Alaska Laws & Regulations

Funerals, Burial, and Cremation in Alaska:

• Embalming and caskets are not required for burial or cremation by Alaska law, though specific policies at individual cemeteries, funeral homes, and crematories may vary
• You do not have to buy a funeral home's casket or urn; Federal guidelines require funeral homes to accept caskets and urns obtained from other sources.
• Alaska has no legal requirement to use a funeral home. You have the right to make your own funeral arrangements. You also have the right to work with a funeral home for some services (e.g., body transit assistance and paperwork filing) while handling other aspects (e.g., a home funeral) yourself.
• Information about Burial Transit Permits and obtaining Death Certificates is available through the Division of Public Health. 
• Burying human remains on private land:  Within the Municipality of Anchorage, local ordinances require that human remains be buried in an approved cemetery. Outside of the MOA, please refer to the Division of Environmental Health's recommendations.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.