How long can a body stay in a morgue?

What refrigeration does

Morgue refrigerators keep bodies cold, usually just above freezing. Cold slows the natural changes that start after death. It does not stop them. That is why time in refrigeration has a practical limit, and why very long holds can need other methods, such as embalming or frozen storage, as the responsible party decides.

What changes the length of stay

• The coroner or medical examiner must finish an investigation before release.
• Staff must find and contact the next of kin.
• The family needs time to choose a funeral home, to travel or to agree on arrangements.
• Permits and paperwork must be complete before burial or cremation.
• The funeral home or hospital has no free space, so the body moves to another facility.

Who decides how long a body stays

The party with legal custody decides. In a coroner case, the county coroner or medical examiner has authority until release. In other cases, the funeral home works with the family or the legal next of kin. Rules are different in each state and county. For an answer about one case, ask the funeral director or the county coroner's office.

What happens when a morgue is full

Hospitals, funeral homes and coroners sometimes run out of refrigerated space, especially in busy months or after a mass-fatality event. They can move decedents to a secure storage facility that keeps the same records: identification, an assigned position, temperature records and a documented release.