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

After a death, decisions can feel urgent even when your heart is not ready. If you searched aquamation Minnesota, you are likely trying to choose a disposition method that fits your loved one’s values and your family’s reality—timelines, budgets, travel, and paperwork. Aquamation—also called water cremation Minnesota, flameless cremation Minnesota, or alkaline hydrolysis Minnesota—is a lower-flame alternative to traditional cremation. You may also see it described as green cremation Minnesota, eco friendly cremation Minnesota, or bio cremation Minnesota. It still leaves you with the same next questions: how to plan a service, what to do with ashes, and how to choose the right cremation urns or cremation jewelry to carry meaning forward.

This 2026 guide focuses on four things Minnesota families most often need: is aquamation legal in Minnesota, how to find aquamation providers Minnesota, what typical aquamation cost Minnesota looks like, and how aquamation connects to practical memorial choices like cremation urns for ashes, small cremation urns, keepsake urns, and keeping ashes at home.

What aquamation is (and what you receive afterward)

Aquamation is the everyday name for alkaline hydrolysis, a water-based process that returns a body to its essential elements using water, alkaline chemicals, heat, agitation, and pressure. Minnesota law defines “alkaline hydrolysis” as a form of final disposition (see Minnesota Statutes Chapter 149A).

Families often ask, “Will we still get ashes?” The law refers to “hydrolyzed remains,” but in practical terms the remains are processed into a clean, fine powder similar to cremated remains—something that can be placed into an urn, divided into keepsakes, or used for scattering.

Legal status in 2026: aquamation laws in Minnesota

If you are researching aquamation laws Minnesota or alkaline hydrolysis laws Minnesota, Minnesota’s rules are detailed in a way that protects families. State law regulates identification, privacy, and commingling; for example, it requires licensed alkaline hydrolysis facilities to maintain an identification procedure and place an identifying disk or label with the remains, and it restricts commingling unless there is express written permission (see Minnesota Statutes § 149A.941).

Licensing matters, too. Minnesota’s licensing portal includes a “Funeral Establishment / Crematory / Alkaline Hydrolysis facility” license category (see Minnesota eLicensing). Not every funeral home has an alkaline hydrolysis unit in-house, but a funeral home can still coordinate aquamation through a licensed facility.

How to find aquamation providers in Minnesota

When families search for water cremation providers Minnesota, the most reliable first step is to ask a local funeral home two practical questions: where the disposition will occur and how pricing will be disclosed. Minnesota law requires funeral providers to list separate prices for alkaline hydrolysis and describe what is included (see Minnesota Statutes § 149A.71), which means you can request the General Price List and an itemized estimate before making a commitment.

Providers who publicly describe offering aquamation include Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation in Shakopee (see their water cremation services page) and Roberts Family Funerals Reimagined (see their cremation information page). Availability can change, so treat examples as a starting point and verify licensing and pricing in writing.

Four questions that prevent surprises

• Where will the alkaline hydrolysis take place: in-house or at a partner facility?
• Is the facility licensed in Minnesota, and how can we verify it?
• Is the quoted price bundled or itemized (transfer, basic services, permits, disposition fee, return container)?
• What is the expected timeline for returning the remains, and what container will they be returned in?

Aquamation cost in Minnesota: what published price lists show

Families searching alkaline hydrolysis cost Minnesota usually want a realistic range without guesswork. A helpful place to start is published General Price Lists.

Washburn-McReavy’s GPL (effective November 1, 2025) lists an “Immediate Aquamation (Alkaline Hydrolysis)” package total of $3,980 (see Washburn-McReavy GPL PDF). Gill Brothers’ GPL (effective December 21, 2023) lists an alkaline hydrolysis fee of $700 among other crematory-related fees (see Gill Brothers General Price List). Your total can move higher or lower based on transportation distance, paperwork, and whether you add a service.

If you’re also comparing traditional cremation, it’s natural to ask how much does cremation cost and what changes the number. The clearest way to compare is to match service level to service level: direct disposition versus disposition plus ceremony. Funeral.com’s cremation cost breakdown explains common line items and what to watch for.

Why aquamation is showing up in more funeral planning conversations

Aquamation is easier to find now partly because cremation is now the majority choice nationally. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected at 63.4% for 2025, and NFDA reports 61.4% of consumers would be interested in exploring “green” funeral options. At the same time, CANA notes that alkaline hydrolysis remains a small share overall—estimated around 0.1% nationally (see the Cremation Association of North America 2025 statistics preview). In practical terms, Minnesota may allow it, but not every market has easy access.

After aquamation: urns, keepsakes, jewelry, and “what do we do now?”

Once disposition is scheduled, families often feel relief—and then a new question lands: what to do with ashes. Some families plan an immediate ceremony. Others choose a respectful “hold now, decide later” approach. If you are considering keeping ashes at home, the Journal article Keeping Ashes at Home: What’s Normal, What’s Not offers practical guidance on safe placement, family agreement, and how to make the memorial feel steady rather than awkward.

For a primary urn, many families begin by browsing Funeral.com’s collection of cremation urns for ashes. If you already know you will divide remains, look at keepsake urns for sharing and small cremation urns for compact home memorials. If you want help choosing by material and placement, start with How to Choose a Cremation Urn.

If your plan includes the water—lake, river, or ocean—be clear about what you mean by water burial. Families use that phrase for both scattering and biodegradable-urn ceremonies, and the rules vary by location. Funeral.com’s water burial and burial at sea guide explains the difference and the practical steps families use to plan respectfully.

For a portable keepsake, cremation jewelry is designed to hold a very small portion of remains. Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces collections make it easier to compare closures and materials, and the Journal guide Cremation Jewelry 101 answers common questions about filling and everyday wear.

Pet urns: a separate grief with its own practical needs

If your household is also grieving a pet, you may be searching for pet urns or pet urns for ashes. Funeral.com’s pet cremation urns collection includes classic vessels, photo urns, and animal-themed designs, including pet figurine cremation urns and pet keepsake cremation urns for sharing. If you want a calm sizing walkthrough, start with Pet Urns for Ashes: A Complete Guide for Dog and Cat Owners.

Frequently asked questions