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

If you are searching aquamation Kentucky or water cremation Kentucky, you are usually doing two things at once. You are trying to choose a disposition method that feels gentle, and you are trying to avoid an expensive or stressful mistake while you’re already carrying grief. Aquamation—more formally alkaline hydrolysis Kentucky, and sometimes called flameless cremation Kentucky or bio cremation Kentucky—has become part of that conversation because it feels different from fire-based cremation, and because more families are thinking about environmental impact alongside meaning.

At the same time, availability is not as simple as “Is it a real thing?” It is. The harder question is is aquamation legal in Kentucky, and if it is not available in-state, what your practical options are.

One reason this is coming up more often is that cremation itself is now the majority choice in the U.S. The National Funeral Directors Association reports a projected U.S. cremation rate of 63.4% in 2025, compared with a projected burial rate of 31.6%, and projects cremation will continue to rise over the coming decades. The Cremation Association of North America reports the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024. As cremation becomes more common, families naturally start asking deeper questions about process, values, and what comes next—like keeping ashes at home, what to do with ashes, and whether a water-based process might feel more peaceful.

What aquamation is (and what you receive afterward)

Aquamation is the popular name for alkaline hydrolysis, a water-based process that uses an alkaline solution, heat, and sometimes pressure or agitation to accelerate natural decomposition. The result, practically speaking, is similar to cremation in the way families experience it: you receive dry bone fragments that are then processed into a powder, comparable to cremated remains.

The National Funeral Directors Association describes the basic steps in plain terms: the body is placed in a chamber with water and an alkaline solution, heat and pressure speed the breakdown of soft tissue, and the remaining bones are processed into a fine powder similar to cremated ashes. The Cremation Association of North America adds important consumer details that families often wonder about: it describes the process as producing bone fragments and a neutral liquid effluent, notes the effluent is sterile and contains salts and amino acids, and states there is no tissue and no DNA left after the process completes.

One practical note that surprises people is volume. CANA notes alkaline hydrolysis can result in more processed remains than flame-based cremation and may require a larger urn. That matters for real-life planning: if you are choosing cremation urns for ashes now, you want enough capacity for the container you’ll actually receive.

Is aquamation legal in Kentucky right now?

This is where the search results can get confusing, because you will see directories and trackers that mix “legal,” “no law yet,” “pending,” and “available,” sometimes as if they mean the same thing. In Kentucky, the clearest starting point is Kentucky’s cremation statute language.

Kentucky’s statutory definition of “cremation” in KRS 367.97501 describes cremation as a heating process that reduces human remains through combustion and evaporation. That definition does not include alkaline hydrolysis. You can read the current definition directly in the Kentucky statute text here: KRS 367.97501 (Definitions).

Kentucky has also considered legislation that would have brought alkaline hydrolysis into the state’s cremation framework by defining it and amending the definition of cremation. For example, 21RS HB 346 was introduced in 2021 and did not advance beyond committee, and 22RS HB 25 was introduced in 2022 and likewise did not advance beyond committee.

A Kentucky Legislative Research Commission committee report section discussing “Liquid Cremation” states that alkaline hydrolysis is used in other states but Kentucky has no statutes that define the practice. You can see that language in the LRC Informational Bulletin (2021 Final Committee Reports).

Putting those pieces together, as of early 2026 the practical reality for most families is that aquamation laws Kentucky have not been updated to clearly authorize alkaline hydrolysis as a method of final disposition for human remains under Kentucky’s cremation statute framework, and you should expect that in-state human aquamation is not available in the way it is in states with explicit authorization and operating facilities.

If you want aquamation anyway: how Kentucky families typically make it happen

When aquamation is not available in-state, the “provider” question becomes less about finding a Kentucky facility and more about finding a licensed out-of-state facility and a Kentucky funeral home that can coordinate transportation, paperwork, and return of remains in a way that feels steady rather than chaotic.

CANA is direct about this reality: it notes that even where alkaline hydrolysis is legal, some places may still lack an operating provider, and in some cases the nearest provider may be in a neighboring state. CANA also notes that families can either work directly with an out-of-state alkaline hydrolysis facility or work with a local funeral home to arrange transfer and return of the cremated remains. You can read that guidance on CANA’s Alkaline Hydrolysis overview.

If you are calling providers, you will usually get clearer answers when you ask the question in the language they use operationally, not just the marketing term. In other words, ask: “Do you offer alkaline hydrolysis for human remains, and if not, do you coordinate transport to an out-of-state alkaline hydrolysis facility?” You can also ask what they call it on paperwork—alkaline hydrolysis, aquamation, resomation, or water cremation—because the terminology affects authorizations and forms.

It can also help to understand that legality is state-by-state. For example, Tennessee law includes a definition of alkaline hydrolysis in its funeral and cremation framework; one publicly accessible reference to that statutory language is Tennessee Code § 62-5-801 (definitions). That does not automatically make Tennessee the right option for every Kentucky family, but it illustrates what “explicitly authorized” looks like compared to “not defined in statute.”

If you want your local planning to feel calmer, it can help to pair the “disposition choice” question with the “memorial plan” question early. Funeral.com’s guide From Ashes to Meaning: A Practical Guide to Cremation Urns, Pet Urns, Cremation Jewelry, and Funeral Planning is designed to help families connect the “how” of disposition with the “what now” of funeral planning, without turning it into a project you have to manage alone.

Costs in 2026: what to expect when aquamation is out-of-state

Families searching aquamation cost Kentucky are often hoping for a simple number. In reality, you are budgeting for two layers: the disposition itself, and the logistics required to access it.

For context, the National Funeral Directors Association reports the national median cost of a funeral with cremation (in 2023) was $6,280, while the national median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was $8,300. Those are national medians and include service and merchandise assumptions that may not match your plan, but they help explain why many families start with a simple question like how much does cremation cost and then discover the answer depends on whether you are planning direct disposition only or adding ceremony, viewing, and travel.

On alkaline hydrolysis specifically, the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission committee report section on “Liquid Cremation” notes that average costs and related funeral home charges for processing a body via alkaline hydrolysis are very similar to those for flame cremation. That statement is one of the best Kentucky-specific “big picture” anchors currently available in public legislative materials, and you can read it in the LRC Informational Bulletin.

Because Kentucky families often need out-of-state service, the “extra” cost is frequently transportation. A local funeral home may charge for transfer to their care, sheltering/refrigeration, paperwork, and transport to the out-of-state facility (or coordination with a transport service). Then the out-of-state facility charges for alkaline hydrolysis itself and the return of remains. Some families also choose to add a memorial service later, which can be local and can be planned at a human pace.

If you want a steady framework for cost planning—what typically drives quotes up or down, which line items are “real requirements” versus optional choices, and how to compare providers—Funeral.com’s article Average Cremation Cost and What Changes the Price is built for exactly that moment. It can also be helpful to read it alongside an out-of-state planning guide when you are considering nearby options; for example, Funeral.com’s Tennessee Cremation Guide (2026) provides practical ranges and questions to ask in a state where families may look for services when they live near the border.

What happens to the “ashes” after aquamation: urns, keepsakes, jewelry, and water burial

A helpful way to think about aquamation is this: it changes the method, but it does not remove the need for the same human decisions afterward. You still have remains to care for. You still have a family to coordinate. And you still have to decide whether your plan is “home,” “cemetery,” “scattering,” or some combination.

If your plan includes a permanent home memorial, start with cremation urns for ashes and then narrow based on the emotional fit and the practical constraints of your space. If you need something compact—because you are sharing or because you want a smaller display—browse small cremation urns. If you are dividing remains among siblings or children, the most straightforward category is keepsake urns, because it is organized around the “share a portion” reality rather than guesswork.

If you are considering cremation jewelry, it helps to choose it as part of a bigger plan. Many families pair a primary urn with one or more cremation necklaces so the household has a stable “home base” while individuals can carry a small portion close. You can browse styles in Funeral.com’s cremation necklaces collection and get the practical, non-salesy guidance in Cremation Jewelry 101.

For families considering water burial, the most common choice is a fully biodegradable vessel designed for the environment where you will release the remains. Funeral.com’s Biodegradable & Eco-Friendly Urns for Ashes collection is curated for green burial and water ceremonies, and the Journal guide Water Burial Planning: A Simple Checklist for Families explains the real-world details (like wind, timing, and reporting) that families do not want to learn the hard way.

If your ceremony is a burial at sea in U.S. ocean waters, the authoritative starting point is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency burial-at-sea guidance, including the requirement to notify the EPA within 30 days following the event. NFDA also hosts a burial-at-sea overview PDF that summarizes key requirements in one place: U.S. Burial at Sea (NFDA PDF).

And if your family is still sitting in the “not ready to decide” space, that is normal. A gentle way forward is to choose a secure urn now and revisit scattering or burial later. Funeral.com’s guide What If You’re Not Ready to Decide What to Do With Ashes? is written for families who want permission to move at a human pace while still staying responsible.

Questions to ask when you are trying to arrange aquamation from Kentucky

When aquamation is out-of-state, the best calls are the ones that clarify logistics and prevent surprises. These are the questions that most often reduce stress later:

• Do you coordinate alkaline hydrolysis for human remains, and if the facility is out-of-state, who handles transport and chain-of-custody?
• What is included in your quote (transfer, refrigeration, paperwork, transport, return of remains), and what is not included?
• What is the estimated timeline from transfer into care to return of processed remains?
• How will the remains be returned (temporary container, sealed inner bag, and what volume should we expect)?
• Are there any county or facility-specific requirements we should know about (medical device handling, authorizations, additional permits)?
• What are our options if we want a local memorial service in Kentucky after the remains are returned?

Once you have those answers, you can choose memorial items with confidence—whether that means a full-size urn, a few keepsakes, or cremation jewelry that fits daily life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where this leaves most Kentucky families

If you came here hoping for a simple yes-or-no, the honest answer is that most families will find aquamation is not available as an in-state option for human disposition in Kentucky right now. But that does not mean your values have nowhere to go. Many families choose a plan that is both practical and gentle: use a local funeral home for care, paperwork, and support; coordinate an out-of-state alkaline hydrolysis facility if that is the right fit; and then focus your attention where it often matters most emotionally—creating a memorial plan that feels like your person.

When you are ready to choose memorial items, you can keep it simple: start with cremation urns for ashes, add keepsake urns if you are sharing, and consider cremation necklaces if someone needs closeness they can carry. If your plan includes a water ceremony, browse biodegradable urns built for that moment and confirm the rules for your location before you purchase.