the DME needs a notarized written authorization from the next of kin. It must include the decedent's name, the Medical Examiner case number, your name and phone number, your relationship to the decedent and the funeral director's name. The DME accepts it by fax at 323-224-8979 or 323-222-7041.
Money to check before you choose County cremation
County disposition is the last resort. Before you agree to it, check whether any of these could pay for a private cremation or burial, or cover the ODA fee.
Source | Who it's for | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
VA burial allowance | Families of veterans who weren't dishonorably discharged and who died of a service-connected cause, under VA care, or while receiving or entitled to a VA pension or compensation, among other conditions | Up to $2,000 for a service-connected death on or after Sept. 11, 2001. VA's current table for other deaths on or after Oct. 1, 2026 lists $1,032 for burial plus $1,032 for a plot. If a veteran's remains go unclaimed, VA pays the allowance to whoever handles the burial. |
California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) | Whoever pays for the funeral of someone who died as a result of a crime | "Up to $12,818" for funeral, burial or a memorial service after other payment sources are used. It can't pay coroner's charges. |
DCFS funeral funds | A child or nonminor dependent with an open DCFS case | Up to $12,818 through the foster care funeral program (effective July 1, 2026); Kin-GAP cases up to $5,000 |
LA County Military and Veterans Affairs | Veterans' families who need help with a veteran's burial | Call (213) 765-9681 |
CalVCB takes applications only from the person responsible for paying. A mortuary can't apply for you. VA covers cremation as well as burial, and it pays back transportation costs you paid directly if the receipt is in your name. If the death wasn't service connected, you usually have two years after the burial to file, and you'll need the death certificate, so the County disposition delay matters here.
Step by step: arranging a County cremation
Find out where the person is. Call the DME at (323) 343-0714 if it was a Medical Examiner case, or ODA at (323) 409-7161. Have the full name and date of birth ready, plus the case number if you have one.
Tell them you can't afford a funeral. Ask whether County disposition is possible and what proof of indigence they need.
Check other money first. If the person was a veteran or a crime victim, call VA or CalVCB before you sign anything.
Request a death certificate early. Ask how long it will take with County disposition, and which office (Public Health or the Registrar-Recorder) will issue it.
Claim personal property. The DME's Personal Property Section is at (323) 343-0515. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and property is released 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Call before you go. Government IDs are returned to the agency that issued them, not to the family.
Write down your deadline. Note the cremation number and date, and plan to claim the ashes from ODA well within two years.
Before you call
☐ The full legal name, date of birth and date of death
☐ The Medical Examiner case number, if the DME was involved
☐ Your photo ID and proof of how you're related (a birth or marriage certificate, for example)
☐ Proof of what you can't afford, such as benefit letters, recent pay stubs or bank statements
☐ The veteran's DD214 or other discharge papers, if they served
☐ A police report number, if the death may have been a crime
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Los Angeles
Related guides
Official sources
LA County Department of Health Services: Find a deceased relative
LA County DHS: Office of Decedent Affairs cremation fees report (April 17, 2024)
LA County Department of Medical Examiner: Transportation and storage fees waived permanently
LA County DCFS: Funeral, burial and cremation funding options
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans burial allowance
Last checked: October 23, 2026. The cremation fee comes from ODA's April 2024 report to the Board of Supervisors, the most recent fee figure the County has published. Call ODA to confirm the current amount before you budget for it.
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