How Much Does it Cost to Scatter Ashes at Sea?

Updated on October 1, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 9 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

Scattering ashes at sea generally costs $300 to $2,500, depending on whether the family attends, the departure port, boat size, trip length, and ceremony options. The least expensive professional option is usually an unattended captain’s scattering, which can start around $325 to $350 in some ports. A private boat carrying family and friends commonly costs $900 to $2,500, while large vessels, premium locations, and elaborate memorial cruises can reach $4,000 to $10,000+.

A full-body burial at sea is much more expensive. Current specialist pricing can exceed $10,000 for the vessel alone, with the sea-burial shroud, weights, funeral-home preparation, transportation, and other services potentially adding thousands more.

The other major difference is legal. For an ocean burial or scattering performed under the federal Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act general permit, cremated remains must be placed at least three nautical miles from land. Full-body remains generally must also be in water at least 600 feet deep, with deeper requirements in certain parts of Florida and the Gulf Coast.

Article Highlights

• An unattended professional ash scattering at sea generally costs about $325 to $1,400 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 0.3 to 1.2 full-time workweeks, before taxes).
• A private attended scattering commonly costs $900 to $2,500 for a small family group.
• Larger memorial boats and premium departure ports can raise the price to $3,000 to $10,000+.
• A private full-body burial at sea can cost $10,000 to $15,000+ once the vessel, shroud, weights, funeral-home work, and transportation are included.
• Federal law generally requires ocean scattering to take place at least three nautical miles from land.
• No advance EPA permit application or EPA fee is required under the general permit, but the burial must be reported to the EPA within 30 days afterward.
• Veterans and certain family members may qualify for the U.S. Navy Burial at Sea program, although family members cannot attend the ceremony aboard the deployed vessel.

How Much Does It Cost to Scatter Ashes at Sea?

There are two basic ways to hire a professional sea-scattering service: unattended and attended.

An unattended scattering means the family sends or delivers the cremated remains to the provider. A licensed captain takes the remains offshore, performs the scattering, records the location, and typically sends the family a certificate afterward.

Current Sea Services pricing starts at about $350 (about 1.5 full-time workdays at $30 per hour) for its Captain’s Service in certain locations. Its San Francisco service has recently advertised unattended scattering beginning around $325, illustrating how location affects the price.

At the other end of the unattended market, New England Burials at Sea currently lists an unattended scattering at $1,375 plus an 18% administration and crew gratuity charge.

That gives a more realistic modern range of approximately:

Sea memorial	Typical price
Unattended ash scattering	$325–$1,400+
Small private attended charter	$900–$2,500
Mid-size family vessel	$2,000–$4,500
Large memorial vessel	$4,500–$10,000+
Private full-body burial at sea	$10,000–$15,000+ all-in in many cases

These figures are for the marine service itself or a typical combined budget. Cremation may be a separate expense.

Attended Services

An attended scattering costs more because the provider is effectively supplying a private charter boat as well as the memorial service.

Sea Services currently says private family charters in most locations typically cost about $900 to $2,200 (about 0.8 to 1.8 full-time workweeks at $30 per hour). Premium departure locations can cost much more; the company lists a Chelsea Piers, Manhattan example at approximately $4,500 depending on timing and season.

New England Burials at Sea currently lists small attended services for one to six passengers at approximately $2,475 to $3,275. Services for larger groups can run from roughly $4,575 to $9,975.

That difference explains why quoting one national price for “scattering ashes at sea” is misleading.

A six-person family charter departing from a smaller coastal harbor and a 100-person memorial boat leaving a major city marina are completely different purchases.

What Is Included?

A basic professional service commonly includes:

• Boat and licensed captain
• Travel to an eligible offshore location
• Scattering or placement of the cremated remains
• A short reading or memorial ceremony
• GPS coordinates of the scattering location
• A memorial certificate
• EPA reporting or assistance with the required filing

Some providers include flowers, bells, music, drinks, or ceremonial elements, while others charge separately.

Always ask whether the quoted price is truly the final charter cost.

For example, New England Burials at Sea lists an additional 18% administration fee on certain quoted services, and crew gratuity may also be recommended.

On a $2,475 charter:

$2,475 × 18% = $445.50

That brings the quoted service to approximately:

$2,475 + $445.50 = $2,920.50

before optional flowers, urns, transportation, or gratuity.

Federal Rules

The most important legal requirement is the three-nautical-mile rule.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency states that cremated remains placed in ocean waters under the federal general permit must be buried or scattered at least three nautical miles from land.

There is no minimum depth requirement for cremated remains once the three-mile requirement is satisfied.

Full-body remains have stricter requirements.

Non-cremated remains must generally be buried at least three nautical miles offshore in water at least 600 feet deep. In certain areas near Florida and the Gulf Coast, the required depth increases to 1,800 feet.

The remains must also sink rapidly and permanently.

The EPA does not require an advance application for the standard federal burial-at-sea permit, and there is no EPA fee.

Instead, the burial must be reported to the agency within 30 days after it occurs.

That corrects an important error in the old version of this article, which described the filing as something that had to be done in advance.

California Rules

California sometimes creates confusion because state law contains a separate 500-yard provision.

The California State Parks guidance notes that state law prohibits scattering cremated human remains within 500 yards seaward of the shoreline and also prohibits scattering from a bridge or pier.

But that does not mean an ocean scattering at 501 yards is federally legal.

California State Parks specifically points out that federal law requires ocean scattering at least three nautical miles offshore.

So for a normal boat-based Pacific Ocean scattering in California, plan around the federal three-nautical-mile requirement.

Different rules may apply to inland waters or land-based scattering, depending on state and local law.

Full-Body Burial

A full-body sea burial is not simply a more expensive version of ash scattering. It requires a substantially different vessel, much deeper water, special preparation, and enough weight to ensure rapid and permanent sinking.

Current New England Burials at Sea pricing gives a useful example.

The company lists an unattended full-body sea burial at $9,975 and an attended burial beginning around $10,975.

Those prices do not necessarily include everything.

Its current standard sea-burial shroud costs approximately $2,795, while ballast weights add roughly $375 to $395. Fuel surcharges, administration charges, funeral-director services, transportation, and other preparation may also apply.

A simplified example could look like:

Attended sea-burial vessel	$10,975
Special burial shroud	$2,795
Ballast weight	$375
Subtotal	$14,145

That is before any funeral-home services or transportation charges not included in the marine provider’s package.

Casket Requirements

Families choosing a casketed burial at sea cannot simply use an ordinary closed casket without modification.

EPA guidance recommends that a sea-burial casket contain at least twenty 2-inch holes to allow water to enter and air to escape.

It should reach a total weight of at least 300 pounds and be secured using at least six durable stainless-steel bands, chains, or natural-fiber ropes.

Plastic components should be removed where possible because they can become marine debris.

A natural-fiber shroud is another option. For a non-casketed body, the EPA recommends additional ballast such as steel chain to ensure rapid sinking.

This is specialized funeral preparation, not something a family should expect an ordinary boat charter company to improvise at the dock.

Cremation Comes First

If the person has not yet been cremated, the cost of cremation must be added to the sea-scattering service.

Our current guide to the cost of cremation puts direct cremation at approximately $500 to $2,000 in many cases, with more elaborate cremation arrangements costing considerably more.

Consider a relatively simple arrangement:

Direct cremation: $1,200

Unattended scattering: $350

Shipping and incidental costs: $100

Total:

$1,200 + $350 + $100 = $1,650

An attended version might instead be:

Direct cremation: $1,200

Private family boat: $1,800

Biodegradable urn: $150

Flowers: $100

Total:

$3,250

The same basic final disposition can therefore differ by thousands of dollars depending on whether the family attends and how elaborate the ceremony becomes.

Shipping Ashes

Families using an unattended service often mail the cremated remains to the boat operator.

That has specific postal rules.

The U.S. Postal Service states that cremated remains must be shipped using Priority Mail Express for domestic mailing.

USPS tightened its packaging rule in 2025 and now requires its designated Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains Box for mailing human or animal cremated remains.

The packaging itself is available free from USPS, but postage depends on weight and destination.

This is worth budgeting for if the scattering company is in another state.

Hidden Costs

The boat price is often only the beginning.

Possible add-ons include:

• Biodegradable urn: roughly $100–$300+
• Flowers or rose petals: roughly $75–$200+
• Video or photography
• Live musicians or clergy
• Food and beverages
• Extra sailing time
• Larger boat upgrades
• Additional sets of ashes
• Fuel surcharges
• Administration charges
• Crew gratuity
• Transportation to the marina
• Shipping of cremated remains

Current New England Burials at Sea pricing, for example, lists biodegradable urns around $145 to $295, rose petals around $75, biodegradable flower wreaths around $165, and bagpipers starting around $350.

These add-ons can turn a $2,500 charter into a $3,500-plus memorial fairly quickly.

Memorial Reefs

A marine memorial does not have to involve simply scattering the ashes.

Some organizations incorporate cremated remains into specially permitted artificial reef structures.

Eternal Reefs currently lists memorial reef options from approximately $5,250 to $9,250, depending on the structure.

Its unattended options start around $4,250.

This is not the same legal process as simply dropping a concrete urn into the ocean. The EPA specifically says a memorial structure incorporating cremated remains is not authorized merely by the ordinary burial-at-sea general permit.

Proper artificial reef placement requires separate permitting and coordination with government agencies.

Navy Burial at Sea

Certain military families have another option.

The U.S. Navy Burial at Sea program is available to:

• Members of the uniformed services
• Retired members
• Former members who were honorably discharged
• Eligible U.S. civilian Marine personnel of Military Sealift Command
• Dependents of qualifying current and former service members

The Navy performs the committal aboard a deployed ship, submarine, or aircraft.

An important limitation is that family members cannot attend the sea ceremony. Afterward, the family receives the date, time, latitude, and longitude of the committal.

The Navy currently advises families that the average wait after remains are received at the embarkation port is approximately 12 to 18 months.

For cremated remains, families still bear costs associated with cremation and getting the remains to the Navy.

Full-body burial requires even more preparation. The Navy states that only Norfolk, Virginia, and San Diego, California currently accept casketed remains for its Burial at Sea program, and related preparation costs are the family’s responsibility.

Funeral-Home Charges

Do not automatically accept a bundled funeral-home quote without seeing what each component costs.

Under the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, funeral providers must provide itemized pricing and generally allow consumers to purchase only the goods and services they want.

That matters for sea burial because families may need only certain funeral-home services, such as:

• Transportation of the body
• Direct cremation
• Preparation for sea burial
• Forwarding remains to another funeral home
• Receiving remains near the port
• A suitable casket or container

The FTC also states that embalming is not automatically required by federal law.

Ask the funeral home for its General Price List and compare the necessary components rather than assuming a full traditional funeral package is required.

Families considering permanent land-based alternatives can also compare the cost of a mausoleum and the cost of publishing an obituary in a newspaper when planning the complete memorial budget.

How to Spend Less

The biggest cost-saving decision is choosing an unattended scattering.

A $350 captain’s service can accomplish the same legal final disposition as a $2,000 private charter, but without passengers aboard.

Families can still hold a separate memorial service on land before or after the scattering.

Another option is using your own boat or a boat you are legally authorized to operate. The EPA specifically allows that. There is no federal requirement to hire a professional burial-at-sea company.

You still have to comply with the three-nautical-mile rule and submit the required EPA report afterward.

Avoid unnecessary funeral-home packages as well. If the goal is cremation followed by sea scattering, direct cremation plus the marine service may cost much less than a traditional funeral followed by cremation.

What We Verified

Answers to Common Questions

How much does it cost to scatter ashes at sea?

Professional scattering generally costs $325 to $2,500. Unattended services occupy the low end, while private attended charters commonly cost $900 to $2,500 or more.

Can I scatter ashes in the ocean myself?

Yes. The EPA does not require you to hire a commercial service. You can use your own or an authorized vessel, but ocean scattering under the federal permit must take place at least three nautical miles from land and must be reported to the EPA within 30 days.

Do I need a permit before scattering ashes at sea?

You do not need to apply individually for the EPA’s standard burial-at-sea general permit before the ceremony. You must comply with its rules and report the burial after it occurs.

Can ashes be scattered from a beach or pier?

Not under the federal ocean burial-at-sea permit. Ocean disposal must take place at least three nautical miles offshore. State rules may separately govern land, lakes, rivers, bays, or other non-ocean locations.