What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Death in Kansas City

If death occurs at home, expected (hospice)

If your loved one was under hospice care, call the hospice nurse or agency first — not 911. Hospice staff can pronounce death and will guide you through next steps, including which funeral home to call. There is no need to rush; you're allowed time with your loved one before anyone arrives.

If death occurs at home, unexpected

Call 911. Paramedics or police will need to confirm the death, and in some cases the county medical examiner may become involved if the death was unexpected or unattended by a physician. This is standard procedure in both Missouri and Kansas and does not mean anything is wrong — it's simply how unattended deaths are handled.

If death occurs in a hospital or care facility

Hospital or facility staff will handle immediate steps and typically ask which funeral home you'd like to use. If you haven't chosen one yet, that's the moment to send us a request — we can connect you with a nearby option that fits your family's needs within the hour.

What needs to happen today

• Contact a funeral home — you can browse Kansas City funeral homes by city or send us a request and we'll connect you with one — to arrange transfer of your loved one into their care.
• Notify close family members so they aren't hearing secondhand.
• Locate any pre-arranged funeral plans, insurance policies, or a will, if known.
• If your loved one was employed, notify their employer when you're able.

What can wait a day or two

• Writing and publishing an obituary.
• Choosing between cremation, burial, or a memorial service format.
• Notifying extended friends, social groups, or community organizations.
• Canceling subscriptions, memberships, or notifying banks and utility providers.
• Requesting certified copies of the death certificate — the funeral home files for these, and turnaround depends on which state and which office (see below).

Paperwork you'll eventually need

You'll want several certified copies of the death certificate for closing accounts, insurance claims, and estate matters — most families need 8–12 copies in total. Your funeral home will typically handle the filing. Which state's office applies depends on where the death occurred, not where your family lives, and the two states work quite differently.

Missourigives you two routes. County health departments issue certified copies alongside the state Bureau of Vital Records. In Jackson County — which covers Kansas City, Independence, Blue Springs, and Lee's Summit — an in-person request at Jackson County Public Health is usually same-day, and mailed requests are processed within about 48 hours. Going to the state Bureau in Jefferson City by mail instead can take four to eight weeks, so the county office is almost always the faster path. Missouri charges $15 for the first copy and $11 for each additional copy.

Kansas centralizes everything at the state level: only the KDHE Office of Vital Statistics in Topeka issues Kansas death certificates. Johnson County — Overland Park and Olathe — has no county-level office for this, so requests go to the state directly. Walk-in service takes 15–20 minutes, phone and internet orders 3–5 business days, and mail 7–10 business days. Kansas charges $20 per copy, which covers a five-year record search and is retained even if no record is found.

For what the rest of the process costs, see the Kansas City funeral cost guide.

There is no rule that says everything must be decided today. The only truly time-sensitive step is arranging for your loved one to be brought into care — everything else can happen at a pace that feels right for your family.

If you're not sure where to start

That's normal, and it's exactly why we exist. Send a request any hour and we'll connect you with a nearby funeral home that can walk through your specific situation and take it from there.