When a parent who followed no religion dies, many families are unsure what a funeral should even look like. There are no chants to book and no priest to call. The best funeral services in Singapore still have plenty to arrange, though. Someone has to move the body, get the permits, run the wake if you hold one, and book a cremation or burial slot.
No religion does not mean no rules
The National Environment Agency (NEA) leaves the style of the funeral to the family. Its page on arranging a funeral says it is "entirely up to the choice of families" what kind of service they hold. So a short gathering with music and photos is just as allowed as a five-day wake with monks.
The rules that do apply have nothing to do with religion:
- A death must be certified by a doctor. In Singapore the death is then registered online on its own, and the family downloads a digital death certificate.
- You need a Permit to Cremate or a Permit to Bury before the body can go to a crematorium or cemetery. Funeral directors usually apply for it for you.
- If you hold a wake at a void deck, you need a permit from your Town Council.
- A wake may run up to 7 days after the death if the body is embalmed or in a hermetically sealed coffin. A longer wake needs written permission from NEA.
A funeral provider handles these jobs for you, whatever your beliefs.
What the best funeral services in Singapore arrange when there are no rites
Take away the religious items and a funeral package becomes simpler, but it does not disappear. Here is what usually stays:
- Transport. The body is collected from the home or hospital and taken to the parlour, then to the crematorium or cemetery.
- Care of the body. Washing, dressing and, if the family wants the casket open, embalming.
- The casket. For a cremation it must be wood or another material NEA approves, with no glass or metal fittings.
- The venue. A void deck, a funeral parlour or no wake at all.
- Paperwork. The permit and the cremation or burial booking.
- The service itself. Someone to lead it, a sound system, chairs, a photo stand.
What drops away is the religious part: monks, priests, prayer sessions, altar items and the paper offerings that are burned at Chinese wakes. That often makes the package cheaper, but only if the provider takes those items out of the quote. Ask for a list of every line, and ask which lines are religious. Some standard packages bundle an altar or a prayer night by default.
Three shapes a no-religion funeral can take
Most families with no religion choose one of three plans. The choice depends on how many people want to say goodbye and how much time the family has.
| Plan | What happens | Suits a family that |
|---|---|---|
| Short wake | One to three days at a parlour or void deck, a eulogy, music, a photo slideshow | expects many friends and colleagues to visit |
| Direct cremation | No wake. The body goes straight to the crematorium | wants something private and quick |
| Memorial after cremation | Cremation first, then a gathering with the ashes present | needs time to fly relatives home |
NEA describes the last two on its own page. It mentions "direct cremation", where the body is sent for cremation shortly after death. It also mentions holding the memorial after the cremation, so the ashes are there instead of the body.
A short wake still needs some structure, even without rites. Families often fill the time with a eulogy from one or two people, a slideshow, the person’s favourite songs, and a book for visitors to write in. A provider can supply a host who keeps the programme moving.
If you are thinking about skipping the wake, our guide to direct cremation in Singapore explains what it includes.
Where the ashes go is now a real choice
After cremation, the ashes can be kept in a niche, kept at home, or scattered. Scattering has become more common. NEA’s news release of 12 October 2026 says the share of cremations where ashes were scattered at its inland gardens rose from about 7 per cent in 2022 to about 12 per cent in 2025.
There is now a new option on the way. On 12 October 2026 NEA announced a two-year pilot of ferry services for scattering ashes at sea. It starts in the second half of 2027.
For a family with no religion this matters, because the place for the ashes is often the only lasting marker of the person. Some families still want a fixed place to visit. A niche gives them that. Others feel scattering fits a person who never wanted fuss. If you are not sure, keep the ashes in an urn at home for a while. You do not have to decide on the day of the cremation, but you do have to collect the ashes from the crematorium within 14 days.
If you want a niche, compare a government and a private columbarium first. Government niches cannot be booked in advance, while some private columbaria let you choose a niche ahead of time.
Questions to ask a funeral provider
Before you sign, ask:
- Which items in this package are religious, and what is the price without them?
- Can you supply a host or emcee for a non-religious service?
- Can we play our own music and show our own photos?
- Who applies for the cremation permit, and when do we get the slot?
- If we choose a memorial after the cremation, can you hold the ashes until then?
If a provider answers these plainly and does not push a religious package, that is a good sign. You can read more about how funeral services in Singapore are put together on the funeral services page, or look at what a 3-day or 5-day package covers if you plan a short wake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you have a funeral without religion in Singapore?
Yes. NEA says the type of funeral service is up to the family. You still need the death certificate, a Permit to Cremate or Bury, and a booked slot, but no religious rite is required.
What happens at a non-religious funeral?
Most have a short wake or a single memorial gathering. Family members give a eulogy, music is played, and photos of the person are shown. Some families skip the wake and choose direct cremation.
Is a funeral without religion cheaper?
It is often cheaper, because there are no fees for monks, priests or prayer sessions and no altar items. The casket, transport, venue and permit costs stay the same. Ask the provider to remove religious items from the quote line by line.
Do we need a wake if the person had no religion?
No. A wake is a family choice, not a legal requirement. Direct cremation, with no wake, is an option NEA describes on its own website.
Can we scatter the ashes if there is no religion?
Yes. NEA’s inland ash scattering gardens are open to all faiths and to families with none. No rites or music are allowed in the garden, so a family with no religion loses nothing there. NEA also plans a ferry service for scattering ashes at sea from the second half of 2027.
How long can we wait before deciding where the ashes go?
The ashes must be collected from the crematorium within 14 days. After that you can keep them at home in an urn while the family decides on a niche or scattering.
