Simple Cremation in Polk County —
$795, Everything Included
A family-owned cremation provider serving Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, and every community in Polk County. Call any hour and you’ll speak with our owner — not an answering service.
- Licensed Florida cremation provider, based in Tampa
- $795 complete — no add-ons, no mileage fees anywhere in the county
- Owner answers the phone, 24 hours a day
- Arrange entirely online — built for families managing this from out of state
Polk County, FL — Lakeland · Winter Haven · Bartow · Haines City · Davenport · Lake Wales
Serving Polk County families from our office at 326 S Falkenburg Road, Tampa — about thirty minutes from Lakeland on I-4.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
One Price. $795. Nothing Added Later.
Most cremation providers quote a “starting at” price, then add fees for transportation, refrigeration, the county cremation permit, and paperwork. By the time the invoice arrives, families in Polk County are often paying double what they were quoted. We don’t work that way. The price below is the price you pay.
Transfer Into Our Care
Respectful transportation from the place of passing, by our own staff.
Refrigeration
Dignified refrigerated care for up to 10 days, as Florida law requires.
Cremation Permit Fee
The District 10 Medical Examiner approval fee required for every Polk County cremation is included, not billed to you later.
All Required Paperwork
Death certificate filing, state and county authorizations, and Social Security notification handled by our staff.
Cremation Container
A dignified alternative
container is included
The Cremation Itself
Performed by licensed professionals with full accountability at every step.
Return of Ashes
Your loved one is returned in a Seashore temporary container — collected in person, delivered, or mailed to you securely through USPS.
Certified copies of the death certificate are issued by the Florida Department of Health and are $15 per copy. Crematory fee covered up to 399 lbs. Full itemized pricing is available in our General Price List.
IF DEATH HAS JUST OCCURRED
What to Do in the First Few Hours in Polk County
The right first step depends on where your loved one passed. Here’s what happens in each situation — and where we step in.
At a Polk County hospital
Hospital staff will notify the attending physician and move your loved one to the hospital’s care area. There is one step the hospital needs from you: tell them which provider you’ve chosen. Ask for the nursing supervisor or security staff and give them our name and phone number — Affordable Cremations of Central Florida, 813-647-3689. That’s all you need to do. Once they have our information, we coordinate the release and transfer directly with the hospital.
Under hospice care
Hospice will contact the on-call nurse to make the official pronouncement. Once that’s complete, hospice staff will ask which provider you’ve chosen. Give them our name and phone number. We coordinate the rest, including transfers from the Lakeland Hospice House, the George C. Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale, and the VITAS inpatient unit at AdventHealth Lake Wales.
At home or in an assisted living community
If your loved one was under hospice care, call the hospice line first. If not, call 911 — Florida requires that an unexpected death be reported. When first responders arrive, give them our name and phone number and ask them to call us directly; law enforcement coordinates the release with us on scene. Once the scene is cleared and the Medical Examiner has released the case, our transfer team is on its way.
If the Medical Examiner has taken the case
When a death is sudden, unexpected, or unattended, the District 10 Medical Examiner takes jurisdiction and your loved one is transported to their facility on Jim Keene Boulevard in Winter Haven. There is nothing you need to do at that point — we handle the release paperwork, coordinate directly with their office, and bring your loved one into our care as soon as they authorize release.
Not sure which of these applies?
Call us. We’ll walk you through it in five minutes, any hour.
THE PROCESS
How the Cremation Works in Polk County
Our own staff makes the transfer and provides refrigerated care. The cremation itself is carried out at a licensed crematory we work with directly, under identification procedures we control and document. At every stage, there is one company answerable to you and one number to call.
We bring your loved one into our care
Our own team makes the transfer — we don't subcontract removals to a third-party service. Identification begins the moment our team arrives: a unique identification band is placed with your loved one before they leave the place of passing, and it stays with them through every stage of our care.
The attending physician certifies the cause of death
This is the step that determines your timeline. Florida law requires the certifying physician to complete the medical portion of the death certificate before anything else can move. We submit the request immediately and follow up until it's signed — this is where most delays happen, and where most of our work happens.
The District 10 Medical Examiner reviews and approves
Under Florida Statute 406.11, no cremation of a person who died in Polk County can take place until the District 10 Medical Examiner has reviewed the certified cause of death and issued approval. We file that request electronically through Florida's EDRS system the moment physician certification comes through.
The cremation takes place
Before the cremation begins, our team copies and compares every piece of identification against your loved one and the identification band placed at transfer. Only once that verification is complete, the Medical Examiner's approval is issued, and the state's required 48-hour waiting period has passed does the cremation proceed — carried out by licensed professionals.
Your loved one comes home
Cremated remains are returned to you in a Seashore temporary container, along with certified copies of the death certificate. Pick up at our Tampa office, ask us to arrange delivery, or - if your family is out of state - we can mail your loved one’s cremated remains to you, shipped securely and trackable through USPS. The mailing fee within Florida is $125, and $195 outside of Florida.
How We Make Certain It's Your Loved One
Identification starts the moment our transfer team arrives, when a unique identification band is placed with your loved one. That band stays with them through refrigerated care, and through paperwork.
Before any cremation takes place, our team copies and compares every identifying document against your loved one and against that band. The crematory issues a metal ID tag with a unique number, that is assigned to the loved one. If anything doesn’t match — a misspelled name, a wrong date, a single transposed digit — the cremation stops. Nothing proceeds until the discrepancy is resolved and every piece of information has been re-verified.
Your family can request a copy of this document from us if you wish.
Working With Local Authorities
Coordinating With the District 10 Medical Examiner
Polk County is served by the District 10 Medical Examiner’s Office in Winter Haven, which also covers Hardee and Highlands counties. Every cremation of a person who died in Polk County — not just investigated deaths — requires their written approval before it can proceed. We file these requests electronically and know what District 10 needs to issue an approval without a second round of questions.
- Cremation approval requests filed electronically, same day
- Release paperwork handled on your behalf for Medical Examiner cases
- Approval fee included in your $795 — never billed separately
Polk County Medical Examiner — District 10
1021 Jim Keene Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33880
(863) 298-4600
The Medical Examiner’s Office is a government function serving Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by their office; this information is provided for families who need it.
What if your loved one passed just over the county line?
Jurisdiction follows the place of death, not where your loved one lived. A Poinciana resident who passes at a hospital in Osceola County falls under the District 9 Medical Examiner in Orlando, not District 10 — even though home was in Polk. The same applies to Davenport and ChampionsGate families whose care took them north into Osceola. It doesn’t change your cost or your timeline with us. It only changes which office we file with, and we handle that either way.
SERVING LOCALLY
We Transfer From Care Facilities Across Polk County
Our team makes transfers from hospitals, hospice houses, nursing homes, assisted living communities, and private residences throughout Polk County. Give facility staff our name and phone number, and we coordinate the release directly with them.
Hospice Care Centers
Lakeland Hospice House (Chapters Health)
3450 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 583-3300
George C. Forsythe Hospice House (Chapters Health)
450 Arneson Ave, Auburndale, FL 33823
(863) 292-4377
VITAS Inpatient Care — Lake Wales
410 S 11th St, 2nd Floor, Lake Wales, FL 33853
(863) 855-1652
Hospitals
Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center
1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd, Lakeland, FL 33805
Winter Haven Hospital
200 Ave F NE, Winter Haven, FL 33881
AdventHealth Heart of Florida
40100 US-27, Davenport, FL 33837
Bartow Regional Medical Center
2200 Osprey Blvd, Bartow, FL 33830
AdventHealth Lake Wales
410 S 11th St, Lake Wales, FL 33853
SUPPORT AREA
Every City and ZIP Code in Polk County
We serve families throughout Polk County. Transfer from anywhere within 40 miles of our office is included in the $795, which covers Lakeland and western Polk. For communities further east — Winter Haven, Haines City, Lake Wales, Davenport — there may be an additional travel charge, and we will quote it to you upfront, before you commit to anything. We would rather tell you plainly than surprise you on an invoice.
Don’t see your ZIP code?
We likely still serve you — we cover surrounding Central Florida counties too.
Call 24/7
(813) 647-3689
Why Polk County Families Call Us
You'll speak to the owner
When calling 813-647-3689 at any hour, callers reach the individual directly managing care. If the owner is on another line, a trained team answers right away to avoid voicemail entirely.
Your loved one stays with our team
We don't subcontract transfers to third-party removal services the way many funeral homes do. From the moment we arrive to the moment your loved one comes home, the same company is accountable — and every step is documented.
$795, and that's the whole number
While many Polk County providers quote a low headline price that grows, our $795 covers everything the cremation itself requires. Transfer is included within 40 miles of our office, which covers Lakeland and western Polk; if you're further east, there is a travel charge and we will tell you exactly what it is before you commit to anything. That is the only thing that is ever added, and you will never find out about it from an invoice.
Arrange from anywhere
Polk County has more out-of-state families than almost anywhere in Florida — adult children handling arrangements for a parent in Solivita, ChampionsGate, or a Lake Wales retirement community from three states away. Our entire process can be completed online and signed electronically. No office visit, no flights, no waiting.
What Others Say About Us
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does direct cremation cost in Polk County?
Direct cremation with Affordable Cremations of Central Florida is $795 for Polk County families. That price includes refrigerated care, the alternative cremation container, the cremation itself, the District 10 Medical Examiner approval fee, return of the cremated remains, and transfer from the place of passing within 40 miles of our office. Families further east in the county may have an additional travel charge, always quoted upfront. Certified copies of the death certificate are billed at the state’s cost.
Does the Polk County Medical Examiner have to approve a cremation?
Yes. Under Florida Statute 406.11, the District 10 Medical Examiner in Winter Haven must review the certified cause of death and issue written approval before any cremation can take place — even when the death was expected and the Medical Examiner never investigated it. We file this request electronically through Florida’s EDRS system as soon as the attending physician certifies the death, and the approval fee is included in our $795 price.
How long does cremation take in Polk County?
Most families receive their loved one’s cremated remains and death certificates within 7 to 10 business days. The cremation itself takes only a few hours. The timeline is driven by two things: how quickly the attending physician signs the medical portion of the death certificate, and how quickly the District 10 Medical Examiner issues approval afterward. Florida law also requires 48 hours to pass between death and cremation.
Do you serve Lakeland, Winter Haven, and the rest of Polk County?
Yes — we serve every community in Polk County, from Lakeland and Mulberry in the west to Lake Wales, Frostproof, and the Davenport corridor in the east. Transfer is included in the $795 within 40 miles of our office, which covers Lakeland and western Polk. For communities further east there is an additional travel charge, quoted to you upfront before you commit to anything. You will never see it appear for the first time on an invoice.
What happens if my loved one is at the Medical Examiner's office in Winter Haven?
The District 10 Medical Examiner takes jurisdiction when a death is sudden, unexpected, unattended, or potentially non-natural. If your loved one is at their facility on Jim Keene Boulevard, you don’t need to go there or file anything yourself. We complete the release authorization on your behalf, coordinate directly with their staff, and transport your loved one into our care as soon as they’re released.
My parent lived in Polk County but passed in another county. Does that change anything?
Only which office we file with. Medical Examiner jurisdiction follows the place of death rather than the place of residence, so a Poinciana or Davenport resident who passes at a hospital in Osceola County falls under the District 9 Medical Examiner in Orlando instead of District 10. Your price and your timeline stay the same. We handle the filing either way, and you don’t need to work out which office applies.
Can you transfer my loved one from a Polk County hospital or hospice?
Yes. We transfer from hospitals, hospice houses, nursing homes, and assisted living communities throughout Polk County, including Lakeland Regional Health, Winter Haven Hospital, Bartow Regional, AdventHealth Heart of Florida and Lake Wales, and the Chapters Health hospice houses in Lakeland and Auburndale. Give the facility our name and phone number — ask for the nursing supervisor or security staff at a hospital — and we coordinate the release directly with them.
Can I arrange everything without driving to Tampa?
Yes, and most Polk County families do. Our full arrangement process is available online with electronic signatures, so you can complete authorizations, choose your package, and pay without visiting in person. This matters especially for the many families handling arrangements from out of state. If you’d rather meet face to face, our office at 326 S Falkenburg Road in Tampa is about thirty minutes from Lakeland on I-4.
Can we still hold a service if we choose direct cremation?
Absolutely. Direct cremation simply means the cremation happens without a viewing or funeral service beforehand. Many Polk County families choose direct cremation and then hold a memorial, celebration of life, or graveside gathering weeks or months later — at a church, a park, a clubhouse, or at home. It gives you time to gather family without the cost or the time pressure.
Do you help with veterans' benefits in Polk County?
Yes. A veteran discharged under honorable conditions is eligible for burial or interment in a national cemetery, provided the family can produce the DD-214. Eligible veterans are also entitled to a United States burial flag and a government-furnished grave marker at the national cemetery, at no cost to the family. A veteran’s spouse may be buried or interred alongside them. Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell is roughly an hour from most of Polk County. We help you locate the DD-214 if you don’t have it and coordinate the arrangements with the cemetery.
We're Here, Any Hour
Whether a death has just occurred or you’re planning ahead, you can reach us right now. One call, one price, one team handling everything from the first transfer to the day your loved one comes home.
Phone: 813-647-3689
Office: 326 S Falkenburg Road, Tampa, FL 33619