Cremation urns for ashes in California
California has both a high cremation rate and some of the most detailed public rules in the country for scattering. Families in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, and the rest of the state often look for a cremation urn for ashes, cremation jewelry, or a lawful California ash-scattering plan.
The NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report projected a 71.6% cremation rate for California in 2025, seventeenth in the public state table — just behind Wisconsin and New Mexico — and up from 70.5% in the 2024 column. The national projection in the same table was 63.3%. California is included in this set because of that still-high rate, the size of its metros, and the fact that many of The Memorial Market’s live boat and plane ash-scattering listings serve the California coast.
The Memorial Market is an online marketplace, not a California funeral home. We do not operate a walk-in shop in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, or Sacramento. Independent sellers list cremation urns for ashes, cremation jewelry, and coastal scattering memorials that families can book or have shipped.
Ash scattering in California
California Health and Safety Code section 7116 allows cremated or hydrolyzed remains to be scattered in an area where no local prohibition exists if the remains are not distinguishable to the public, are not in a container, and the person with control of disposition has written permission of the property owner or governing agency. A state or local agency may authorize or specifically prohibit scattering on land it manages. California State Parks says this written-permission rule is strictly enforced and warns of a possible $500 fine and/or six months in jail for violations. A permit is required to scatter in the State Park System. Parks do not allow scattering on trails, at archaeological or Native American burial sites, or on beaches (the federal three-nautical-mile ocean rule). No permanent marker may be left.
Section 7117 covers scattering at sea. Remains may be taken by boat from any harbor in the state, or by air, and scattered at sea, and must be removed from their container. The person must file a verified statement with the local registrar of births and deaths in the county nearest the scattering and file the endorsed permit within 10 days. “At sea” includes the inland navigable waters of the state, exclusive of lakes and streams, and no scattering may take place within 500 yards of the shoreline. The section does not allow scattering from a bridge or pier. Federal EPA rules also require at least three nautical miles from land for ocean waters and notice within 30 days; a biodegradable memorial urn is the usual vessel because non-decomposable materials may not be left in the ocean.
National Park Service units in California are additionally covered by 36 C.F.R. 2.62.
Cremation urns, jewelry, and memorials for California families
These memorials are from the live Memorial Market catalog — cremation urns for ashes, cremation jewelry, and related tributes. The Memorial Market is an online marketplace and does not operate a funeral home or showroom in this city. Boat or plane ash-scattering listings, when shown, are the actual departure areas named on those listings.
Cities in California
Frequently asked questions
What is the cremation rate in California?
The National Funeral Directors Association’s 2024 Cremation & Burial Report projected that 71.6% of deaths in California would be cremated in 2025, compared with a national projection of 63.3% in the same table. Those figures are projections, not a final vital-statistics release. A later NFDA report, announced in October 2025, updated the national 2025 projection to 63.4%. The Cremation Association of North America has separately reported a U.S. cremation rate of 62.8% in 2025. CANA’s full state table is not published publicly.
Do I need written permission to scatter ashes in California?
Yes, for land scattering under Health and Safety Code section 7116: written permission of the property owner or governing agency, remains not in a container and not distinguishable to the public, and no local prohibition. State Parks require a permit. This is not legal advice.
How far from shore must a California ocean scattering be?
Health and Safety Code section 7117 says no scattering may take place within 500 yards of the shoreline, and it forbids scattering from a bridge or pier or in a lake or stream. The federal EPA rule for ocean waters is at least three nautical miles from land, which is farther, and California State Parks cite that federal distance as the reason ashes may not be scattered on California beaches. Follow both the state and federal requirements. This is not legal advice.
What is a biodegradable memorial urn?
A biodegradable memorial urn is a vessel designed to break down in soil or water, often chosen for a burial or a water scattering. The U.S. EPA’s general permit for burial at sea allows only materials that are readily decomposable in the marine environment — plastic or metal containers must not be left in the ocean. The Memorial Market’s current urn listings are primarily artisan ceramic, glass, and sculptural cremation urns for ashes; none of the published titles are labeled biodegradable. If you need a water-soluble vessel for an ocean ceremony, confirm the material with the seller or your charter captain before you buy.
Does The Memorial Market have a store or funeral home in California?
No. The Memorial Market is an online marketplace. We do not operate a showroom, funeral home, or staffed office in California. Families there can browse cremation urns for ashes, cremation jewelry, and other memorials on the site, and vendors ship completed pieces. Local funeral homes, crematories, and park agencies handle arrangements and any permits where you live.
Sources
This page summarizes published statistics and public rules to help families plan. It is not legal advice. Rules can change, and parks, cemeteries, and landowners may have their own requirements — confirm with the agency or owner that manages the place you have in mind.