Can You Legally Buy a Casket to Keep in Your Home in Massachusetts?

As you probably know by now, I enjoy exploring and writing about Massachusetts laws. I tend to come across some really strange ones. A few of them surprise me as I didn't know certain acts were illegal in Massachusetts. Let me tell you the inspiration behind this next one.

So What Inspired Me to Find Out if It's Legal to Own a Casket in Massachusetts Prior to Death?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a fan of late 80s/early 90s WWF (now WWE) wrestling. A podcast that I listen to quite often is Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson. Bruce has worked in WWE for many decades behind the scenes producing, directing, and creating storylines. Bruce was also an on-screen talent back in the late 80s/early 90s era as Brother Love. Conrad Thompson, is a broker, podcast host, and rabid wrestling fan that happens to be the son-in-law of professional wrestling legend and superstar Ric Flair.

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In the Something to Wrestle episode that spotlights the Undertaker's career from the 1993/1994 era (audio below), Bruce discusses a storyline from 1991 where the Undertaker is to bury the Ultimate Warrior in a casket (video below). Bruce mentioned that at that time caskets couldn't just be sold to people to have in their homes. Yes, back then owning and selling a casket just for fun was illegal according to Bruce. But the way that the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) got around this was the Undertaker's on-screen manager Paul Bearer in real life was a licensed mortician so he was able to purchase a casket for the company to use in the on-screen segment. You can listen to the audio below. For this specific topic fast forward about 18 minutes into the episode (**warning there is some inappropriate language in this podcast episode**).

Undertaker Buries the Ultimate Warrior on the Funeral Parlor

Is it Still Illegal to Own a Casket Prior to Death? 

According to Trusted Caskets, and Bruce himself, it's legal to own a casket and keep it in your home prior to death. Here's what the Trusted Caskets website notes about this.

In all 50 states, no laws require that you to buy a casket from the funeral home, and only after the person has died. Quite the opposite, the funeral homes have to accept the casket you purchased elsewhere and not charge you extra for handling it....it’s completely legal to purchase the casket before you die.

So, if you want to own a casket prior to death to use as a talking point (lol) or whatever you want, you can certainly do that. You can get more information by going here. Here's another question, can you legally be buried without a casket or coffin in Massachusetts? Find out by going here.