The key difference between burial and cremation are that burial is a ritual in which the body of the deceased is placed inside the ground, placed in a casket. Cremation is a process in which the human body placed in a coffin is burned to ashes, and the remains is placed in an urn after the cremation has taken place.

According to the Norwegian Funeral Act, the remains must be buried or cremated within ten business days after the death has taken place, or when the body of the deceased has been released from the Hospital in case of forensic autopsy.

The funeral service can take place in a church, a chapel og some other suited establishment. In some cases, the deceased has written own wishes for the funeral, and they should be taken into consideration when planning the funeral.