Champaign County Coroner
Stephen E. Thuney
Cremation Permits (Funeral Directors Only)
Illinois law requires all funeral directors to obtain a Medical Examiner’s/Coroner’s Permit to Cremate a Dead Body (VR204.1), from the coroner in the county where the death occurred, prior to cremating the decedent.
The process for obtaining a cremation permit under Illinois law serves as a checks and balances to insure decedents are not cremated prior to the Medical Examiner/Coroner having an opportunity to investigate each death and determine if an autopsy is required, to determine a cause and manner of death, and/or collect evidence relevant to a coroner’s investigation.
No dead body may be cremated within twenty-four hours after death excluding public health emergencies and certain religious customs requiring a waiver of the waiting period by the coroner.
A Medical Examiner’s/Coroner’s Permit to Cremate a Dead Body may only be issued to Illinois licensed funeral directors, according to Illinois law.
A funeral director licensed outside the State of Illinois must contact an Illinois licensed funeral director to act as his/her agent to file the death certificate and obtain a Medical Examiner’s/Coroner’s Permit to Cremate a Dead Body.
Illinois law establishes a fee of $100 per cremation permit payable to the coroner at the time the permit is requested. The Champaign County Coroner accepts payment by credit card for permits issued online (credit card fees apply) or cash/check for permits issued in person at the coroner’s office.
To request a cremation permit online go to: https://magic.collectorsolutions.com/magic-ui/Login/champaign-county-coroner
To obtain a cremation permit in person go to:
- Champaign County Coroner’s Office
- 202 S. Art Bartell Rd.
- Urbana, IL 61802