Get Michigan-Specific Frequently Asked Questions

Michigan cremation laws permit the scattering or burial of cremated remains in various locations, from cemeteries and private property, to even public land and waterways. However, whether you can scatter or bury remains in specific locations is dependent on some restrictions.

You are allowed to scatter ashes on your own private property. If you want to scatter ashes on someone else's private land, it's wise to get permission from the landowner.

As a rule of thumb, assume you can't scatter ashes somewhere unless you have written consent from the property owner. However, three places are always off-limits: lakes, rivers, and streams.

Verified Information. The MDHHS State Emergency Relief (SER) program provides financial assistance to help pay for burials, cremations, or costs associated with donation of a body to a medical school.

Michigan law permits the establishment of private burial grounds of less than one acre in size outside city or village limits. The property must be surveyed and recorded in the county register's office; the land will then be exempt from taxation.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): DHHS offers emergency burial money to go towards the expenses of a funeral or cremation, but does not cover the full amount. To see if you qualify, please contact your local county DHHS office before the burial or cremation takes place.

Direct cremation is your least expensive cremation option. This is when a cremation is simply carried out without a service or ceremony. It is a simple, dignified cremation of the deceased with minimal 'fuss' and at a minimal cost.

Waiting Period: In Michigan, cremation laws insist that there be a 48-hour waiting period between the time of death and the cremation. This waiting period is designed to give family members and loved ones the time to make arrangements and to ensure that there are no objections to the cremation.

A direct cremation involves having the deceased cremated without a service or ceremony. The ashes are then returned to the family. The average cost of a direct cremation in Michigan is around $2,246. Direct cremations are less expensive than traditional full-service burials, which cost around $8,900 in Michigan.

You are free to scatter ashes anywhere on your own private property, but if someone else owns the land, you need to ask permission first. Either written or verbal permission is fine, but it may be a good idea to have a record of the agreement. If the property owner says no, find another location.

Yes. In Michigan a landowner and their family are allowed to be buried on his/her own land. The designated family plot must meet Health Department requirements and will be inspected.

Yes, you can legally scatter ashes in most lakes, including the Michigan portions of Lake Michigan, as long as you follow the regulations. Michigan also allows scattering on private property with permission and uninhabited public land.

Michigan cremation laws permit the scattering or burial of cremated remains in various locations, from cemeteries and private property, to even public land and waterways. However, whether you can scatter or bury remains in specific locations is dependent on some restrictions.

You are allowed to scatter ashes on your own private property. If you want to scatter ashes on someone else's private land, it's wise to get permission from the landowner.

As a rule of thumb, assume you can't scatter ashes somewhere unless you have written consent from the property owner. However, three places are always off-limits: lakes, rivers, and streams.

Verified Information. The MDHHS State Emergency Relief (SER) program provides financial assistance to help pay for burials, cremations, or costs associated with donation of a body to a medical school.

Michigan law permits the establishment of private burial grounds of less than one acre in size outside city or village limits. The property must be surveyed and recorded in the county register's office; the land will then be exempt from taxation.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): DHHS offers emergency burial money to go towards the expenses of a funeral or cremation, but does not cover the full amount. To see if you qualify, please contact your local county DHHS office before the burial or cremation takes place.

Direct cremation is your least expensive cremation option. This is when a cremation is simply carried out without a service or ceremony. It is a simple, dignified cremation of the deceased with minimal 'fuss' and at a minimal cost.

Waiting Period: In Michigan, cremation laws insist that there be a 48-hour waiting period between the time of death and the cremation. This waiting period is designed to give family members and loved ones the time to make arrangements and to ensure that there are no objections to the cremation.

A direct cremation involves having the deceased cremated without a service or ceremony. The ashes are then returned to the family. The average cost of a direct cremation in Michigan is around $2,246. Direct cremations are less expensive than traditional full-service burials, which cost around $8,900 in Michigan.

You are free to scatter ashes anywhere on your own private property, but if someone else owns the land, you need to ask permission first. Either written or verbal permission is fine, but it may be a good idea to have a record of the agreement. If the property owner says no, find another location.

Yes. In Michigan a landowner and their family are allowed to be buried on his/her own land. The designated family plot must meet Health Department requirements and will be inspected.

Yes, you can legally scatter ashes in most lakes, including the Michigan portions of Lake Michigan, as long as you follow the regulations. Michigan also allows scattering on private property with permission and uninhabited public land.