Ada County adopts $40 cremation authorization fee, projects about 4,000 requests

The Ada County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5 approved Resolution No. 3107, establishing a $40 cremation authorization fee to recoup the county’s costs for processing those requests.

Coroner Rich Riffle told commissioners the fee amount and workload estimate were developed during the budget process and reviewed by the prosecuting attorney’s office. "We came out with a recommendation of $40 per request," Riffle said, adding that the office projects about 4,000 authorizations in fiscal 2026.

Commissioners framed the change as a narrow cost‑recovery measure rather than a revenue source for general operations. "This fee is based on the evaluation of the cost. It's not making money. It's just recouping the cost," said Miss Sherman, a commissioner who moved to approve the resolution.

Riffle said the county will notify the funeral industry and the public after the board’s action. The resolution, as drafted, will not take effect until the county’s fiscal October, giving staff time to advertise the new fee and implement collection procedures. Riffle told the board the office had not widely circulated the change to the industry before final approval and planned formal outreach during the implementation period.

Commission discussion noted that similar fees are charged elsewhere and that the county considered volume and administrative burden when setting the amount. Riffle said some jurisdictions charge more, and some smaller counties have stopped charging because collection costs outweighed revenue.

The board approved the resolution by voice vote. Commissioners said the fee was part of efforts during budget deliberations to reduce reliance on property taxes by charging users for unique services.

The action moves the fee into the county’s fiscal‑year 2026 budget and directs staff to implement outreach and payment collection processes before the effective date.