California · Santa Monica
Santa Monica cremation costs
Typical cremation cost ranges for Santa Monica ZIP 90402 and a checked funeral establishment. Estimates, not quotes.
Cremation by ZIP is not a funeral home, crematory, or cemetery. We do not cremate, bury, or arrange services.
Quick summary
ZIP 90402 is Santa Monica, California, on the Los Angeles–metro estimate band — not Beacon Mortuary’s General Price List. Santa Monica is an independent coastal city in Los Angeles County. We publish one Cemetery and Funeral Bureau–checked funeral establishment on Alta Avenue. This page does not state beach or coastal scattering rules.
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Typical costs for ZIP 90402
These figures are a Santa Monica, California metro typical range. They start from the NFDA 2023 member General Price List study national medians, then a documented ZIP multiplier. The dollar ranges on this site are typical local estimates for education. They are not a quote from a specific firm and not a contract.
| Package | Low | Typical midpoint | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation | $2,575 | $3,450 | $4,650 |
| Cremation with a memorial (body not present) | $3,125 | $5,325 | $7,500 |
| Funeral with viewing, then cremation | $5,900 | $7,850 | $10,600 |
This ZIP’s typical midpoint is about $700 above the U.S. NFDA 2023 median of $2,750. Typical burial in this area costs about $6,925 more. Cemetery plot and vault are often extra.
Ask the licensed provider for an itemized General Price List before you buy. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you have a right to that list. Read the full consumer-rights explainer on the General Price List guide. Package definitions stay on the direct cremation and cremation vs. burial guides — this page does not reprint them.
Local planning in Santa Monica
Santa Monica sits at the west end of the I-10, between the Palisades and Venice. Families often want a later gathering near the beach or in a rented hall after a simple cremation. That later gathering is a venue and a schedule. It is not a price this calculator can quote, and this page does not invent ocean-scattering or California Coastal Commission rules. Ask the licensed funeral establishment and the land or water manager for written rules if that is your plan.
Sample ZIP 90402 is a north-of-Montana Santa Monica postal code on the Los Angeles–metro placeholder (NFDA 2023 medians times the documented Los Angeles multiplier). It is not a price for 90401 downtown or for every 904xx ZIP.
The listing we publish is Beacon Mortuary (FD 2218, 616 Alta Ave), checked on the California license search. That card is a directory row, not an endorsement. Confirm the number on search.dca.ca.gov before you pay a deposit.
Westside cemetery and niche space is a cemetery purchase. Housing and staff costs on the Westside can sit above a rural California ZIP on the same statewide cremation-share story. NFDA’s 2024 California figure near 70.5% still does not lower a Santa Monica package.
Cremation by ZIP does not operate in Santa Monica. We do not cremate, bury, or arrange services. We do not publish scattering coordinates.
Paperwork and who to call
A death in Santa Monica is registered in Los Angeles County. Use the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk for a recent certified copy; CDPH-VR VS 112 is the statewide backup. Santa Monica City Hall does not issue the death certificate.
Published authorized death-copy fees at the county and CDPH-VR are $26 as of the January 1, 2026 tables we cite. Confirm the live fee on those official pages. That is not Beacon Mortuary’s cremation price.
The Department of Medical Examiner investigates deaths under its jurisdiction only. Ask the funeral establishment whether that applies. The Mission Road office is not a funeral home.
The FTC Funeral Rule applies in Santa Monica: itemized list, alternative container, outside urn. Coastal memorial plans do not erase those consumer rights.
Licensed providers in Santa Monica
Licensed listings below were checked on the public license record for the legal name and address. We do not set prices. Prices are determined by the licensed funeral home or crematory. Ask for their itemized General Price List.
Beacon Mortuary
616 Alta Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90402
California funeral establishment license 2218
Ask the firm for an itemized General Price List before you buy.
Confirm a license on the California Department of Consumer Affairs license search.
Questions to take to a licensed provider
This is a shopping list, not a script that binds any firm in Santa Monica.
- May I have your current General Price List in writing, including the direct-cremation line?
- What is the price of direct cremation when we use your alternative container?
- If we bring an urn purchased elsewhere, what — if anything — do you charge to handle it?
- Does your transfer area include ZIP 90402 and Alta Avenue, or is Westside mileage extra?
- If we want a later gathering near the coast, can you itemize cremation now and leave the venue off your contract?
Nearby California city pages
Frequently asked questions
What does this site show for Santa Monica ZIP 90402?
The calculator uses the Los Angeles–metro estimate band for 90402. Those dollars are not Beacon Mortuary’s General Price List and not a beach-permit fee.
Can this page tell me where to scatter ashes in Santa Monica?
No. Scattering and coastal rules are set by city, county, state, and land or water managers. This education page does not state those rules. Ask the licensed provider and the agency that manages the place you have in mind.
Is Santa Monica in Los Angeles County for death records?
Yes. Santa Monica is an incorporated city in Los Angeles County. Recent certified copies typically come from the county registrar / recorder. The Medical Examiner is involved only when the death is under its jurisdiction.
People Also Ask
Who licenses funeral homes in Santa Monica?
The California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau, searchable on the Department of Consumer Affairs site. The City of Santa Monica does not issue that license.
Does Cremation by ZIP operate in Santa Monica?
No. We do not cremate, bury, or arrange services on the Westside or anywhere else.
Sources
- California Department of Consumer Affairs license search
- California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
- CDPH-VR, obtaining certified copies of death records
- CDPH-VR vital records fees (VS 112 death copy as of January 1, 2026)
- FTC, shopping for funeral services
- NFDA statistics hub (cremation and burial research)
- County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk death records
We do not set prices. Prices are determined by the licensed funeral home or crematory. Ask for their itemized General Price List. Ask the licensed provider for an itemized General Price List before you buy. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, you have a right to that list.