HOW TO HIRE · PERSONAL & LIFESTYLE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a funeral director in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A funeral director in Ireland costs €3,000–€8,000 per funeral, typically around €5,000. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a funeral director in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers funeral director work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — legal Documentation Handling — funeral directors assist with necessary legal paperwork, such as death certificates and burial permits.
- How does services provided change the price?It has to be seen before a firm price can be given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does complexity of the arrangements change the price?Detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does type of service chosen change the price?The cheapest option is cheapest for a reason. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Funeral director fees usually do not cover third-party costs such as cemetery plots, flowers, or obituary notices — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a funeral director job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Whether they are a trader — a business name and an invoice, not a favour with money attached; Public liability insurance, and who the insurer is; For anyone in your home unaccompanied, references you actually telephone; For food, whether they hold food-safety training and where the food is prepared; Exactly what the hours cover and what counts as extra; Keys and access in writing: who holds what, and how it comes back.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers funeral director work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — legal Documentation Handling — funeral directors assist with necessary legal paperwork, such as death certificates and burial permits.
A good answer: It has to be seen before a firm price can be given. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The cheapest option is cheapest for a reason. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Funeral director fees usually do not cover third-party costs such as cemetery plots, flowers, or obituary notices — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a funeral director job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability; for food work, ask about product liability too — emotional Support Services — in addition to logistical support, funeral directors offer emotional guidance to grieving families.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the funeral director starts, and an itemised invoice after — funeral Planning Assistance — funeral directors provide comprehensive planning services, guiding families through the entire process.
Getting the quote right
- Services provided — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given.
- Complexity of the arrangements — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this.
- Type of service chosen — the cheapest option is cheapest for a reason.
- Materials selected (like caskets or urns) — the spec sheet is where most of the cost difference sits.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: services provided — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the arrangements — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this
- They will not talk about it: type of service chosen — the cheapest option is cheapest for a reason
- A price for the funeral director before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the funeral director has begun
What a funeral director costs: €3,000–€8,000 per funeral
The figures are for the job, per funeral, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Burial services and Cremation services each carry their own band. Funeral Director price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Funeral directors near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstServices provided — it has to be seen before a firm price can be given — that is what the funeral director is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneComplexity of the arrangements — detail is where the hours disappear on a job like this — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfType of service chosen — the cheapest option is cheapest for a reason — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherMaterials selected (like caskets or urns) — the spec sheet is where most of the cost difference sits — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the funeral director is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, local regulations — it decides whether a specialist is needed at all.
- Funeral Planning Assistance
- Funeral directors provide comprehensive planning services, guiding families through the entire process.
- Emotional Support Services
- In addition to logistical support, funeral directors offer emotional guidance to grieving families.
- Legal Documentation Handling
- Funeral directors assist with necessary legal paperwork, such as death certificates and burial permits.
- Burial Services
- Involves arranging the burial of the deceased, including selecting burial plots and coordinating with cemeteries.
- Cremation Services
- Covers all aspects of cremation, from paperwork to the choice of urn and memorial options.
- Memorial Services
- Focuses on planning a service to honour the deceased's life, including venue selection and ceremony details.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a funeral director: questions people ask
The cost of a funeral director can vary based on the services provided, the complexity of the arrangements, and location. Additional factors include the type of service (burial or cremation), transportation needs, and any personalised elements requested by the family.
The duration of the funeral planning process can vary significantly, depending on the family's needs and decisions. Typically, arrangements can be made within a few days, but more complex services may take longer.
Same-day funeral services may be available in urgent situations, but this often depends on the specific funeral director and local regulations. It's best to contact the director directly to discuss urgent needs.
Yes, many funeral directors offer packages that include multiple related services, such as memorial services, transportation, and catering. Booking these together can often result in a more streamlined process and potential cost savings.
Funeral director fees usually do not cover third-party costs such as cemetery plots, flowers, or obituary notices. Additionally, any special requests or unique arrangements may incur extra charges not included in standard fees.
NO REGISTER APPLIES to chefs, stylists, organisers, errand runners or concierges. You are buying somebody's time, taste and access to your home, so the checks are about trust and what is written down rather than about law.
MORE GUIDES