Yes, in many cases you can publish an obituary without hiring a funeral home, though each newspaper, website, or memorial platform sets its own submission rules.
Knowing where you want it to appear—and what details the outlet requires—can make the process more straightforward.
Can you publish an obituary without a funeral home?
Families and friends can often write and submit an obituary themselves.
Newspapers may accept notices directly from the person arranging the publication, while online memorial platforms may let users create a page without involving a funeral provider.
Some outlets also accept submissions from a family representative, estate representative, or other authorized contact.
Policies vary.
A publication may ask for the submitter’s contact information, confirmation of their relationship to the deceased, or documentation that verifies the death.
An outlet might require a funeral home to submit a notice in certain circumstances, or it may use funeral-home information as its standard workflow.
Check the outlet’s current instructions before preparing a final version.
Where can you publish an obituary independently?
- Newspapers: Local and regional newspapers may offer a print obituary, an online notice, or both.
Contact the newspaper’s obituary or classified advertising department to ask about eligibility, submission deadlines, length limits, and formatting. - Online obituary websites: Memorial sites may allow families to create a page, share service details, and invite condolences.
Review the site’s terms, privacy controls, and options for editing or removing the page. - Community or organization websites: A faith community, alumni group, professional association, or community organization may share a remembrance if it follows the organization’s guidelines.
- Social media: A family member can share a brief announcement or link to a full obituary.
Consider the audience and privacy of surviving relatives before posting personal details publicly.
These options serve different purposes.
A newspaper notice may reach local readers, while a memorial page can be easier to share with friends and relatives who live elsewhere.
You can use more than one channel, but confirm details and wording remain consistent across them.
What information should you prepare?
Before submitting, gather the details you want to include and verify them with family or another reliable source.
Common elements include:
- The person’s full name and any name they were commonly known by.
- The date and place of death, if the family wishes to share them.
- A brief account of their life, interests, community, or work.
- Names of close relatives, if the family wants them listed.
- Service, visitation, or memorial information, if applicable and confirmed.
- A suggested charitable contribution or memorial request, if the family has chosen one.
- The submitter’s name, email address, and phone number for publication follow-up.
You do not have to disclose every detail.
Families may choose to omit a cause of death, exact home address, or names of some relatives.
If a public service announcement includes a location or schedule, confirm that the information is accurate and that the family agrees to make it public.
How do you submit an obituary yourself?
- Choose the publication. Decide whether you want a newspaper notice, a dedicated online memorial, or a community announcement.
Check that the outlet serves the audience you hope to reach. - Read the submission requirements. Look for word or character limits, photo specifications, deadlines, proofing procedures, and any verification requirements.
- Draft and review the text. Use clear, familiar language and organize the information so readers can quickly understand who the person was and how to find service details.
Ask someone who knows the family to check names, dates, and relationships. - Submit through the specified channel. This may be an online form, email address, or phone call.
Provide accurate contact information in case an editor needs clarification. - Review the proof and confirm publication details. If the outlet sends a proof, check spelling, dates, links, and any service information before approving it.
Ask when the notice will appear and how corrections are handled.
Keep a copy of the submitted version and any confirmation from the outlet.
If publication timing matters because of a service, ask about the deadline early; print schedules and website processing times can differ.
What does it cost to publish an obituary?
There is no universal price.
Newspapers and other publishers set their own rates, and charges may depend on factors such as word count, placement, photographs, print publication, or how long an online notice remains available.
Some memorial platforms may offer free pages or optional paid features.
Ask the outlet for its current rate and exactly what the price includes before submitting.
Confirm whether online publication is included with a print notice, whether edits after approval cost extra, and whether the outlet accepts payment from an individual submitter.
Avoid relying on old rate information from third-party websites.
How can you protect privacy and avoid mistakes?
Obituaries are often publicly searchable and may be copied or shared.
Include only details the family is comfortable making public.
Be especially thoughtful about publishing children’s names, private family circumstances, precise home addresses, or information that could expose someone to unwanted contact.
Use a careful review process.
Check the spelling of every name, dates, locations, and service arrangements; verify links and donation instructions; and ask a trusted family member to read the final draft.
If relatives disagree about what to share, consider a shorter notice with essential information while the family discusses a fuller tribute.
What if a newspaper asks for funeral-home verification?
Ask the newspaper what documentation or verification it accepts and whether it has an alternative process for a family-submitted notice.
Requirements can differ by publication.
If you are unsure how to meet a specific requirement, contact the outlet directly and explain that you are submitting on the family’s behalf.
Some funeral homes may help place an obituary even when the family is handling other arrangements independently, but this depends on the provider and the services requested.
You can ask whether it offers submission assistance and what that assistance costs.
The newspaper or platform remains the authority on its own submission and publication rules.
Can you publish a short notice instead of a full obituary?
Often, yes.
A death notice can share a person’s name and essential service information, while a longer obituary gives readers more context about their life.
The terms are not used identically by every outlet, so ask what formats are available and how each is priced.
A brief notice can be useful when the family wants to share practical details first and write a fuller tribute later.
Check whether the outlet permits updates or a second submission, and whether the online page can be edited after publication.