Choosing a funeral director
The NSW Government suggests talking to two or more funeral directors and getting a written quote from each, because prices vary widely. In New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, funeral directors must display itemised prices, and their least expensive package where they offer packages, at their business and on their website if they have one; the detail differs from state to state.
Please note General information, not legal advice, and no funeral director is named or recommended here. The rules below are each state’s own, read from its official pages; for other states and territories, check with the local consumer affairs or fair trading office.
What a funeral director does
In NSW, most people use a funeral director, though it is not compulsory. A funeral director usually looks after the death registration forms, transport and care of the person who has died, the coffin or casket, booking the cemetery or crematorium, notices and flowers, and paying the various fees to others on your behalf.
In NSW, funeral directors do not need a licence, and can set up without any specific training or qualifications. The NSW Government suggests doing your research and asking family and friends for recommendations. In Victoria, Consumer Affairs Victoria keeps a public register of funeral providers that have notified it they are operating under the Funerals Act 2006.
The price rules, state by state
| State | Prices on display | Before you sign | Also required |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Itemised prices and the least expensive burial or cremation package, at the place of business and on the website if it has one. | An itemised price for each item, the cost of disbursements, and the total. Price information asked for in advance must be given within 48 hours. | Where the mortuary or crematorium is, and who owns it if the funeral director doesn’t. Businesses must disclose commission or referral arrangements with suppliers. |
| Victoria | The goods and services price list and coffin prices, on the website if there is one and at the premises, since 1 August 2025. | An itemised quotation listing the goods and services, service fees and disbursements, stating how to make a complaint to the provider. | Since 26 May 2026, the price list must include information on prices, disbursements, packages, mortuaries and crematoria, and transport. It must say which package is the least expensive. |
| Queensland | An itemised price list at the business and online, and the price of the least expensive package. | An itemised quote within 48 hours of asking (or longer if agreed), or before the agreement is signed, whichever comes first. | The mortuary or crematorium used and its owner, an estimate of death certificate and permit costs, cemetery or crematorium fees, and how the body is transported. |
Each state’s page is the place to check the current rule: NSW Fair Trading’s funeral information standard, Consumer Affairs Victoria’s price transparency rules and the Queensland Government’s guide to arranging a funeral.
Questions to ask
Each question comes from something the official guides say you are entitled to know, or suggest you check.
- May I have an itemised written quote?In NSW, the NSW Government suggests getting quotes from two or more directors, because prices vary widely.
- What is your least expensive package, and what is in it?NSW, Victorian and Queensland funeral directors must show it.
- Which costs are disbursements, and are they estimates?Fees paid to others for you, such as the cemetery, crematorium or celebrant.
- Is there a professional service fee?In NSW it need not be displayed, but must be disclosed before you sign; in Victoria it must be on the price list.
- Which mortuary and crematorium do you use, and who owns them?Required information in NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
- Do you have commission or referral arrangements with suppliers?NSW requires businesses to disclose them.
- Is your business part of a larger group?Moneysmart notes that many funeral providers operate under the same parent company, so check you are comparing different businesses.
- When is payment due, and is there a payment plan?Most NSW funeral directors require payment in full before the funeral; some providers offer payment plans.
- Do you follow the industry code of conduct?In Queensland, the government suggests asking whether a provider follows the voluntary Queensland Funeral Industry Code of Conduct.
Before you sign
The NSW Government suggests reading the terms and conditions, looking for clauses about interest or late fees, and asking the funeral director to go through every fee that may apply. You can ask someone else to help you review the quotes and terms. It also suggests first finding out whether the person had pre-arranged their funeral or bought a grave site; the details might be in their home or in their will.
Moneysmart’s guide for people who have lost a partner adds a kind piece of advice: try to stick to what you can afford without going into debt, and if you don’t feel up to making the calls, ask family or friends to help.
If something goes wrong
Under the Australian Consumer Law, most products and services come with automatic consumer guarantees, and the NSW Government’s guide notes that they apply to every funeral director, whether or not it belongs to an industry association. In NSW, the first step is to contact the funeral director, explain the problem, and if it isn’t resolved, check whether they belong to an industry association with a code of conduct, then complain to NSW Fair Trading. Queensland describes the same order: the provider, then their industry association, then the Office of Fair Trading. In Victoria, the provider’s quotation must set out how to make a complaint to them.