What term describes the documentation required for cremation authorities to perform cremations?

The term that best describes the documentation required for cremation authorities to perform cremations is the cremation authorization form. This form is a critical legal document that must be completed and signed by the legal next of kin or an authorized representative. It gives the cremation authority permission to proceed with the cremation process.

While a cremation certificate is often issued after the cremation process has been completed to certify that the cremation occurred, it is not the document that initiates the cremation. A death certificate, although essential for recording the cause of death and necessary for legal and administrative purposes, is not a document specifically granting permission for cremation. An embalming report is also unrelated as it pertains to the process of preparing a body for burial or viewing, not specifically related to cremation authority.

Thus, the cremation authorization form is the appropriate and required document for legal compliance in the cremation process.