Key points
- Decide which newspapers to use, such as the local paper and papers in towns where the person once lived.
- The funeral home can often submit the obituary for you and handle the payment.
- Most papers take obituaries through an online form or an email to the obituary desk.
- Check deadlines early, especially if the notice must run before the service.
- Always review the proof carefully before you approve it.
Choose which newspapers to use
Start by deciding where the obituary should appear. Most families choose the daily or weekly paper in the town where the person lived. Many also add a paper in the town where the person grew up, spent most of their working life, or where many relatives still live.
Think about who needs to see it. Old classmates, former coworkers and church friends may still read the paper in a hometown the person left decades ago. Each paper usually charges separately, so it helps to pick the ones that matter most.
Also decide whether you want a full obituary or a shorter death notice. Our guide to the difference between an obituary and a death notice explains the two formats.
Ask the funeral home to help
Funeral homes submit obituaries to newspapers all the time. Many will send yours for you, work with the paper on formatting and deadlines, and add the cost to your bill. This can take a lot of stress off the family.
Some newspapers only accept obituaries directly from funeral homes, or they contact the funeral home to confirm the death before printing. If you are working with a funeral home, it is usually simplest to give them the finished text and photo and let them handle the rest.
Let us keep watch for you.
We check funeral homes, newspapers and memorial sites every day and email you when a matching notice appears.
Submitting it yourself
You can also submit the obituary directly. Look on the newspaper’s website for a link called Obituaries, Place an Obituary, Death Notices or Legal and Classified Ads. Most papers use one of these methods:
- An online form where you type or paste the text and upload a photo.
- An email address for the obituary desk.
- A phone number for the obituary or classified team.
- An in-person visit to the newspaper office, which is less common now.
Have the details ready before you start: the text, the photo, the dates you want it to run, the name of the funeral home, and a way to pay. The paper may also ask for your name, phone number and relationship to the person who died.
Deadlines and publication days
Every paper sets its own deadlines. A daily paper may need the obituary by early afternoon to print it the next morning. A weekly paper may have one deadline each week, which can mean waiting several days.
Some smaller papers no longer print every day, and some only print on certain days while posting online daily. Ask when the notice will appear in print and when it will go live on the website, since the dates are not always the same.
If the obituary must run before the funeral, work backward from the service date and submit it as early as you can. It is better to send it a day early than to miss the only print day before the service.
Sending a photo
Most newspapers accept one or more photos. A clear picture of the face, with good light and a plain background, prints best. Digital photos should be the original file, not a small copy taken from social media or a text message.
- Ask whether the photo will print in color or black and white.
- Crop out other people if you can, or ask the paper to do it.
- Check the file type and size the paper accepts.
- Keep the original in case you need to send it again.
Photos often add to the cost, so ask about this before you send one.
Review the proof and pay
Most papers send a proof, which is a preview of how the obituary will look. Read it slowly, out loud if it helps. Check every name, date, time and address, and make sure the photo is the right one.
Papers usually ask for payment before the notice runs. The price depends on the paper, the length and whether a photo is included. Our guide on how much an obituary costs explains how pricing usually works.
Once you approve the proof, changes may not be possible for the print edition. If you spot a mistake later, contact the paper right away. Online versions can often be corrected even after print.
After the obituary runs
When the obituary is published, save a few printed copies for family members. Also save the link to the online version, and consider saving it as a PDF, because online notices do not always stay up forever.
Share the link with relatives and friends who live far away, and post it where people you know will see it. Some people who knew the person may still miss it. For friends who want to hear about deaths in their circle, an obituary monitoring service can email them when a matching notice appears, so they do not have to check the paper every day.
Official resources.
- FamilySearchFree genealogy and death records
- Shopping for funeral servicesFederal Trade Commission
- Resources for genealogistsU.S. National Archives
Common questions: how to submit an obituary to a newspaper.
Usually a family member or the funeral home submits it. Many papers confirm the death with the funeral home before printing, so it helps to have one involved.
As early as you can. Ask the paper for its deadline, and allow extra time if the notice must appear before the service.
Yes. Many families run it in several papers. Each paper handles its own submission and payment.
Some papers edit for style or length. If you are unhappy with a change, ask to see the proof again before you approve it.
Most newspapers post obituaries on their website as well as in print, and some share them with large memorial sites.
No. Every paper has its own policies, deadlines and prices, so always confirm the details with the paper or your funeral home.
This guide is general information to help you get started. It is not legal advice.