Aquamation (Water Cremation) in Indiana (2026): Legal Status, Providers & Costs

When a family asks for a “gentler” kind of cremation

Whether you are planning ahead or making decisions after a death, it is natural to want choices that feel both practical and respectful. In Indiana, more families are now asking about aquamation—often searched as aquamation indiana, water cremation indiana, or alkaline hydrolysis indiana. You may also hear it described as flameless cremation indiana or bio cremation indiana. The question is usually simple and personal: “Is there a way to avoid flame, and still bring our loved one home in a form we can honor?”

That interest is arriving at a time when cremation is already the norm for many Americans. The National Funeral Directors Association projects a 63.4% U.S. cremation rate in 2025, and the Cremation Association of North America reports the U.S. cremation rate reached 61.8% in 2024. As cremation grows, so does the desire for options that feel more personal and, for some families, less connected to flame.

What aquamation is, and what you receive back

Aquamation is a form of alkaline hydrolysis: a water-based process that uses heat and an alkaline solution to accelerate natural decomposition. The Cremation Association of North America explains that alkaline hydrolysis results in bone fragments that are then processed into cremated remains—similar to what families receive after flame-based cremation.

That detail matters because it keeps your next decisions familiar. Families who choose aquamation still decide what to do with ashes: keep the remains at home, place them in a cemetery, scatter them in a meaningful location, or share small portions among relatives. In other words, aquamation does not eliminate the need to choose cremation urns for ashes or cremation jewelry; it simply changes the method used before those choices come into focus.

One practical nuance is sizing. CANA notes that alkaline hydrolysis can produce a larger volume of cremated remains than traditional cremation (in some cases, around 32% more). That can influence whether you choose a full-size urn, add keepsake urns, or avoid urns designed only for a very small portion.

Legal status in Indiana in 2026

Families searching “is aquamation legal in indiana” are usually trying to answer a practical question: can an Indiana funeral home arrange aquamation as a standard, in-state option today? As of January 2026, Indiana has not yet fully authorized alkaline hydrolysis as a routine disposition method for human remains.

Legislative efforts are ongoing. A 2025 proposal (Indiana HB 1044) advanced through the House but did not become law; LegiScan lists it as having died in committee after moving to the Senate. You can review that history on LegiScan’s HB 1044 page.

In the 2026 session, a new proposal has been introduced to add alkaline hydrolysis to Indiana’s definition of cremation—often discussed online as aquamation laws indiana or alkaline hydrolysis laws indiana. For the most current status (hearings, votes, amendments), monitor LegiScan’s SB 22 tracking page. Because access depends on both law and licensing, a licensed funeral director can also tell you what is legal and available in your area right now.

Providers and nearby alternatives if Indiana options are limited

If you are searching for aquamation providers indiana or water cremation providers indiana right now, you may find more “information” pages than true in-state availability. When access is limited, families typically do one of two things: ask an Indiana funeral home to coordinate an out-of-state partner facility, or contact an out-of-state provider directly and then work with local professionals for transport and paperwork.

The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County, Illinois notes that nearby hydrolysis facilities for their region are in northern Illinois and describes arrangements that involve transportation to South Holland, IL. As you research, it helps to see what “real” offerings look like, so here are two Illinois examples that publicly describe alkaline hydrolysis (included as starting points, not endorsements):

• Evergreen Cremation Services (Champaign, IL) lists a “Flameless Cremation” package that includes transportation to South Holland, IL.
• AquaGreen Dispositions describes aquamation services in the Chicago area.

Costs: what families are really paying for

Cost conversations can feel uncomfortable, but clarity protects families. A useful first step is understanding what your quote includes: the disposition method itself, required permits and paperwork, transportation, and any memorial service you are planning.

Nationally, the NFDA reports a 2023 national median cost of $6,280 for a funeral with cremation. A direct cremation is often less, while a service with viewing, venue, staff, and merchandise can raise the total. When you ask how much does cremation cost, the services you choose can matter as much as the method.

For aquamation, availability and transport can be major cost drivers. One published example is Evergreen Cremation Services’ pricing: a basic cremation package listed at $995 and a “Flameless Cremation” package listed at $1,595 that includes transportation to South Holland, Illinois. See their pricing page for context, and ask your funeral home which transfers and permits apply for an Indiana case. If you are researching aquamation cost indiana or alkaline hydrolysis cost indiana, treat any online number as a starting point and insist on a written quote. For a broader explanation of pricing terms and package structures, see Funeral.com’s How Much Does Cremation Cost? guide.

After aquamation: urns, jewelry, keeping ashes at home, and scattering

Once the cremated remains are returned, many families discover that the hardest decision is not “which method,” but what to do with ashes. It can help to remember that there is no universal timeline. You can begin with a temporary container and choose a permanent memorial later, when decisions feel less raw.

NFDA research reflects how varied these choices are. According to the NFDA, among people who prefer cremation, 37.1% would prefer to have their remains kept in an urn at home, 33.5% would prefer scattering, and 10.5% would like the remains split among relatives. Those preferences are why families so often combine one primary urn with smaller keepsakes.

If your plan is to keep remains at home, start with Funeral.com’s collection of cremation urns for ashes—a full range of cremation urns designed to hold an entire set of cremated remains. If you expect to share among siblings or children, add keepsake urns or small cremation urns. If you are unsure about sizing—especially with aquamation’s potential for a larger volume—Funeral.com’s How to Choose a Cremation Urn guide can help you match size, material, and display style to your plan.

For families who prefer a private memorial, cremation jewelry can be a quiet comfort. Many cremation necklaces hold only a small portion, which can also help when multiple relatives want a memorial but you do not want to divide a main urn too far. Cremation Jewelry 101 explains how these pieces are typically filled, sealed, and cared for.

Families also ask about keeping ashes at home—how to do it safely, how to travel, and what to do if plans change later. Funeral.com’s Keeping Ashes at Home guide covers those practical details. And if water was meaningful to your loved one, water burial or water scattering can be a natural fit; Funeral.com’s Water Burial guide walks through common requirements and ceremony ideas.

Finally, if you are honoring a beloved pet, the same care applies. Funeral.com’s pet urns and pet urns for ashes include options designed for companion animals, including pet cremation urns, pet figurine cremation urns, and pet keepsake cremation urns. If you want help choosing a style and size, see Funeral.com’s Pet Urns for Ashes guide.

Questions to ask before you commit

The right funeral director will welcome questions—especially when laws and logistics are still evolving. If you are comparing providers or deciding whether to wait, these questions tend to bring the clearest answers:

• Is alkaline hydrolysis currently authorized for human remains in Indiana, and if not, do you coordinate an out-of-state option?
• Which facility performs the alkaline hydrolysis, and where is it located?
• What transportation fees and permits apply, and are they included in the quote?
• How long should we expect from authorization to the return of cremated remains?
• How much cremated remains should we expect back, and what urn size do you recommend?

Good funeral planning is not about perfect decisions. It is about reducing uncertainty—so your family can focus on remembering, not second-guessing.

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