Can You Be Buried Without a Casket?

When planning funeral arrangements or considering end-of-life wishes, many people wonder: can you be buried without a casket? Whether motivated by environmental concerns, religious traditions, cost savings, or personal preference, the question of casket-free burial is increasingly common as people seek alternatives to conventional funeral practices.

The short answer is yes—you absolutely can be buried without a casket in most places. However, the specifics depend on state laws, cemetery regulations, and the type of burial you choose. Understanding your options helps you make informed decisions that align with your values and budget.

The Short Answer: Yes, you can be buried without a casket in all 50 states. No federal or state law requires casket use. However, individual cemeteries may have their own requirements, so green burial grounds or natural cemeteries offer the most flexibility for casket-free burial.

Understanding the Legal Landscape

One of the most persistent myths in the funeral industry is that caskets are legally required. This is completely false, yet many families believe it because funeral homes and cemeteries sometimes present caskets as mandatory.

Federal Law: The FTC Funeral Rule

The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule explicitly protects consumers’ rights to choose funeral options, including the right to decline purchasing a casket. Funeral homes cannot:

• Require you to buy a casket for direct burial
• Charge handling fees if you purchase a casket elsewhere
• Claim that caskets are required by law
• Refuse to use a casket you purchased from a third party

This federal protection ensures that no funeral home can force you to buy a casket, regardless of state or local regulations.

State Laws

No state in the United States requires caskets for burial. Every state permits burial in shrouds, burial containers, or other alternatives. Some states have specific regulations about body preparation and transportation, but none mandate casket use.

States do regulate who can handle and transport human remains. In most states, bodies must be handled by licensed funeral directors or transported in approved vehicles, but these regulations don’t dictate that a casket must be used.

The Cemetery Factor

While laws don’t require caskets, individual cemeteries can set their own rules. This is where casket-free burial sometimes faces obstacles:

Traditional Cemeteries: Many conventional cemeteries require either caskets or burial vaults (or both) to prevent grave collapse and make grounds maintenance easier. These are cemetery policies, not laws, but they’re binding if you choose burial in that cemetery.

Green Burial Grounds: Natural or green cemeteries specifically permit and encourage casket-free burial. These cemeteries are designed for biodegradable burial methods and don’t require vaults or non-biodegradable caskets.

Religious Cemeteries: Some religious cemeteries, particularly Jewish and Muslim burial grounds, have traditions of shroud burial and readily accommodate casket-free options.

The key is researching cemetery requirements before purchasing burial plots or making final arrangements. How deep are graves and other cemetery practices vary significantly between traditional and natural burial grounds.

Types of Casket-Free Burial

Several alternatives to traditional casket burial exist, each with different characteristics and considerations:

Shroud Burial

Shroud burial involves wrapping the body in cloth—typically cotton, linen, wool, or other natural fibers—and burying it directly in the earth. This is one of the oldest and most universal burial methods, practiced across cultures and religions for thousands of years.

Modern burial shrouds are specifically designed for this purpose, featuring sturdy construction and handles for carrying. Some include rigid boards or natural fiber supports that help maintain body form during transport and burial while still being fully biodegradable.

Shroud burial is required in Islamic tradition and common in Jewish burial practices. The direct earth contact facilitates natural decomposition and allows the body to return to the earth without barriers.

Biodegradable Caskets and Containers

For those who want more structure than a shroud but still seek environmental benefits, biodegradable burial containers offer a middle ground. Options include:

Wicker or Willow Caskets: Handwoven from natural materials, these provide a casket-like structure while being completely biodegradable. They’re popular in green burial and can be quite beautiful, with natural fiber linings.

Cardboard Caskets: Simple, affordable, and surprisingly sturdy, cardboard caskets meet the need for a container while decomposing naturally. They can be plain or decorated by family members.

Pine or Bamboo Boxes: Simple wooden caskets made without metal fasteners, using only glue and wooden dowels, qualify as biodegradable and are acceptable in most green burial grounds.

Seagrass, Banana Leaf, or Recycled Paper Caskets: Various cultures and manufacturers produce burial containers from plant materials that provide structure during the funeral while breaking down naturally after burial.

These options cost significantly less than traditional caskets, typically ranging from $50 for basic cardboard to $1,500 for handcrafted wicker, compared to $2,000-$10,000 for conventional caskets.

Direct Earth Burial

Some green burial grounds permit burial directly in the earth with no container whatsoever—the body is placed in the grave without wrapping. This is less common due to practical handling considerations and aesthetic concerns families may have, but it represents the most natural form of burial.

Direct earth burial requires very careful handling and typically involves immediate burial without viewing or extended funeral services, unless the cemetery has facilities specifically designed for this practice.

Religious and Cultural Perspectives

Many religious traditions not only permit but actually prefer or require burial without caskets:

Islamic Burial Practices

Islamic law requires simple burial with the body wrapped in white cloth shrouds (kafan) and placed directly in the earth. Caskets are generally discouraged or forbidden, as Muslims believe the body should have direct contact with the earth.

Islamic burial occurs as quickly as possible after death, typically within 24 hours. The simplicity of shroud burial aligns with Islamic teachings about equality in death—everyone, regardless of wealth or status, is buried in the same simple manner.

Jewish Burial Traditions

Traditional Jewish burial practices emphasize simplicity and the return to earth. While practices vary among different Jewish movements, Orthodox Judaism requires burial in simple wooden caskets without metal parts, and some communities use only shrouds.

The concept of “dust to dust” is taken literally, with burial methods designed to facilitate natural decomposition. Embalming is generally forbidden, and viewing of the deceased is not traditionally practiced in Orthodox communities.

Buddhist and Hindu Practices

While many Buddhist and Hindu communities practice cremation, burial traditions when chosen often emphasize simplicity. Natural burial aligns with Buddhist principles of impermanence and Hindu concepts of the body as a temporary vessel.

Some Buddhist traditions use shrouds or simple biodegradable containers, rejecting elaborate caskets as contrary to principles of non-attachment and simplicity.

Christian Perspectives

Christian burial traditions vary widely by denomination and culture. While ornate caskets became common in Western Christianity, particularly in American Protestant practice, nothing in Christian theology requires caskets.

Some Christian communities are returning to simpler burial methods, and green burial is gaining acceptance as consistent with stewardship of creation. Rules for visiting cemeteries often reflect the diverse burial practices within Christian traditions.

Environmental Benefits of Casket-Free Burial

One major driver of interest in casket-free burial is environmental concern. Traditional burials have significant ecological impacts:

Resource Conservation

Manufacturing conventional caskets consumes substantial resources:

• Hardwood caskets require old-growth timber or managed forests
• Metal caskets use steel, copper, or bronze that require mining and energy-intensive production
• Casket manufacturing involves toxic adhesives, finishes, and preservatives
• Transportation of heavy caskets increases fuel consumption

Eliminating caskets removes these resource demands entirely. Even biodegradable alternatives like wicker or cardboard require far fewer resources than traditional caskets.

Chemical Reduction

Traditional burial typically involves embalming with formaldehyde, a toxic chemical that leaches into soil and groundwater. While embalming isn’t legally required (except in specific circumstances like interstate transport or extended delay before burial), it’s standard practice when using traditional caskets and holding viewings.

Natural burial without caskets usually also means no embalming, eliminating this chemical introduction into the environment. Bodies are kept refrigerated if needed and buried relatively quickly.

Land Use Considerations

Conventional cemeteries represent land permanently removed from other uses, maintained with irrigation, pesticides, and mowing. Green burial grounds, which accommodate casket-free burial, often function as nature preserves with native plantings, wildlife habitat, and minimal maintenance.

By choosing natural burial, you’re supporting land conservation models that protect open space while serving as burial grounds. Some green cemeteries use burial fees to fund habitat restoration and conservation easements.

Decomposition and Nutrient Return

Caskets, especially metal ones with rubber gaskets and burial vaults, slow decomposition to the point where bodies can remain largely intact for decades. This isn’t a feature—it’s actually problematic from an ecological perspective.

Natural decomposition returns nutrients to the soil, supporting plant and microbial life. Burial without caskets or vaults allows this natural process to occur as it has throughout human history. Which type of headstone lasts the longest often matters less in natural burial grounds where simple markers or native plantings replace traditional monuments.

Cost Savings of Casket-Free Burial

Financial considerations motivate many families to explore alternatives to traditional casket burial. The numbers are striking:

Traditional Funeral Costs

A conventional funeral with casket burial typically costs $7,000-$12,000, with the casket alone representing $2,000-$10,000 of that total. High-end caskets can cost $15,000 or more, and that’s before adding burial vaults (another $1,000-$3,000), cemetery plots, and other expenses.

Natural Burial Costs

Natural burial with shroud or simple biodegradable container significantly reduces expenses:

• Burial shroud: $100-$500
• Cardboard casket: $50-$200
• Wicker casket: $500-$1,500
• Green burial plot: $1,000-$4,000 (often includes opening/closing)

Total costs for natural burial typically range from $2,000-$5,000—less than half the cost of conventional burial. Some families manage natural burial for under $1,000 when using family land or very simple arrangements.

Home Funeral Movement

Families in most states can care for their deceased at home and transport them directly to green burial grounds without using funeral home services, further reducing costs. This requires understanding legal requirements and logistical considerations but is legal in most jurisdictions.

While home funeral isn’t for everyone, it represents the ultimate in cost reduction and personal involvement, with total expenses potentially limited to just the burial plot and shroud or simple container.

Practical Considerations

While casket-free burial is legal and increasingly available, several practical factors deserve consideration:

Finding Appropriate Burial Grounds

The first step is locating a cemetery that permits casket-free burial. The Green Burial Council maintains a directory of certified natural burial grounds. Your options include:

• Natural burial preserves (most flexible, designed for green burial)
• Hybrid cemeteries (conventional cemeteries with natural burial sections)
• Conservation burial grounds (natural areas with conservation easements)
• Religious cemeteries that accommodate traditional shroud burial

Research cemetery rules thoroughly before purchasing plots. How long does it take to get a headstone after death and other questions about memorialization should be asked upfront, as natural burial grounds often have different marker requirements.

Body Preparation and Viewing

Without caskets and embalming, families need alternative approaches to viewing and funeral services:

Refrigeration: Bodies can be kept refrigerated for several days, allowing time for family gathering without embalming.

Dry Ice: Some home funerals use dry ice to cool the body for viewing periods, though this requires careful handling.

Prompt Burial: Some traditions emphasize quick burial, reducing the need for body preservation.

Alternative Viewing Arrangements: Some families hold memorial services after burial, or conduct viewings with the shrouded body present.

Transportation Logistics

Getting the body from place of death to burial site without a casket requires planning:

Funeral Home Services: Some funeral homes serve natural burial families, providing body preparation, transportation, and burial coordination without requiring casket purchase.

Family Transport: In states permitting it, families can transport deceased relatives in appropriate vehicles. This requires understanding legal requirements about death certificates, permits, and body handling.

Timing Considerations

Natural burial often happens more quickly than conventional burial, typically within 3-5 days rather than the week or more common with traditional funerals. This timeline can be challenging for gathering far-flung families but reduces costs and aligns with many religious traditions. How long to wait before placing a headstone on a grave applies to natural burial grounds too, though some use natural stone markers that can be placed sooner.

Common Questions About Burial Without Caskets

Is it legal to bury someone in your backyard?

This depends on state and local regulations. Many rural areas permit home burial on private property with proper permits, setback requirements from water sources, and recorded burial plots. Urban and suburban areas usually prohibit it. Check county health department regulations and zoning laws before planning home burial.

Do you still need a funeral director?

Not necessarily. While funeral directors provide valuable services, many states allow families to care for and transport their own deceased. Some families use funeral directors for specific services (death certificate filing, transportation) while handling other aspects themselves. Requirements vary by state.

Can you have a viewing without a casket?

Yes, though it’s less common in mainstream American practice. The body can be viewed on a bed or table, wrapped in shrouds or dressed in burial clothes. This is normal in many cultures and increasingly accepted in natural death care. Refrigeration or cooling allows for viewing periods without embalming.

What about cremation?

Cremation doesn’t require a casket either. Crematoriums require a rigid combustible container (often cardboard or simple plywood), but this costs $50-$200, far less than caskets. Some funeral homes pressure families into casket purchases for cremation, but this is unnecessary and legally prohibited under the FTC Funeral Rule.

How do you transport a body without a casket?

Bodies can be transported on gurneys, in body bags, or wrapped in shrouds with rigid support boards. Licensed transporters and funeral homes have appropriate vehicles and equipment. Families transporting deceased themselves typically use vans or trucks with appropriate covering and securing of the body.

Are there cultural or family acceptance issues?

This is often the biggest challenge. While casket-free burial is legal and environmentally sound, family members raised with conventional expectations may resist. Open communication about wishes, education about natural burial, and sometimes compromise (like using a simple biodegradable casket rather than just shroud) help navigate these dynamics.

What happens during decomposition?

Natural decomposition returns the body to basic elements over months to years, depending on soil conditions, climate, and burial depth. This is the same process that occurs in casket burial, just faster. Contrary to some concerns, properly buried bodies don’t create health hazards or environmental problems—this is how humans were buried for thousands of years.

Planning Casket-Free Burial

If you’re interested in burial without a casket, either for yourself or when arranging services for a loved one, take these steps:

Research Local Options: Use the Green Burial Council website or contact natural burial grounds in your region. Visit cemeteries if possible to understand their practices and feel.

Understand State Requirements: Learn your state’s rules about body handling, transportation, and burial permits. Requirements vary significantly.

Discuss with Family: If pre-planning, share your wishes with family members who’ll handle arrangements. Their understanding and support makes implementation much easier.

Consider Pre-Planning: Many green burial grounds offer pre-need arrangements where you can select and purchase plots in advance, ensuring availability and locking in current prices.

Document Your Wishes: Put your burial preferences in writing, ideally in your estate planning documents and discussed with your appointed executor or healthcare proxy.

Find Supportive Providers: Identify funeral homes or death midwives/doulas who support natural burial. Not all funeral professionals are familiar with these options, so finding knowledgeable allies is valuable.

The Future of Natural Burial

Interest in burial without caskets is growing significantly. Green burial grounds have increased from just a handful two decades ago to over 300 natural burial sites across the United States today. This growth reflects several trends:

Environmental Awareness: Younger generations particularly value sustainable practices and view natural burial as consistent with environmental values.

Cost Consciousness: Rising funeral costs drive families to seek affordable alternatives.

Desire for Meaning: Many people find natural burial more meaningful and connected to natural cycles than conventional practices.

Religious and Cultural Shifts: Diverse American communities bring burial traditions that align with natural practices.

As demand grows, more conventional cemeteries are adding natural burial sections, and state regulations are increasingly accommodating alternative practices. What to put on grave before headstone and other practical questions have different answers in natural burial contexts, reflecting the evolution of death care.

The option to be buried without a casket has always been legal—it’s just becoming more visible and accessible as more families choose it and more cemeteries accommodate it. Whether motivated by environmental values, religious tradition, cost concerns, or personal preference, casket-free burial represents a return to simpler, more natural practices that align with how humans were laid to rest for most of history.