California Consumer Guide
Introduction
The death of a loved one is one of the most traumatic
experiences any of us will ever have. The California
Department of Consumer Affairs’ Cemetery and Funeral
Bureau has developed this booklet to assist you in
making the difficult decisions about funeral and cemetery
arrangements for yourself or someone close to you. By
asking the right questions, comparing prices and services,
and making informed decisions, you can make arrangements
that are meaningful to your family and control the costs for
you and your survivors.
The Cemetery and Funeral Bureau licenses, regulates,
and investigates complaints against California funeral
establishments, funeral directors, embalmers, apprentice
embalmers, cemetery brokers, cemetery salespersons,
cemetery managers, cremated remains disposers, crematories,
crematory managers and the nearly 200 fraternal and private
cemeteries in the State.
(NOTE: The State does not license cemeteries operated by
religious organizations; cities, counties, or cemetery districts;
the military; Native American tribal organizations; or other
groups. If you don’t know who regulates the cemetery you’re
interested in, ask the cemetery manager.)
If you need help with a cemetery or funeral issue, visit
the Bureau’s Web site at www.cfb.ca.gov or call the
Department of Consumer Affairs’ Consumer Information
Center at (800) 952-5210 or the Bureau at (916) 574-7870.
