Who can authorize a cremation or burial in Colorado?

Colorado's law starts with a straightforward idea: the decedent can establish who controls final disposition, and if there is no effective direction, the statute provides a priority order. The statute expressly describes the right as the right of final disposition, covering the disposition of the decedent's last remains and ceremonial arrangements. If family members disagree, a funeral home or other third party does not necessarily have to pick a side. Colorado law allows a third party to wait for a court order or other reasonable confirmation that a dispute has been resolved.

Colorado · funeral and cremation law

Funeral and cremation law in Colorado

Who decides, what has to wait, and what a funeral home must tell you. Every fact links to its statute. Not legal advice.

1 checked factLast checked Sep 18, 2026Sourced to the statute

Who can authorize a cremation: Colorado's law starts with a straightforward idea: the decedent can establish who controls final disposition, and if there is no effective direction, the statute provides a priority order. The statute expressly describes the right as the right of final disposition, covering the disposition of the decedent's last remains and ceremonial arrangements. If family members disagree, a funeral home or other third party does not necessarily have to pick a side. Colorado law allows a third party to wait for a court order or other reasonable confirmation that a dispute has been resolved.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-19-106Read the statute text · law.justia.comchecked Sep 18, 2026effective Sep 18, 2026

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