What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Death in Atlanta, GA

Step 1: Get an Official Pronouncement of Death

Before anything else can happen, someone with legal authority must pronounce the death. In Georgia, that means a licensed physician, registered nurse (in hospice settings), medical examiner, or coroner. The funeral home cannot legally take custody of the body until this happens.

If the death was expected (home hospice): Call the hospice nurse or on-call provider. They will come to the home, pronounce the death, and begin the paperwork. They will also notify the physician of record. You do not need to call 911 unless you want to, and in most hospice situations it's not necessary.

If the death was unexpected at home: Call 911. The dispatcher will send emergency responders who will assess the situation. If the death is confirmed, the Fulton County Medical Examiner (404-730-4400) or DeKalb County Medical Examiner (404-508-7900) may become involved depending on circumstances. The responding officers will guide next steps.

If the death occurred at a hospital or nursing facility: The attending physician or staff will handle the pronouncement. Ask the nursing staff or charge nurse what happens next and when you can contact a funeral home.

Step 2: Contact a Funeral Home

Once the death has been pronounced, you can contact a funeral home to arrange transportation of the body. You do not need to make all your decisions in this first call. Most Atlanta funeral homes are available 24 hours a day for this initial contact.

In this first call, the funeral home needs to know:

• Where the deceased is currently located (home address, hospital name and room, facility name)
• The name of the deceased
• Whether you have a preferred funeral home or are still deciding
• Whether a pre-need funeral plan exists (check for paperwork or contact the pre-need provider)

You are not required to call the nearest funeral home, or the first one you find. You have the legal right to choose any licensed funeral home in Georgia. If you need time to compare options, you can ask the facility to hold the body in their morgue or refrigeration unit while you decide — most hospitals will accommodate this for 24 to 48 hours.

If you need help choosing, use our free Funeral Home Finder tool to filter Atlanta providers by neighborhood, service type, and priority.

Step 3: Locate Key Documents

The funeral home will need certain documents to file the death certificate and process arrangements. Start gathering these as soon as you can — ideally within the first few hours:

• Photo ID of the deceased (driver's license, passport, or state ID)
• Social Security number of the deceased
• Birth certificate of the deceased
• DD-214 (if the deceased was a veteran — this is essential for VA burial benefits)
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Pre-need funeral contract (if one exists)
• Health insurance cards and Medicare/Medicaid information

If you cannot locate the DD-214 immediately, notify the funeral home. There are procedures for expedited requests through the National Archives — the funeral home can guide you through this.

Step 4: Notify Immediate Family and Close Friends

Before making any arrangements decisions, contact immediate family members who need to know and who may have input into decisions. This is especially important if:

• Family members are out of state and may need to travel to Atlanta
• There are multiple next-of-kin who have legal standing in arrangements decisions
• A religious leader or pastor should be notified early
• The deceased had a pre-arranged preference that family members know about

In Georgia, the order of next-of-kin authority for authorizing disposition of remains is: (1) surviving spouse, (2) surviving adult children, (3) surviving parents, (4) surviving siblings, then other relatives. If there is disagreement among next-of-kin, the funeral home may require written documentation before proceeding.

Step 5: Understand Georgia's Legal Timeframe Requirements

Georgia has specific legal requirements that affect your timeline:

• Death certificate filing: The funeral home must file the death certificate with Georgia Vital Records within 5 days of the death and before disposition (burial or cremation) occurs.
• Cremation waiting period: Georgia law requires a minimum 24-hour waiting period before cremation can take place. This applies even if cremation was pre-arranged.
• Body refrigeration: If burial or cremation is not occurring within 24 hours of death, the funeral home is required to refrigerate or embalm the body.
• Embalming: Georgia does not require embalming unless the body is being transported across state lines by common carrier, or if burial is delayed more than a set period. Embalming is not legally required for a public viewing.

Step 6: What You Do NOT Need to Decide in the First 24 Hours

One of the most common mistakes families make is feeling pressured to make every decision immediately. You do not need to decide any of the following right away:

• Burial vs. cremation (you have at least 24 hours before cremation can legally occur)
• Specific funeral home (if the body is at a hospital, you have time to research)
• Type of service (traditional, celebration of life, graveside only, etc.)
• Casket or urn selection
• Obituary content or where to publish
• Cemetery or final resting place
• Flowers, music, or other service details

A reputable Atlanta funeral home will not pressure you to make these decisions in the first phone call. If a funeral home does pressure you, that is a red flag — you have the right to take your time.

Atlanta-Specific Resources for Immediate Need Families

Using the Planning Checklist

Once the immediate steps above are complete, our free Atlanta Funeral Planning Checklist breaks down every remaining task by timeline — what needs to happen in the first 3 days, in the first week, and after the service. It saves your progress in your browser and can be printed to share with family members.

The checklist covers notification of Social Security and financial institutions, managing the estate, handling the deceased's online accounts, and grief support resources in the Atlanta area — everything that comes after the first 24 hours.

Find an Atlanta Funeral Home Now

If you're in immediate need, browse our directory of 151 Atlanta-area funeral homes or use the Funeral Home Finder to get matched based on your location and needs. Every listing includes a direct phone number for 24-hour contact.