By Dmitriy Tyutyunik · Updated September 23, 2026 · Editorial policy

Quick answer: how much does burial at sea cost? Unattended ash scattering typically runs $100–$500, attended ash-scattering charters about $350–$2,900, and a private full-body burial at sea typically $7,000–$17,000 — all far below our modeled national estimate of $9,140 for a traditional funeral. The U.S. Navy's burial-at-sea program is free of charge for eligible service members, veterans, and their families. Federal EPA rules require every sea burial to take place at least 3 nautical miles from land, and to be reported to the EPA within 30 days.

NFDA 2023 medians adjusted to August 2026 dollars via BLS CPI for funeral expenses; 2024 BEA regional price parities. Last updated 2026-09-23.

How much does burial at sea cost? The price table

Prices for burial at sea depend almost entirely on one decision: whether the body is cremated or intact, and whether the family is on the boat. Ranges below come from pricing published by U.S. coastal operators in 2026:

• Unattended ash scattering: ~$100–$500. You mail or drop off the cremated remains; a licensed captain performs the release at least 3 nautical miles offshore and returns GPS coordinates and a certificate. Video of the release is often a separate charge (around $100).
• Attended ash scattering, small group: ~$350–$875 for 1.5–3 hours aboard a modest vessel.
• Attended ash scattering, larger group or longer trip: ~$875–$1,800; premium or extended yacht charters run $1,800–$2,900+. A Florida operator, for example, charges $550 for an attended service for up to 3 people; a San Diego company prices an all-inclusive 2.5-hour memorial aboard a vintage yacht at $2,925.
• Full-body private burial at sea: typically ~$7,000–$17,000. New England Burials at Sea prices its shroud-based full-body service starting at $8,975; another operator quotes roughly $11,850 for vessel, shroud, and ballast; a New England funeral-home interview pegs the all-in cost around $16,500 including the boat, shroud, weights, crew, admin, and gratuity — with the funeral home's own preparation and transport fees on top.
• U.S. Navy burial-at-sea program: free of charge for eligible families. The family is responsible for getting the remains to the port of embarkation.

Watch for add-ons that catch families off guard: storage fees if the operator holds the remains before the trip (about $50/week is common), charges for additional individuals (~$100 per person), and documentation like video. Ask for the total in writing before you book. A biodegradable water urn for an attended scattering typically costs $50–$250; see our scattering ashes laws & costs guide for more on urns and state-by-state ash rules.

The U.S. Navy's burial-at-sea program: who qualifies and what's covered

The Navy has performed burials at sea from deployed vessels for centuries, and the program is still active: Military OneSource reports the Navy performs an average of about 1,500 cremated-remains and 15 casketed burials at sea per year. Per the Navy's own MyNavy HR burial-at-sea page, eligibility covers: (1) active-duty members of the uniformed services; (2) retired members; (3) former members who were honorably discharged; (4) U.S. civilian marine personnel of the Military Sealift Command; and (5) dependent family members of active-duty personnel, retirees, and veterans.

What's covered: the ceremony itself is free of charge to eligible families, per Military OneSource. The committal ceremony is performed while the ship is deployed, so family members may not be present — this is the trade-off. Afterward, the ship's commanding officer notifies the family with the date, time, and longitude/latitude, and may send photos or video. The Navy says to expect an average of 12–18 months from when the remains arrive at the port of embarkation until the committal. To apply, the primary next of kin requests a packet from the Navy/Marine Corps Mortuary Affairs office and submits a death certificate, burial-transit permit (or cremation certificate), and the DD Form 214 or discharge paperwork.

What's not covered: the family pays to get the remains to the port of embarkation — and most eligible veterans' funerals still involve standard funeral-home costs for preparation and transport before that point. Veterans also have separate burial benefits (headstone, flag, plot) through the VA; see our veterans burial benefits guide for the full picture.

EPA rules for burial at sea: the 3-nautical-mile rule

Sea burials in the U.S. are governed by the federal Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, with the details in EPA regulation 40 CFR 229.1. The EPA's burial-at-sea page lays out a general permit — meaning you don't apply for a permit in advance, but you must follow the conditions:

• Distance: every sea burial must take place at least 3 nautical miles from land (about 3.5 regular miles). The EPA measures from the ordinary low-water mark, and for bays and river mouths the starting line can be the charted line across the bay entrance — so you may have to sail further than the shoreline you see from the dock.
• Cremated remains: may be buried at any ocean depth, scattered loose or placed in a biodegradable urn, as long as they're at least 3 nautical miles out.
• Intact (non-cremated) remains: must be at least 3 nautical miles out and in ocean water at least 600 feet deep — 1,800 feet in certain Florida waters (east central Florida, the Dry Tortugas, and west of Pensacola to the Mississippi River Delta). The EPA also requires all necessary measures so the remains sink to the bottom rapidly and permanently: biodegradable shrouds, weights (iron chain, not lead), banded biodegradable caskets with holes.
• Flowers and wreaths: only materials that decompose readily in the marine environment — no plastic, synthetic, or fabric wreaths.
• Reporting: all burials at sea must be reported to the EPA within 30 days of the event, using the EPA's burial-at-sea reporting tool.

State law sits on top of federal law. California, for example, requires a disposition-of-remains permit from the county, which a crematorium or charter operator normally obtains. Private charter companies typically handle both the EPA filing and state paperwork as part of their fee — ask explicitly whether they do.

Private charter companies: what to ask before you book

Dozens of licensed operators work U.S. coasts. The vessel, coast, and trip length drive the price — a one-hour attended scattering off Florida can run $550, while a half-day vintage yacht in San Diego runs $2,925. Before booking, ask:

• Is the release guaranteed at least 3 nautical miles out? Reputable operators sail to GPS-verified points and give you the coordinates in writing.
• Is the operator licensed? Look for a USCG-licensed captain; many companies also advertise EPA compliance and state cremated-remains-disposer licensing where required.
• What's included in the total? Coordinates certificate, photos, video, storage, extra guests — get the itemized total in writing, not just a "starting at" price.
• What happens in bad weather? Most operators reschedule or refund weather cancellations; confirm the policy before you pay a deposit.
• For full-body burials: confirm the shroud or casket is fully biodegradable, weighted, and EPA-compliant — and budget a longer offshore voyage, which is why full-body services cost several times more than ash scatterings.

A low-cost alternative some families use: major cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and others) allow ash scattering from the ship, and several charge no fee beyond the cruise fare and the urn — the ceremony is complimentary and the ship files the paperwork. But you're scattering on the ship's itinerary, not choosing the location or date, so it's not equivalent to a private charter.

How burial at sea compares to other options

On cost alone, sea disposition is one of the cheapest final options. Unattended ash scattering ($100–$500, plus cremation — our modeled national estimate for direct cremation is $3,030) lands in the same neighborhood as scattering ashes on land. Even a private full-body sea burial at $7,000–$17,000 compares favorably with a traditional burial: our modeled national estimate for a traditional funeral is $9,140, and that's before the plot and grave-opening fees — see our funeral cost breakdown and cremation cost guide. The one real price competitor among traditional options is green burial, which avoids embalming and vaults.

The trade-offs aren't financial: there's no grave to visit (the coordinates are the marker), intact sea burial requires traveling well offshore to reach the required depth (off New England that's a ~45-mile voyage; off much of the West Coast, under 10 miles), and the Navy option means waiting a year or more with no family attendance. For many families those are acceptable — for sailors and ocean lovers, the sea is the point.

Frequently asked questions

Scattering ashes: laws & costs → · Cremation costs → · Veterans burial benefits → · Funeral cost breakdown →

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