Reference

Options for the body, side by side

Traditional burial, direct burial, green burial, cremation, water cremation, composting, donation, burial at sea and home burial: what each is, what it requires, where it is allowed and which chapter covers it.

Each row is one option for the body. The columns say what the option is, what a family usually pays for, what federal law, state law or the provider requires, where it is allowed, and what two faith bodies say about it. Filter by a word, or pick a tag. Burial, cremation and other choices teaches how to choose; this page is for comparing at a glance.

State lists below are compiled by trade associations and a consumer group, each with its date. They are not official, and a state on a list may still have no provider nearby. Varies by state

The options in one table

Tags: Body present means a viewing, vigil or service with the body can be part of it. No embalming means the FTC or the option's own standard describes it without embalming. Usually costs less is the FTC's wording for direct cremation and direct burial compared with a traditional funeral, and appears only on those two rows. State list means legality depends on the state and a dated list exists.

Option	What it is	What has to be bought	What law or the provider requires	Where it is allowed	Faith notes	Chapter
Traditional burial	A viewing or visitation, a formal service, a hearse and burial or entombment. The FTC calls the full-service funeral "generally the most expensive type."	From the funeral home: the basic services fee, embalming if chosen, other preparation, a casket, facilities and staff for the viewing and the service, the hearse. From the cemetery: the grave, opening and closing, an outer burial container if the cemetery requires one, the marker.	The Funeral Rule says embalming is not required by law except in special cases, and a provider needs permission to embalm. Many funeral homes require embalming for a public viewing (one provider's rule); ask about a private family viewing without it. State law in most areas does not require a vault, but many cemeteries do, and a grave liner satisfies that requirement. Federal rule	Cemeteries set their own rules on containers, markers and flowers. Ask the cemetery for its rules in writing. One provider's rule	The Rabbinical Assembly's guide (Conservative) describes burial as soon as possible, preferably within 24 hours, no embalming unless civil law requires it, a plain all-wood casket and no viewing. The USCCB's overview describes three parts: the vigil, the funeral liturgy and the Rite of Committal, normally at the grave.	Burial, cremation and other choices; prices in Goods, prices and the statement
Direct burial (the rule's term: immediate burial)	Burial soon after death in a simple container, with no viewing or visitation. The rule allows a graveside service. The FTC says direct burial usually costs less than a traditional funeral.	The basic services fee, transportation and care of the body, a container or casket, and the grave or crypt. The FTC notes there is often an extra fee for a graveside service.	A funeral home that offers it must list an immediate burial price range on its General Price List, with a separate price for when the family provides the casket. No embalming, since there is no viewing. Federal rule	Offered by funeral homes; the cemetery's own rules still apply.	The Rabbinical Assembly's guide says the service may be held at the graveside. The USCCB's overview describes a funeral liturgy outside Mass that may be held at the church or funeral home; ask the parish how the rites fit.	Burial, cremation and other choices; prices in Goods, prices and the statement
Green or natural burial	Burial without embalming, without a vault or liner, in a biodegradable container, a shroud or nothing. The Green Burial Council names three kinds of green cemetery: hybrid (a conventional cemetery with a natural section), natural and conservation (a natural cemetery protected by a conservation easement or deed restriction).	A grave in a cemetery that allows it, opening and closing, and a shroud or biodegradable container. Under the Funeral Rule the funeral home must accept a container the family provides without a fee.	The cemetery's own rules. The Council's natural cemeteries do not allow toxic chemicals, any part of a vault or containers not made from natural or plant-derived materials. One program's rule	The Green Burial Council lists the cemeteries it certifies. A conventional cemetery may also offer a natural section; ask it directly.	The Rabbinical Assembly's guide describes plain white shrouds, an all-wood casket and no embalming unless civil law requires it. The USCCB's overview does not address green burial.	Burial, cremation and other choices
Direct cremation	Cremation without a formal viewing, visitation or ceremony with the body present. A memorial service can follow at any time. The FTC says direct cremation usually costs less than a traditional funeral.	The basic services fee, transportation and care of the body, a crematory fee if the funeral home does not own the crematory, and an alternative container or urn if wanted.	No casket is required: a provider or crematory may not require one, and a provider that offers direct cremation must offer an alternative container. Embalming is not required. A cremation authorization is signed by the next of kin or the person's agent. Many states require an extra authorization before cremation. State examples: Florida forbids cremation until 48 hours after death; Virginia requires a medical examiner's clearance before any cremation. Federal rule Varies by state	Offered by funeral homes and crematories; waiting periods and clearances differ by state. Ask your state funeral board. Scattering the ashes has its own rules: at sea, 3 nautical miles out under EPA's rule; in a national park, by permit (Yellowstone is one example).	The Rabbinical Assembly's guide says cremation is against Jewish tradition. The USCCB's overview does not address cremation; ask the parish.	Burial, cremation and other choices; prices in Goods, prices and the statement
Cremation after a service	A viewing or funeral with the body present, then cremation.	The basic services fee, facilities and staff for the viewing or service, embalming if the funeral home requires it for a public viewing, a casket (or a rented one; the FTC suggests asking about renting a casket for a viewing before cremation), the crematory fee and an urn if wanted.	No law requires a casket for the cremation itself. Embalming is the funeral home's rule for a public viewing, not the law's; ask about a private family viewing without embalming. Federal rule One provider's rule	As for direct cremation.	As for direct cremation. The USCCB's overview places the vigil during visitation and viewing, usually at the funeral home.	Burial, cremation and other choices; service in The service or gathering
Alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation)	The body is reduced with water, alkaline chemicals and heat over 3 to 16 hours, per CANA. Bone fragments are returned, about a third more by volume than flame cremation, so a larger urn may be needed.	Similar line items to cremation: the basic services fee, transportation, the facility's fee, a container.	State law must allow it. California's Bureau says the method needs a container, not a casket. Legal does not mean available: some legal states have no operating provider, and a provider in a neighboring state may be used through a local funeral home. Varies by state	CANA's list, as of March 2026 (a trade association's list, not official): Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming. Confirm with your state funeral board.	Neither faith source we use addresses it; ask your clergy.	Burial, cremation and other choices
Natural organic reduction (human composting)	NFDA describes it as the contained, accelerated conversion of a body to soil: the body lies in a vessel with wood chips, straw and alfalfa for about four to six weeks.	The facility's fee, transportation, a container. In California, reduced remains may go into the soil of an approved forest location, per the Bureau.	State law must allow it, and a provider must operate within reach. Varies by state	NFDA's list, as of May 30, 2025 (a trade association's list, not official), with the year each state approved it: Arizona (2024), California (2022), Colorado (2021), Delaware (2024), Georgia (2025), Maine (2024), Maryland (2024), Minnesota (2025), Nevada (2024), New York (2024), Oregon (2022), Vermont (2023), Washington (2020). California's law takes effect January 1, 2027, per the state's Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. The list is over a year old; confirm with your state funeral board.	Neither faith source we use addresses it; ask your clergy.	Burial, cremation and other choices
Whole-body donation	The body goes to a medical school or other program for study. Programs cremate the body afterward and return the ashes on request, or bury them; timing ranges from under eight weeks to several years by program.	Often little: some programs pay transport and cremation. Others leave transport to the family's funeral home, and some charge to return the ashes. A memorial service can be held without the body. VA's burial allowance can apply to donation to a medical school for an eligible veteran.	Register directly with a program; the state organ donor registry does not cover body donation. A program can decline a body at death (distance, disease, autopsy, organs removed, condition), so keep a backup plan. Some programs ask that the body not be embalmed and arrive within 24 hours. One program's rule	Programs set their own areas. FCA's pamphlet (February 2021) names seven states with anatomical boards that coordinate donation: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, Texas and Virginia. Elsewhere, call the nearest medical school.	The Rabbinical Assembly's guide says routine autopsy is contrary to Jewish law and that organ donation can be a mitzvah, with the rabbi consulted; it does not address whole-body donation. The USCCB's overview does not address donation.	Burial, cremation and other choices; first calls in The first hours
Burial at sea	Placing a body or cremated remains in the ocean under EPA's general permit.	A boat or charter, and a container that sinks. For a body, EPA gives casket guidance (holes, bands, total weight of at least 300 pounds). The Navy offers burial at sea for eligible veterans and spouses; families usually cannot attend.	EPA's rule: cremated remains at least 3 nautical miles from land; a body at least 3 nautical miles out and in water at least 600 feet deep (1,800 feet in three listed areas). Report to EPA within 30 days with its online tool. No application or fee. Nothing that does not decompose goes overboard. State example: Virginia requires a medical examiner's clearance before burial at sea. Federal rule	Ocean waters under the federal rule; EPA says states may not relax the 3-mile rule. Lakes, rivers and other inland waters are a state question: ask the state environmental agency, health agency or funeral board.	Neither faith source we use addresses it; ask your clergy.	Burial, cremation and other choices
Home burial	Burial on private land, often after a home funeral in which the family cares for the body.	A shroud or container, the certified death certificate and permit fees, and any digging or equipment.	The death certificate is filed and a burial-transit permit issued before burial. Local zoning and permits apply. Nine states require a funeral director for some steps, by FCA's count; in Nebraska, a funeral director or designee supervises home burials. Varies by state	FCA says most states allow it on private property outside city limits, subject to local zoning. FCA's pamphlet (revised November 2020) lists California, Indiana and Washington as prohibiting home burial. FCA's restricted-state list: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York. Confirm with the county and your state funeral board.	Neither faith source we use addresses it; ask your clergy.	Burial, cremation and other choices

Your state against the lists

Limits

National lists do not settle what is legal or offered where you are. They are compiled by trade associations and a consumer group, they go out of date, and a legal option may have no provider nearby. Your state funeral board confirms what the law allows, and calls to nearby funeral homes, crematories and cemeteries confirm what is offered and at what price. The faith notes are each body's own description; your clergy or community decides what applies to your family.

Sources for this table

16 CFR Part 453, the Funeral Rule, eCFR. Definitions of direct cremation and immediate burial, the alternative container, embalming and outer burial container disclosures.
Types of Funerals, FTC. The three common types, their line items and the "usually costs less" wording.
The FTC Funeral Rule, FTC. Caskets for cremation, containers bought elsewhere, embalming and viewing.
Funeral Costs and Pricing Checklist, FTC. Cemetery line items and renting a casket for a viewing.
Green Burial Defined, Green Burial Council. The three cemetery categories.
Alkaline Hydrolysis, Cremation Association of North America (trade association). The process and the March 2026 state list.
Natural Organic Reduction, National Funeral Directors Association (trade association). The process and the May 2025 state list.
Licensure and Regulations of Reduction Facilities: Initial Statement of Reasons, California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. California's natural organic reduction law takes effect January 1, 2027 (California example).
Consumer Guide to Funeral & Cemetery Purchases, California Cemetery and Funeral Bureau. Containers for hydrolysis and reduction (California example).
Burial at Sea, U.S. EPA. Distance, depth, reporting and inland waters.
Florida Statutes 872.03, Florida Legislature. The 48-hour cremation wait (Florida example).
Code of Virginia 32.1-309.3, Virginia General Assembly. Medical examiner clearance before cremation or burial at sea (Virginia example).
Funeral Director's Handbook, 2019 revision, CDC NCHS. Disposition permits and extra authorization before cremation.
Whole Body Donation, Donate Life Texas. How programs differ, and why to keep a backup plan.
Willed Body Program FAQ, University of Kansas Medical Center. One program's rules on embalming, timing and transport.
Veterans burial allowance, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Burial types the allowance covers.
Schedule a burial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Navy burial at sea contact.
Scattering of Ashes Permit, Yellowstone, National Park Service. One park's permit rules.
Your Funeral Rights, Funeral Consumers Alliance (consumer group). Home burial states.
States that Restrict Caring for Your Own Dead, Funeral Consumers Alliance (consumer group). The nine states and the steps each restricts.
Guide to Cemetery Purchases, Funeral Consumers Alliance (consumer group). Burial on private land.
How to Arrange a Home Funeral, Funeral Consumers Alliance (consumer group). Cremation authorization and burial-transit permits.
Body, Organ and Brain Donation, Funeral Consumers Alliance (consumer group). States with anatomical boards.
An Overview of Catholic Funeral Rites, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The vigil, funeral liturgy and committal.
Guide to Jewish Funeral Practice, The Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative). Timing, embalming, cremation, autopsy and the casket.

Every source on this page was checked live on October 17, 2026. The full list is in the resource library.