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Step-by-Step

Funeral Guide (Singapore)

The first few hours and days after a loved one’s passing can feel confusing and overwhelming. In Singapore, there are clear steps that must be taken to ensure the funeral proceeds smoothly. This guide walks you through them.

After a Loved One Passes: A Simple Guide

Immediately After Death

If a loved one passes away at home, a doctor should be called to certify the death and issue the Certificate of Cause of Death (CCOD). If the death occurs in a hospital, the staff will provide the CCOD. For sudden or unexpected deaths, the police may be involved, and an autopsy might be required.

Register the Death

Death must be registered within 24 hours at the ICA Building (Kallang), neighbourhood police posts, or some hospitals, using the deceased’s NRIC, CCOD, and the informant’s NRIC, after which a Death Certificate will be issued for funeral arrangements.

Engaging a Funeral Director

Funeral directors in Singapore assist with casket selection, embalming and body preparation, wake setup, booking cremation or burial slots, transportation, and choosing a wake location, which can be at an HDB void deck, a funeral parlour hall, a place of worship, or at home.

Wake / Funeral Duration

Wakes and funerals typically last 1 to 7 days, depending on religion and family preference, and may include chanting, prayers, sermons, eulogies, and visitations, with guests usually offering condolences in the form of white envelopes (白金).

Cremation or Burial

Cremation is typically held at Mandai Crematorium, with advance booking required. Burial takes place at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, Singapore’s only active burial site, where graves are limited to 15 years before exhumation. Ashes can also be scattered at Tanah Merah, an approved sea burial site.

After the Funeral

After the funeral, ashes can be kept in an urn for placement at a columbarium, scattered at sea, or placed at a temple. Mourning rituals vary by faith: Buddhist and Taoist families may hold 7th-day, 49th-day, and 100th-day prayers, while Christian and Catholic families may observe memorial masses or anniversaries.