The short version — what to keep in mind
- A funeral normally takes 3 days: Day 1 — paperwork and collection; Day 2 — preparation, bookings, wake; Day 3 — service, cortège, burial or cremation.
- The funeral home collects the deceased, obtains the death certificate, books transport, and coordinates with the cemetery or crematorium — the family does not need to visit offices.
- The family decides: the place (cemetery or crematorium), the type of service, the clothes for the deceased, the wreath, the memorial meal, and the date.
- The death must be registered at the Civil Registry within 3 calendar days — missing this deadline requires the prosecutor's approval.
- Book the church and the burial plot as early as possible — especially at weekends, when slots fill up fast.
- The 9,192 RON state funeral aid covers the basic package in full by assignment of rights — the family doesn't advance money for insured or retired persons.
What organising a funeral actually means
Organising a funeral means coordinating three types of activity: legal paperwork, preparing the ceremony, and managing logistics. The typical three days are not arbitrary — they reflect real deadlines: the medical certificate is issued at least 24 hours after death, the official death certificate must be obtained within 3 days, and Orthodox tradition calls for burial on the third day.
Roles are clear: the family decides (the place, the day, the budget, the clothes, the ceremony details); the funeral home executes (collecting the deceased, the paperwork, preparation, transport, the casket, bookings at the cemetery or crematorium); the priest or officiant leads the religious ceremony. Overlap — the family trying to do what the funeral home normally handles — wastes time and causes errors.
The day-by-day plan — what happens and who handles it
The table below shows the typical structure of the three days.
| Day | What happens | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Death certification; medical certificate; contacting the funeral home; collection of the deceased; start of paperwork (registering death at the Civil Registry) | Doctor + funeral home; family gathers the deceased's documents and signs the power of attorney |
| Day 2 | Preparation of the deceased (washing, cosmetics, dressing); casket and accessories; booking the church service; booking the burial plot or crematorium; the wake at home or at the chapel | Funeral home; family agrees ceremony details and notifies relatives |
| Day 3 | Funeral service at the church; funeral cortège; burial at the cemetery or cremation at the crematorium; memorial meal | Priest + funeral home for transport and logistics; family and friends attend |
The steps in detail, from death to memorial meal
The steps below detail each stage in the recommended order. They are presented as a procedure for families who want to understand each action before they take it.
The church and the cemetery — bookings that matter
Book the priest for the funeral service as early as possible — ideally on the first day, once the funeral home has confirmed the collection. The priest confirms the time and church, the length of the service (prohodul), and the fee, which is paid directly to the parish.
Booking the cemetery plot or the crematorium slot follows immediately. If the family does not have a concessioned burial plot, there are two options: taking out a new concession at the chosen cemetery, or choosing cremation. Cemetery fees and concession costs vary between parishes and cemeteries — the funeral home coordinates these bookings on the family's behalf.
A late booking — especially on a Friday or Saturday — can push the ceremony back by a day or more. Cemetery and clergy schedules are busy at weekends.
What a funeral costs
Cost depends on the package chosen and any optional extras (new burial plot, monument, later memorial meals). The essential package starts at 4,900 RON, the traditional package at 7,400 RON, the cremation package at 4,900 RON. The state funeral aid is 9,192 RON for insured or retired persons — details at the funeral aid page.
For a detailed, transparent breakdown, see the full cost guide or estimate directly with the cost calculator.
Special situations
- Death in hospital — the on-duty doctor certifies the death automatically; the family calls a funeral home, which collects from the morgue; details in the guide death in hospital.
- Death at home — call the family doctor or 112 before anything else; don't move or prepare the body; details in the guide death at home.
- Family chooses cremation — the procedure differs from step 4 onwards: no burial plot is booked, the crematorium is scheduled, and the urn can be buried or kept; full guide at burial or cremation.
- Death happened abroad — the first step is contacting the Romanian consulate or embassy; repatriation is organised with a specialist funeral home; full procedure in the guide repatriation.
- No relatives — the local council (primăria) organises and covers the funeral; anyone may notify the council; details in the guide funeral without next of kin.
- Baptist family — the service is led by a pastor, no memorial meals at fixed intervals; full guide at Baptist funeral.
- Reformed family — a sober service with sermon and psalms; common in Transylvania; full guide at Reformed funeral.
Common mistakes when organising a funeral
- Leaving the death registration beyond 3 calendar days — missing the legal deadline requires the prosecutor's approval and can delay the death certificate.
- Booking the church or burial plot too late — parish and cemetery schedules fill quickly, especially at weekends; contact them on the first day.
- Choosing a burial plot in a hurry without comparing costs — price differences between cemeteries can be significant; the funeral home can present several options.
- Assuming the funeral aid is paid before the ceremony — the aid is reimbursed afterwards, on the basis of a complete file submitted to CNPP; by assignment, the amount is paid directly to the funeral home, not to the family in advance.