Collecting the ashes of a loved one after cremation can be an emotional experience. You arrive at the funeral home empty-handed, but you don’t leave that way. It’s normal to feel uncertain about what the drive home should look like. And if you heed to travel with your loved one a long distance, whether by car, train or plane, you may wonder what you can or should do.
There are rules about how ashes can be transported. While an uncomfortable topic, it’s best to understand some of the do’s and don’ts. Let me offer some guidance about transporting ashes so you can worry less.
There aren’t laws about traveling with ashes in a car within the United States, so you can decide what feels right. Some people feel uncomfortable placing ashes in the trunk or on the floorboard. Wherever you choose to place the ashes, it’s important to make sure the urn or other container is well sealed to prevent spilling and that the urn or container is secured so it doesn’t bounce around and get damaged.
Flying With Ashes
Transporting ashes by plane can be more complicated than transporting ashes by car. Each airline has its own rules. Start by talking to someone at the airline or checking the airline’s website. The first choice you’ll need to make is whether you’ll take the ashes onboard with you or place them in your checked baggage. Most of the time, it’s better to take the ashes with you onboard the plane; checked baggage is often handled roughly and may get delayed or lost in transit.
To guard against breakage or spillage and allow for X-ray scanning, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) currently requires cremation containers to be made of fabric, glass, wood, plastic or non-lead-lined ceramic. Keep in mind, however, that ceramic and glass urns may get broken in transit. TSA agents cannot open an urn- even with your permission- so if the X-ray machine can’t pick up a clear picture of what’s inside the container, they will not allow the urn on the plane.
The container will need to meet the size and weight requirements for carry-on luggage, and some airlines require a certificate of cremation or a death certificate. Check with your airline for requirements before you arrive at the airport.
Be aware that TSA and the airlines change their policies and regulations from time to time, so be sure to talk to someone at the airline or check the airline’s website before you arrive at the airport with ashes.
Transporting Ashes Across State Lines or to Another Country
Many people want to be returned to their home countries after death, or they wish for their ashes to be scattered in places they loved abroad. Taking ashes to another country can involve some bureaucracy, as each country has its own regulations and policies.
If you want to travel with or transport ashes from the United States to another country, you’re likely going to need special documents. These may include a burial transit permit, which gives authorities in the destination country the ability to track where the ashes came from and shows you have permission to transport them. You may also need an overseas certificate (also called a Certificate of Entry of Cremation), which contains information about the crematory where the loved one was cremated. It’s also a good idea to take a death certificate or cremation certificate, even though not all countries require it. It might also be helpful to reach out to the US embassy for the destination country to make sure you have everything you might need.
If you’re bringing or sending ashes into the United States from abroad, there aren’t as many restrictions. Even a death certificate is not needed (though it can’t hurt to have a copy with you). You simply need to make sure that the container is able to be X-rayed and always declare the ashes to U.S. Customs and Border Protection so they’re handled properly. Take note of whatever paperwork and container your international airline requires.
To discuss your NJ estate administration & probate matter, please contact Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq. at (732) 863-9900 or email him at fniemann@hnlawfirm.com. Please ask us about our video conferencing or telephone consultations if you are unable to come to our office.
By Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq. of Hanlon Niemann & Wright, a Freehold Township, Monmouth County, NJ Estate Administration and Probate Attorney