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Cremation FAQs

These are the questions families ask us most, answered plainly. If you do not see yours, call us at (252) 210-3949. We answer 24/7. Jump to: Costs | Arranging | The cremation | After cremation | Paperwork.

Cremation FAQs: costs

How much does cremation cost at Blue Star?

Direct cremation is $1,295 with a fiberboard container, $1,625 with an unfinished wood box, or $1,230 if your family provides the container. See our Direct Cremation page.

Cremation starts at $1,295.

Our staff and services, bringing your loved one into our care, the required authorizations and permits, and the cremation at our own crematory.
Only for optional services, each priced up front: medical examiner certification (up to $50), certified death certificates ($10 each), mailing of death certificates ($30), mailing of cremated remains ($130), and obituary assistance ($130). A $200 charge applies for loved ones weighing 300 to 400 pounds.
No. Blue Star Cremation serves families when a death has occurred. You are welcome to call with questions at any time.

Social Security pays a one-time $255 to an eligible surviving spouse or child, not to the provider. See our Social Security Benefits page.

Eligible veterans may qualify for a VA burial allowance and placement in a national cemetery at no cost. See our Veterans Benefits page.

Cremation FAQs: arranging

Can I arrange everything online?

Yes. Choose a plan, sign the authorization, and pay securely online, or arrange it all by phone.

North Carolina law sets the order: a person your loved one named in writing, then a spouse, then adult children, then parents, then siblings. If several people share the right, a majority must sign.
Each person who needs to sign gets a secure link and signs online from wherever they live. No one has to travel.
Your loved one’s legal name, date and place of birth, Social Security number, last address, parents’ names, and military discharge papers if they served. We help you gather the rest.
Yes. Call (252) 210-3949 any time, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Rocky Mount, Nashville, Tarboro, Wilson, Spring Hope, and communities across eastern North Carolina.

Cremation FAQs: the cremation

What is direct cremation?

Cremation without a funeral service, viewing, or embalming beforehand. Many families hold a memorial afterward.
No. Embalming is not required by law and is not part of direct cremation.
No. A simple cremation container is used, and you may provide your own.
North Carolina requires at least 24 hours between death and cremation. Most cremations are completed within 5 to 8 business days once every authorization is in place.
Yes. Our crematory is in Rocky Mount, so your loved one stays in our care from start to finish.
Because cremation is permanent, North Carolina requires a medical examiner to review the death before cremation can take place. We request the approval for you.

Cremation FAQs: after cremation

How do I get the ashes back?

Pick them up at our Rocky Mount office, or we mail them to you for $130.
Yes. The U.S. Postal Service is the only carrier allowed to ship cremated remains, and we use Priority Mail Express with tracking.

Keep them at home, bury them, place them in a columbarium, scatter them, or share them among family. See Final Resting Options.

Yes. You can plan a memorial or celebration of life whenever and wherever feels right.

Yes. Keepsake urns and cremation jewelry let several people keep a portion. See our merchandise.

Cremation FAQs: paperwork

How do I get death certificates?

We file the death certificate and can order certified copies for you at $10 each. Copies are also available from the Register of Deeds in the county where the death occurred.
Yes. We post obituaries on our website, and we offer obituary assistance for $130 if you would like help writing it.

Still have a question?

Call (252) 210-3949 any time, or read our guide to what to do when someone dies.
Call (252) 210-3949
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