Identification Viewing vs Traditional Viewing
What is an ID View? And what is it not?
You’re probably familiar with traditional viewings: an embalmed body, dressed in their finest. Hair impeccably styled. Makeup applied to perfection (or not, if that funeral home isn’t particularly skilled).
The casket, surrounded by floral arrangements, rests in a cozy viewing room or chapel. People come and go over a period of hours to pay their respects to the deceased. Instrumental music floats down from hidden speakers. There may or may not be snacks.
This isn’t about those proper, lengthy viewings (AKA visitations, calling hours, vigils, wakes) with all the bells and whistles.
Rather, this is about a minimal option known as an ID (identification) view. We’ll talk about the reasons they’re done this way, what to expect, and why mortuaries can be strict about how they’re conducted.
Some families go all out for elaborate funeral services. Others opt for the bare minimum of what the mortuary offers. It could be due to finances, personal wishes, or a lack of people able (or willing) to attend formal services.
There’s no judgment here; full traditional funerals simply aren’t the best option for everyone.
For cases like these, a full public viewing isn’t really wanted or needed. Still, families deserve to have one last moment with their person before moving forward with the burial or cremation.
This is where ID views come in.
We typically perform an ID view for one of two reasons. The first is to confirm the identity of the body. The second is to give the next of kin one last chance to see their person and say goodbye.
ID views go hand in hand with the minimal services known as “direct cremation” and “direct burial.” By definition, these options are the simplest, no-frills ways of getting a body properly disposed of. We pick up the body from its place of death, hold it (usually in refrigeration) until the necessary paperwork and permits are complete, then take it to the cemetery or crematory in its appropriate container. That’s it, that’s the whole thing.
California’s Cemetery and Funeral Bureau states: “May include basic services of funeral director and staff, a proportionate share of overhead costs, removal of remains, necessary authorizations, and cremation/local transportation to cemetery.” Notice that it says nothing about preparing or viewing the body?
Anything the mortuary does to facilitate an ID view is either a courtesy or is subject to an additional charge. Why? It’s extra work that takes staffing, scheduling, and materials.
This is typically what happens for an ID view:
We ask the family if they’d like to ID view.
If yes, they’re asked to sign an authorization form consenting to minimal preparation.
The ID view is scheduled, either at the conclusion of the arrangement conference or at a later date.
We reserve a small room for that time, usually a small visitation room (looks comfy like a living room).
If the body and an embalmer are on site, they’ll pull the body out of refrigeration and perform some basic prep.
We close the eyes and mouth, comb the hair, and clean up anything yucky. We could shave their face, but most likely will not. We usually avoid applying makeup, especially because the skin is cold and moist.
If the family has brought in clothing, we dress the person.
We lay out the body either on a rolling table or in its cremation box/casket, if there is one.
A body on a table usually gets a pillow and sheet or blanket pulled up to their chest.
A body in a plain cardboard box may have the edges draped with sheets or blankets.
We escort the family in, and it’s understood it’ll be a brief visit. Just a quick “yes, that’s them,” then perhaps 5-30 minutes during which most funeral directors quietly excuse themselves. We usually leave people to say their goodbyes privately unless they want us to stay for support.
Complications arise if:
The body and/or embalmer are at a sister location where bodies are held and all the prep is handled. We must make arrangements to get the body prepared and transported.
If the body has been autopsied or disfigured by trauma, it’s harder to conceal the effects without the benefit of embalming. It’s tricky to control leaks and odors. Reconstruction isn’t really an option without embalming. If the face or head are too badly disfigured, we can offer a partial viewing. We neatly drape the head and expose the arms/hands. Most people recognize hands, or sometimes tattoos. They can touch. It’s better than not seeing anything at all.
This is not an insignificant amount of work, especially considering the mortuary staff juggle many families at once. Despite that, many mortuaries will encourage (or at least not deny) families to have that last opportunity.
For one, it’s ALWAYS in our best interest to double and triple check that we have the right body. Mistakes are super rare, but not impossible. It’s crucial to be certain before we complete the cremation or burial.
Also, mortuary staff aren’t greedy monsters. We got into the funeral profession to help people, and dissuading people from getting a fragment of closure is just not what we do.
What should you expect if you’re going to ID view?
You need to discuss with your funeral director how their mortuary handles ID views. Here are questions you can ask:
Are they performed as a courtesy, or is there a fee to add it to your minimal arrangements? (Remember, it’s our time, viewing room, staff, materials etc.)
Next, what lengths will the prep staff go to in their presentation? Bare, bare minimum, with the person in an unconcealed body bag? Or dressed and looking comfy with a pillow and blankets covering anything unpleasant?
What will happen if there are leaks, autopsy incisions, or trauma?
What sort of room will you be in?
How long can you hang out for, and how many people are permitted?
When you’re weighing their answers, consider whether they’re charging you for these additional services or doing it as a courtesy. Are your expectations realistic? Know beforehand what’s included and what’s not. It’s also good to know what you’re walking into if you’re apprehensive about seeing a dead body. The funeral director can describe it all in advance.
One of the most difficult things for a funeral director to do is say “no” to a family.
With ID views, we have to be strict for a few reasons. First, we take our instruction from the next of kin. Only the NOK can grant permission for us to carry out these tasks. Second, we usually impose a fairly short time limit. The room is being used but not paid for, meaning a paying family cannot use the room.
Also, bodies out of refrigeration can “sweat,” and the longer they’re out, the higher the chance of general leaks and odors becoming apparent. Please don’t push our limits because honestly, we’re reluctant to force people out when it’s literally the last time they’ll ever see or touch their person. Try not to take advantage of us or you’ll force us to change our ID view policies.
We take a hard line on the number of people in attendance too. It’s not because we’re jerks. It’s because the more people that are involved, the longer it’ll take and the more misunderstandings there will be. We can communicate the proper expectations to the next of kin, plus the couple of other people in the arrangement room.
However, if those people go and tell five more family members, who tell five cousins, who tell five next-door neighbors, then suddenly we have 30 people show up expecting much more than an ID view!
Imagine what they think when they walk in and see a body on a table with no makeup on, no flowers or music, and definitely no snacks? They’ll assume the mortuary did a crappy job and took advantage of the family. They’ll entirely miss the point that we were doing them a favor. Can you see how this backfires on the mortuary when those 30 people go rant about their terrible experience? Not cool.
Note: Please be aware that all mortuaries have different policies and pricing. The information I’m providing is a general guideline to use as a starting point and should not be construed as the be-all-end-all for ID viewing. Some places charge extra. Some don’t. Sometimes kind, friendly families end up with a few extra minutes while the funeral director looks the other way. Sometimes that power is not theirs to grant, though they wish they could.
One last thing: if you think you’ll be able to view a body at the coroner/medical examiner’s office, that’s likely going to be a “no.” They’re not really set up for that. I mean, did you see how many steps a mortuary has to go through to make it happen? And you want that from public servants?
If anything, they might show you a photograph. Just a direct snapshot of the face in a clinical setting. Most will try to avoid an angle that shows severe trauma, but there’s simply not much they can do beyond that. Instead, they rely on scientific methods of confirming identity (like fingerprints, dental records, or DNA).
This isn’t a hard and fast rule, given the thousands of facilities in operation, but it’s definitely not a general practice. Don’t expect to walk in and have them slide a tray out of a cold morgue drawer and then pull back the sheet or unzip the body bag. That’s a TV/movie thing.
And now you know. Identification viewings are useful for both the family and the mortuary. They’re a sensible alternative when full traditional viewings aren’t practical.
We just need to keep in mind their purpose and limitations.
TL;DR, you often get what you pay for, and anything done as a courtesy shouldn’t be judged harshly.
Veteran funeral director, embalmer, and lifelong bookworm, Louise finally found her purpose: educating and entertaining strangers on the internet about dead bodies and funerals. Her blog, Read In Peace, combines her passion to educate with fun and humor. She shares tips and useful information about death and funerals, along with lighthearted “dissections” of related books and movies. Louise is currently working on her first book, a nonfiction guide called Embalming For Amateurs.