Is Aquamation Legal in California? What the Law Says
Yes, aquamation is legal in California. The state allows it as a form of final disposition, and licensed funeral establishments can offer it to families today. If you are asking because you are caring for someone right now, or because you want to plan ahead, you can take a breath: this is a lawful, regulated choice, and we can walk you through it at your pace.
Below, we explain which law applies, when it took effect, how facilities are overseen, what to expect in San Diego, and what it costs. We are here whenever you are ready.
Table of Contents
- Quick Answer
- TL;DR
- What aquamation is, in plain words
- How aquamation became legal in California
- How California regulates aquamation facilities
- Legal is not the same as available
- Why families choose aquamation
- How aquamation compares with other options
- What aquamation costs in California
- How to arrange aquamation in San Diego
- Veterans and aquamation
- Planning ahead
- Our perspective
- See our aquamation service
- FAQ
- Sources
Quick Answer
Is aquamation legal in California? Yes. Aquamation, also called water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis, was authorized by California statute in October 2017, and the rules became operative statewide on July 1, 2020. Facilities must be licensed by the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. Legal does not always mean easy to find, so it helps to ask your funeral home whether it offers the service directly.
TL;DR
- Aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis) is a legal option for final disposition in California.
- The law was passed in October 2017 and the statutes became operative on July 1, 2020.
- Only licensed hydrolysis facilities may perform it, and families may watch the process if they wish.
- Our Direct Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) is $4,200, and every price we publish is on our pricing page.
What aquamation is, in plain words
Aquamation uses water, a gentle flow, warmth and an alkaline solution to break the body down. It follows the same natural process that happens in the earth over time, only faster and in a controlled setting. No flame is involved. What remains is bone, which is processed into a fine ash and returned to the family in an urn, just as after flame cremation.
If you would like the full science and a step-by-step description, our guide What Is Aquamation? covers it with care.
How aquamation became legal in California
For many years, California law named only burial and flame cremation as accepted ways to handle human remains. Aquamation needed an explicit change in the law. According to Nolo’s state-by-state overview, California legalized alkaline hydrolysis by statute in October 2017.
There was then a gap before the service could be offered. The text in the state’s Health and Safety Code became operative on July 1, 2020. That is why you may see two different years in articles about this topic. Both are correct: 2017 is when the law was passed, and 2020 is when licensed facilities could operate under it.
Other states have taken different paths. Nolo describes a mix of states with express laws, states that cover it through broader definitions, states with no enabling law, and one, New Hampshire, that prohibits it. California sits in the group with a clear, express statute, which gives families and funeral homes a firm legal footing.
How California regulates aquamation facilities
Legal does not mean unregulated. The state oversees aquamation closely, and that oversight is part of what protects your family.
Licensing
Hydrolysis facilities are regulated by the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau under Article 2.7 of the Business and Professions Code, Sections 7639 through 7639.19. Operating one without a valid, unexpired license is a misdemeanor. Licensed facilities also pay an initial filing fee and an annual regulatory charge, which are costs of running the facility and not a price set for families.
Environmental and health rules
A facility must show it complies with local health and environmental rules, including wastewater treatment permits for disposing of the liquid byproduct, called hydrolysate. That liquid is sterile and is handled under the facility’s permits.
Timing
The same code says hydrolysis must generally take place within 24 hours of delivery unless the remains are refrigerated or embalmed. Your funeral director handles this scheduling for you.
Your right to be present
The Bureau’s consumer guide notes that, unlike standard cremation, licensed hydrolysis facilities must allow next of kin or family members to view the process if they wish. Many families never use this, and that is completely fine. Others find comfort in being there. Either choice is yours.
Paperwork and wrapping
The same guide explains that a disposition permit must be filed with the local registrar before disposition, usually by the funeral establishment. Aquamation does not require a casket, but it does require a 100% protein-based body wrapping, such as silk or wool. We take care of the permit filing for the families we serve.
Legal is not the same as available
This is the part most articles skip. A law can allow a service long before it is easy to find. Aquamation equipment is specialized and costly, and wastewater permits add another layer. As of August 2025, reporting identified only four aquamation providers operating in California.
In some states, families end up working with a funeral home that transports their loved one across a state line. In California, it is worth asking early whether a funeral home performs aquamation itself or arranges it elsewhere, because transport can change both timing and cost.
In San Diego County, we offer water cremation through our aqua cremation service, so families in Chula Vista, National City, La Jolla, North Park and across the county can ask us directly.
Why families choose aquamation
Every family’s reasons are their own. The ones we hear most often are:
- Environmental values. Smithsonian Magazine describes aquamation as an eco-friendly alternative that uses electricity rather than fossil fuels. Local reporting on a San Francisco provider notes that flame cremation releases carbon and other air pollutants, which is part of why some families look for another way.
- Gentleness. Many people are simply drawn to a quiet, water-based process that mirrors nature.
- Flexibility afterward. The Bureau’s guide says families can keep an urn at home, scatter remains at sea, or integrate reduced remains into soil at an approved forest location, subject to local laws.
If you are weighing aquamation against burial or flame cremation, our guide to choosing cremation or burial may help the whole family talk it through.
How aquamation compares with other options
| Aquamation | Flame cremation | Traditional burial | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Water and alkaline solution | Heat and flame | Casket and grave or crypt |
| Energy | Electricity | Fossil fuel | Not applicable |
| Casket required | No, protein-based wrapping required | No, a rigid container is used | Typically yes |
| Family may watch | Yes, by California rule | Depends on the provider | Not applicable |
| Our published price | $4,200 (Direct Water Cremation) | See our pricing page | $6,499 (Traditional Burial) |
On our pricing page, Memorial Ceremony + Cremation is $5,495 and Traditional Cremation & Ceremony is $6,995. Natural Burial is $3,995 and Immediate Burial is $2,995.
What aquamation costs in California
Prices vary by provider and location, so ask for a written price before you decide. As a reference point, The Bold Italic reported in May 2023 that one San Francisco provider charged $3,850, which the article described as more than flame cremation and less than burial at the time.
At Bravo, our Direct Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) is $4,200. Our pricing is all-inclusive and transparent, with no hidden fees. Please note a few listed fees that can apply to any service:
- Mileage beyond 30 miles: $5 per mile
- Weekend and holiday services surcharge: $695
- Assignable insurance policy administrative fee: 4%
California also protects you as a shopper. The Bureau’s guide says funeral establishments must give you a General Price List and, before you sign, an itemized statement of the services you selected, estimated unknown costs and outside-vendor charges. You can see ours any time in our general price list. For tips on comparing homes side by side, see our guide to comparing funeral home prices.
How to arrange aquamation in San Diego
- Reach out when you are ready. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also begin online through our secure PartingPros portal at any hour, without an in-person visit or sales pressure.
- Choose your service. Direct water cremation can stand alone, or you can add a gathering. Many families hold a memorial or a celebration of life after the aquamation.
- Review the written prices. You will see each item and its cost before anything is signed.
- We handle the paperwork. That includes the disposition permit and the authorizations the law requires.
- Decide on viewing. You may choose to be present for the process, or not.
- Receive the ashes. Your family decides on an urn, scattering where allowed, or a memorial placement.
If you are walking through this for the first time, our article How the Funeral Process Works explains each stage in order. Spanish-speaking families are welcome: our team is bilingual and serves families across the county with equal care.
Veterans and aquamation
If your loved one served, we coordinate VA burial benefits paperwork at no additional charge. Our military and veteran funeral services page explains what we can help with, including options for Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and Miramar National Cemetery. Because eligibility and what each cemetery accepts can differ, we confirm the details with you before any decision is made.
Planning ahead
Some people decide on aquamation years before it is needed. Putting your wishes in writing spares your family from guessing at a hard time, and it lets you see today’s prices. You can start with our pre-planning page. There is no deadline and no pressure.
Our perspective
We have sat with many San Diego families who did not know aquamation was an option, and some who thought it was still not allowed. It is allowed, it is licensed, and it is overseen by the state.
What we believe matters most is that you are told the truth plainly: what the law permits, what the service involves, and what it costs. That is why we publish our prices and why families can arrange everything online, any hour, through PartingPros.
As an independent, family-owned home, we answer to the families we serve. Whether you choose water, flame, burial or a natural burial, we want the choice to feel like yours, made with clear information and without hurry.
Steve Olsher
See our aquamation service
Our Direct Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) is $4,200, with all-inclusive pricing and bilingual support. You can read the details on our aqua cremation page or see every option on our pricing page.
We are here whenever you are ready.
FAQ
Is aquamation legal in California?
Yes. California authorized alkaline hydrolysis by statute in 2017, and the rules became operative statewide on July 1, 2020. Facilities must hold a license from the California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.
Is it legal to spread human ashes in California?
Generally, families can scatter remains at sea, and the Bureau’s guide notes this is subject to local laws. Rules differ for parks, beaches and private land, so check the specific location first. Our guide on legally burying cremated remains covers related questions.
What should families know before choosing aquamation?
The main practical point is availability. Reporting from August 2025 identified only four providers in California, so ask early whether your funeral home performs it directly. Also confirm the written price, and whether you would like to be present for the process.
How much does aquamation cost?
It depends on the provider. A 2023 report put one San Francisco price at $3,850. At Bravo, Direct Water Cremation (Alkaline Hydrolysis) is $4,200, and you can read all our prices on our pricing page.
Sources
- Nolo: Alkaline hydrolysis laws by state
- California Health and Safety Code, Division 7
- California Business and Professions Code, Article 2.7
- Cemetery and Funeral Bureau: Cemetery and Funeral Law
- Cemetery and Funeral Bureau: Laws and Regulations 2023
- Cemetery and Funeral Bureau: Approved regulatory text
- Cemetery and Funeral Bureau: Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases
- Potrero View: SF funeral home offers cremation by fire or water
- Smithsonian Magazine: What is water cremation?
- The Bold Italic: San Franciscans can now liquify dead loved ones