When a family chooses an ash scattering at sea in Miami, one practical question comes up quickly: how do the ashes actually get to us?

If you live in the Miami area, you can bring them to us in person. If you are farther away, cremated remains travel by mail, and there are specific federal rules about how that must be done.

Both are straightforward once you know the steps. But because this part involves someone you love, it deserves to be explained clearly rather than left to guesswork. Here is how each one works.

Two Ways to Send Cremated Remains to Sea Farewells

• By mail. Families arranging a farewell from outside the Miami area generally send the cremated remains to us through the United States Postal Service. This is the standard method and it is well established.
• In person. Families who live locally often bring the cremated remains to us directly rather than shipping them. This requires no special packaging and no shipping arrangements at all.

Both are handled with the same care. For privacy and security, our mailing address and hand-delivery details are not published — they are provided to you directly once your service is arranged and your authorization form is complete.

Mailing Cremated Remains: What Federal Rules Require

If you are sending cremated remains by mail,  there are a few requirements worth knowing before you go to the Post Office. They exist so that these packages are recognized, tracked, and handled with care at every stage of the journey.

Cremated remains are sent through the Postal Service

Cremated remains are sent through USPS rather than a private courier, since the major carriers do not accept them under their own terms of service. 

Priority Mail Express is required

Cremated remains are sent by Priority Mail Express. Other services, including standard Priority Mail and Ground, are not used for these shipments.

Priority Mail Express includes tracking, which means you can follow the package the entire way. For most families, that visibility is a genuine comfort.

You must use the official USPS Cremated Remains box

This is the part families are most often unaware of, because it changed relatively recently.

Since March 1, 2025, cremated remains travel in USPS's own Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains box rather than packaging you supply. You may see it referred to by its product code, BOX-CRE. The box is clearly marked so postal staff can identify the contents immediately.

These boxes are ordered online through the USPS Postal Store. Select retail Post Office locations may also have them available for immediate shipping needs, but the Postal Store is the reliable source — worth ordering ahead rather than assuming your local branch stocks them.

The box comes as part of a free Cremated Remains Kit. There are two versions: one containing the box and tape, and a fuller version that also includes a sealable plastic bag, cushioning material, and a printed copy of Publication 139, the official USPS guide to packaging and shipping cremated remains. The kits are free — you pay only for postage.

If you read older instructions about an orange label

Many guides still circulating online instruct families to apply an orange Label 139 to every side of the package. Those guides predate the current requirements. The official Cremated Remains box is now marked for identification, and the current edition of Publication 139 no longer refers to the label at all.

If you are working from an older printout or article, this is the detail most likely to have changed. Staff at any Post Office can confirm what is currently required.

Packing the Cremated Remains Safely

Inside the official box, what matters most is a secure inner container.

The inner container holding the ashes must be strong, durable, properly sealed, and sift-proof — meaning loose powder cannot escape. Crematories often supply a sealed bag inside a temporary container, but temporary containers vary in quality, and not all of them meet this standard. USPS recommends consulting a licensed funeral director if you are unsure whether the container you have is suitable for shipping.

From there:

• Place the sealed inner container inside a plastic bag, such as the one included in the fuller USPS kit. USPS recommends attaching a label to that bag showing both the complete return and delivery addresses along with the words “Cremated Remains” — so that if the outer shipping label is ever damaged or detached, the package can still be identified and routed
• Surround it with cushioning on all sides so nothing shifts during transit. If you gently move the closed box, you should feel nothing sliding inside
• Before sealing, place an additional slip of paper inside the box listing both the sender’s and recipient’s address and contact information
• Write or print the addresses clearly in ink that will not smear, and check the ZIP code once more before sealing.

Bringing Cremated Remains to Us in Person

For families in Miami, hand delivery is often the simpler choice — and for some, the more meaningful one.

There is no special packaging requirement. Families typically bring the cremated remains in the same container provided by the funeral home or crematory, which is entirely appropriate.

What Happens When the Cremated Remains Reach Us

Once your shipment arrives, a member of our team collects it and lets you know it has been received, so you are not left wondering whether it arrived safely.

From there, the cremated remains remain in our care until your scheduled service date. You will know the date and time of the ceremony in advance, and nothing proceeds without your confirmation.

For unattended farewells, after the scattering you receive photographs, GPS coordinates of the location, and a certificate — so even from a distance, you have a clear record of where your loved one was laid to rest.

A Few Questions Families Often Ask

Planning a Peaceful Farewell

Sending a loved one’s ashes into someone else’s hands takes trust. We understand that, and we try to make every step visible and predictable so you are never guessing about what happens next.

If you are considering an ash scattering at sea in Miami, our team can walk you through the options, the timing, and the details of getting the cremated remains to us safely.