Aquamation in Indiana is not legally available for human remains. State law defines cremation as a heat-based process, and no separate legal category exists for alkaline hydrolysis, the water-and-alkali method sometimes called aquamation or liquid cremation. Roughly 29 states authorize it; Indiana is not one of them. If you want this option for yourself or a family member, you’ll need to arrange services through an out-of-state provider, and Illinois is the most practical choice.
Why It Isn’t Legal in Indiana
Indiana’s cremation chapter defines the process as “the technical process, using heat, that reduces human remains to bone fragments,” including the follow-up step of grinding those fragments into powder.1Justia. Indiana Code Title 23, Article 14, Chapter 31 – Cremation Alkaline hydrolysis uses a potassium hydroxide solution rather than heat as its primary mechanism, so it falls outside that definition. Indiana has no separate licensing framework for non-thermal disposition, which means no funeral home or crematory in the state can legally offer aquamation for human remains.
Operating a crematory without proper registration is a Class A misdemeanor.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 23-14-31-52 – Violations; Offenses A facility performing alkaline hydrolysis on human remains without legislative authorization would face enforcement from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and potential criminal charges.
One point of confusion worth clearing up: aquamation for pets is widely available across Indiana. Animal disposition is governed by different and less restrictive rules, so the availability of pet aquamation locally doesn’t mean the same service exists for humans.
Where the Law Stands After the 2025 Legislative Session
Lawmakers have tried to change this. House Bill 1044, introduced in January 2025, would have expanded the definition of cremation to include alkaline hydrolysis and directed the State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service to adopt operating rules for these facilities before January 2026. The bill was reassigned to a Senate committee but died without becoming law in April 2025. No successor bill has been introduced as of early 2026.
Several states have taken multiple sessions to pass similar legislation, and Indiana advocates are likely to reintroduce a bill. For now, the heat-only definition still controls.
Arranging Aquamation Through an Illinois Provider
Illinois is the nearest state where aquamation is legal for human remains. Ohio and Kentucky have not authorized it. Michigan’s legal status is ambiguous, with some tracking resources listing it as technically legal but poorly regulated and without operating facilities. For most Indiana residents, Illinois is the realistic option.
An Indiana funeral director typically handles the initial paperwork and coordinates transport of the remains to the receiving facility. Professional ground transport generally runs between $1.00 and $4.00 per loaded mile, so distance matters. The aquamation service itself tends to cost between $1,300 and $4,600 nationally, with a rough average around $2,500. That range is comparable to traditional cremation on its own, but transport fees can push the total higher.
Before remains can cross state lines, the funeral director needs a burial transit permit issued by the local health officer in the Indiana county where the death occurred. Embalming rules for interstate transport vary, so the receiving state’s requirements also need to be checked. A funeral director experienced with interstate transfers will handle the logistics, but families should expect the arrangement to add a few days to the timeline compared with a local service.
Indiana requires a certified death certificate before any final disposition can proceed. A physician or local health officer signs the certificate stating the cause of death; the funeral director supplies the remaining information and files with the local health department. The local health officer then issues a disposition permit, which in Indiana can only go to a licensed funeral director.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 23-14-31-36 – Time; Human Remains Containing Hazardous Materials; Exceptions
Making Sure Your Wishes Are Honored
If you want aquamation for yourself, the most important step is putting your wishes in writing through a funeral planning declaration under Indiana Code 29-2-19. This document lets you name a specific person to carry out your disposition instructions and is legally binding on your survivors.
Without a declaration, the decision falls to a priority list set by state law: first a power of attorney holder or health care representative, then your surviving spouse, then a majority of your adult children.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 25-15-9-18 – Priority Among Persons as to Authority to Determine Final Disposition of Human Remains If your family doesn’t know you wanted aquamation, or if the people with legal authority disagree, your preference may not be followed.
Your declaration should specify alkaline hydrolysis, name the person authorized to arrange it, and ideally identify a specific out-of-state provider or direct the authorized person to locate one. Share copies with the person you’ve named, your family, and your attorney. Because the service requires interstate coordination, giving your representative concrete direction reduces the burden on them later.
What the Process Involves and What Families Receive
The body is placed in a stainless steel pressurized vessel and submerged in a solution of roughly 95 percent water and 5 percent alkali, typically potassium hydroxide. The vessel heats to between 200 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit while pressure keeps the liquid from boiling. Over a cycle lasting three to sixteen hours, the alkaline environment breaks down proteins and fats into a sterile liquid. The liquid is drained and discharged into the municipal wastewater system. What remains in the vessel are the mineral components of bone, primarily calcium phosphate, along with any medical implants.
One practical note: pacemakers and other battery-powered implants do not need to be surgically removed beforehand, because the lower operating temperature avoids the explosion risk that flame cremation carries. Joint replacements and dental hardware come through intact and are separated from the bone minerals afterward.
The bone minerals are dried and processed into a fine powder. The result is lighter in color and slightly more voluminous than traditional cremation ash because it contains no carbon soot or charred material. The powder is placed in an urn or temporary container and returned to the family, along with documentation completing the chain of custody. Indiana law requires the crematory authority to provide a signed receipt when releasing remains, covering the date, the name of the person receiving them, and the identity of the person who released them.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 23-14-31-32 – Receipts Provided by Crematory Authority
Once you have the remains, they can be scattered, buried, kept at home, or divided among family members, the same as traditional cremation ashes. The powder is sterile and chemically stable, so no special handling is required.