Nevada Revised Statutes Section 451.024 - Public Health and Safety

Authority to order burial of human remains; execution of affidavit.

1. The following persons, in the following order of priority, may order the burial of human remains of a deceased person:

(a) A person designated as the person with authority to order the burial of the human remains of the decedent in a legally valid document or in an affidavit executed in accordance with subsection 5;

(b) The spouse of the decedent;

(c) An adult son or daughter of the decedent;

(d) Either parent of the decedent;

(e) An adult brother or sister of the decedent;

(f) A grandparent of the decedent;

(g) A guardian of the person of the decedent at the time of death; and

(h) A person who held the primary domicile of the decedent in joint tenancy with the decedent at the time of death.

2. If the deceased person was an indigent or other person for whom the final disposition of the decedent’s remains is a responsibility of a county or the State, the appropriate public officer may order the burial of the remains and provide for the respectful disposition of the remains.

3. If the deceased person donated his body for scientific research or, before his death, a medical facility was made responsible for his final disposition, a representative of the scientific institution or medical facility may order the burial of his remains.

4. A living person may order the burial of human remains removed from his body or the burial of his body after his death. In the latter case, any person acting pursuant to his instructions is an authorized agent.

5. A person 18 years of age or older wishing to authorize another person to order the burial of his human remains in the event of his death may execute an affidavit before a notary public in substantially the following form:

State of Nevada }

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County of...........................}

I, ..................................., (person authorizing another person to order the burial of his human remains in the event of his death) do hereby designate ................................... (person who is being authorized to order the burial of the human remains of a person in the event of his death) to order the burial of my human remains upon my death.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this ........

day of the month of ......... of the year .......

............................................................................

(Notary Public)

Last modified: February 26, 2006