§ 25-2-111 — Dead bodies - disposition - removal from state - records

Colorado § 25-2-111

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 25: Public
• Art.: Vital Statistics

Text

(1) A
funeral director or individual assisting in a nonprofessional capacity who first
assumes custody of a dead body shall, prior to final disposition of the body, obtain
authorization for final disposition of the body. The office designated or established
pursuant to section 25-2-103 in the county where the death occurred or, if such an
office does not exist in the county where the death occurred, the coroner or the
coroner's designee shall authorize final disposition of the body on a form prescribed
and furnished by the state registrar. No body shall be buried, cremated, deposited
in a vault or tomb, or otherwise disposed of, nor shall any body be removed from
this state, until such authorization has been obtained, completed, and approved.
The coroner or the coroner's designee shall include in the authorization notice of
the requirements of subsection (7) of this section.

(2) A disposition permit issued under the law of another state which
accompanies a dead body or fetus brought into this state shall be authority for final
disposition of the body or fetus in this state.

(3) Repealed.

(4) Any person who removes from the place of death or transports or finally
disposes of a dead body or fetus, in addition to filing any certificate or other form
required by this article, shall keep a record which shall identify the body and such
information pertaining to his receipt, removal, and delivery of such body as may be
prescribed in regulations. Such record shall be retained for a period of not less than
seven years and shall be made available for inspection by the state registrar or his
representative upon demand.

(5) No sexton or other person in charge of any place in which interment or
other disposition of dead bodies is made shall inter or allow interment or other
disposition of a dead body or fetus unless it is accompanied by authorization for
final disposition.

(6) Authorization for disinterment and reinterment shall be required prior to
disinterment of a dead body or fetus. Such authorization shall be issued by the
state registrar to a funeral director or person acting as such upon proper
application.

(7) (a) The owner of land that is used to inter a dead human body shall record
the burial within thirty days after the burial with the county clerk and recorder of
the county in which the land is situated. The owner shall record the following:

(I) The dead person's name as it appears on the death certificate;

(II) The dead person's date of birth;

(III) The dead person's age at the time of death;

(IV) The cause of death;

(V) The name of the owner or owners of the property where the dead human
body is interred;

(VI) The legal description of the property where the dead human body is
interred if the person is interred on private property;

(VII) The reception number for the death certificate if recorded by the county
clerk; and

(VIII) The latitude and longitude coordinates, such as those given by a global
positioning system, that are verified by two witnesses or the county coroner, sheriff,
or a designee of the county coroner or sheriff.

(b) This subsection (7) does not apply to dead human bodies interred in
cemeteries, vaults, or tombs operated or maintained by public entities or
businesses that inter people in the ordinary course of business and are available to
the general public.

Legislative History

Source: L. 67: R&RE, p. 1059, � 1. C.R.S. 1963: � 66-8-11. L. 84: (1) amended, (3) repealed, and (5) and (6) added, p. 745, 751, �� 9, 16, effective July 1. L. 85: (1) amended, p. 880, � 2, effective May 24. L. 2010: (1) amended and (7) added, (HB 10-1275), ch. 193, p. 827, � 1, effective August 11. L. 2025: (1) amended, (HB 25-1082), ch. 436, p. 2521, � 2, effective August 6.