Our Purpose

This website is established and maintained by the Texas Department of Banking in accordance with Section 154.132 of the Texas Finance Code (TFC). The purpose of the website is to provide information to enable consumers to make informed decisions relating to the purchase of preneed funeral contracts including descriptions of the trust and insurance funding options available under state law.

Any funeral home or cemetery that sells prepaid funeral merchandise or services in Texas must have: (1) a trust-funded permit issued by The Texas Department of Banking; (2) sell through a third-party trust-funded permit holder; or (3) sell through a third-party insurance-funded permit holder.

Prepaid funeral merchandise and services is defined as goods and services sold on a prepaid basis directly to the public for use in connection with future funeral services. Along with the normal funeral service items, prepaid funeral merchandise and services also includes opening and closing of the grave and outer-burial containers. The term does not include a grave, marker, monument, tombstone, crypt, niche, plot, or lawn crypt unless it is sold in contemplation of trade for a funeral service or funeral merchandise.