Alkaline hydrolysis, called aquamation or water cremation, is legal for human remains in 26 U.S. states as an alternative to burial or flame cremation.
Your state may allow it, have no enabling law, or prohibit it, so your address controls the answer. This guide explains where it stands, what the process involves, and how families confirm local availability. It focuses on costs, planning, and next steps after a death.
Table of Contents
- Where is aquamation allowed?
- Is it banned or just unavailable where you live?
- What happens during the process?
- How do you check your state and plan?
Where is aquamation allowed?
The Cremation Association of North America lists alkaline hydrolysis as legal in 26 states as of March 2026, including Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington, according to the national aquamation legality tracker. Other legal states complete the list. Your state law decides whether a funeral home can offer it.
Maryland shows how newer approvals work. The state authorized the process in 2024 under the Green Death Care Options Act. Montgomery County then approved local zoning for funeral-home and crematory use on Sept. 30, 2025.
Is it banned or just unavailable where you live?
New Hampshire is the only state that explicitly prohibits alkaline hydrolysis for human remains, under N.H. Rev. Stat. § 325-A:30, while other non-list states simply lack enabling legislation, according to LegalClarity's state-by-state review.
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Lack of a law usually means no licensed pathway exists. It does not mean the legislature voted against it. Legal permission also does not guarantee nearby service. Several legal states still have no licensed aquamation provider. Families must confirm a local operator before making plans.
What happens during the process?
The body goes into a sealed, pressurized vessel with about 95 percent water and 5 percent alkali. The solution heats to 200-300°F for 3-16 hours and dissolves soft tissue, as described in LegalClarity's state-by-state review. Staff then rinse, dry, and powder the remaining bone.
Families receive dried, powdered bone fragments much like flame-cremation ashes. The volume is typically 20-30 percent larger. The sterile liquid byproduct requires local wastewater-authority permission for discharge.
How do you check your state and plan?
Process details and legal requirements vary by manufacturer and state, provincial, and local law. Ask your funeral provider about the rules that apply to your city and county. Zoning, permits, transport rules, and discharge approvals can differ within one state.
- Confirm your state authorizes alkaline hydrolysis for human remains
- Ask two funeral homes whether they hold an aquamation license
- Request the facility name, timeline, container rules, and witnessing options
- Get all fees, permits, death-certificate charges, and urn or scattering costs in writing
- Ask how the provider handles wastewater discharge and local approvals
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