How to Legally Ship Human Remains Out of Arkansas

When someone dies in Arkansas but the family wants burial or services elsewhere — another state, another country, another region where the family is rooted — shipping the remains is the practical necessity. The process involves specific legal requirements on Arkansas's outbound side, the receiving state's acceptance requirements, and strict rules set by commercial carriers. Missing any one of these steps can result in the airline refusing to accept the shipment or the receiving state's funeral home refusing delivery.

Here is exactly what the process requires.

The Arkansas Burial-Transit Permit

Before any human remains leave the state of Arkansas, whether by private vehicle or commercial carrier, a burial-transit permit must be obtained from the state or local registrar. This is not negotiable and cannot be obtained retroactively — the permit must be in hand before the body is transported across the state line.

The permit is issued by the State Registrar or the designated local registrar in the county where the death occurred. It requires that the death certificate process has been initiated — specifically, the fact of death must be filed (due within three business days of death) and the medical certification must be in process. If the physician or coroner has not yet completed the cause of death certification, the permit may be delayed.

The burial-transit permit specifies:

• The decedent's name
• The intended destination
• The method of final disposition
• The name of the funeral director or person acting as funeral director managing the transport

Arkansas law allows private citizens to transport human remains — a licensed funeral director is not required for the transport itself. However, the permit must still be issued and must accompany the remains throughout the transport.

Common Carrier Requirements: Airlines and Rail

When the remains will be shipped via commercial airline or rail, the requirements are significantly stricter than for private vehicle transport.

Embalming or sealed container. Human remains shipped via common carrier must be thoroughly embalmed using an approved process. If the body cannot be embalmed for medical or religious reasons, or if the body is in a state of decomposition, it must be enclosed in an airtight, sealed container before a transportation company is permitted to accept it.

Rigid container with handles. The body must be enclosed in a rigid container — typically a combination of the casket or alternative container, inside a wooden shipping container — equipped with adequate handles for safe handling by airline ground crews.

No fluid or odor. Transportation companies are legally prohibited from accepting any dead human body for shipment when fluid or offensive odors are escaping from the container. This requirement typically enforces a practical timeline: remains must be prepared and containerized relatively promptly after death.

The burial-transit permit must accompany the remains. The permit travels with the body, not in a separate checked bag or with a passenger. Airline cargo manifests for human remains have specific documentation requirements, and the permit is part of that documentation.

Coordination Between Two States

Shipping remains out of Arkansas involves two sets of legal requirements: Arkansas's outbound requirements and the destination state's acceptance requirements.

Each state has its own rules about what documentation must accompany remains arriving from out of state. Some states require the receiving funeral home to obtain a local permit before accepting out-of-state remains. Others accept Arkansas's burial-transit permit. Most states require the remains to arrive in compliance with their own embalming or sealed container requirements.

The receiving funeral home in the destination state is the practical coordinator for this process. If the family selects a funeral home in another state to handle the final disposition, that funeral home typically coordinates with the Arkansas funeral home on the specific documentation and preparation requirements for their state.

Do not assume that compliance with Arkansas's outbound requirements automatically means compliance with the destination state's requirements. Confirm both sets of rules before the transport is arranged.

Private Vehicle Transport

A family member in Arkansas can transport human remains in a private vehicle, including across state lines. There is no requirement to use a licensed funeral director for the physical transport.

However:

• The Arkansas burial-transit permit must be obtained before crossing the state line
• The permit must accompany the remains
• The destination state's acceptance rules apply upon arrival — if that state requires the receiving funeral home to obtain a local permit, that must be arranged before the remains arrive

Private vehicle transport is typically used when the family is moving the remains a short distance to a neighboring state where a funeral home or cemetery has been pre-arranged. It is not typically practical for longer distances.

International Transport of Remains

Shipping human remains from Arkansas to another country involves all of the above plus additional requirements:

• The destination country's consulate or embassy may have specific import requirements for human remains
• Most countries require a Certificate of Death from the State (not just a funeral home's death certificate), embalming or hermetically sealed container, and a translation of key documents
• Some countries require the receiving funeral home or a local government official to obtain an import permit
• The U.S. State Department may need to be involved if the country is one where U.S. citizens require additional documentation for repatriation

The Arkansas funeral home handling the outbound preparation typically coordinates with a licensed international repatriation service or the receiving country's consulate. This is a specialized service that not all funeral homes handle in-house. Confirm whether the funeral home you choose has direct experience with international repatriation to the specific country involved.

Cremated Remains: A Simpler Process

Shipping cremated remains is significantly simpler than shipping a body. Cremated remains (ashes) do not require a burial-transit permit for domestic transport. They can be shipped via the USPS (specifically Priority Mail Express, the only USPS service that accepts cremated remains), via private carriers that accept this type of shipment, or carried as airline carry-on or checked luggage.

Key requirements for shipping cremated remains via USPS:

• The remains must be in a sturdy, sealable inner container within a padded outer package
• Clearly labeled as "cremated human remains"
• Insurance is advisable given the irreplaceable nature of the contents

Airlines allow cremated remains as carry-on luggage if the container passes through the X-ray scanner without obscuring the contents. Opaque metal urns that cannot be screened may be denied as carry-on. Families planning to fly with cremated remains should confirm the specific carrier's policy in advance.

For international transport of cremated remains, the destination country's import rules apply. Some countries require specific documentation, including a certificate from the crematory or a translated death certificate. Check with the destination country's consulate before shipping.

What to Do First

When a death occurs in Arkansas and out-of-state transport is intended:

1. Notify the Arkansas funeral home of the transport intention immediately — this affects the preparation timeline, particularly the embalming requirement for common carrier shipment
2. Contact the receiving funeral home in the destination state and confirm their requirements for accepting out-of-state remains
3. Begin the death certificate process — the burial-transit permit cannot be issued until the fact of death is filed and certification is in process
4. Arrange the transport logistics: airline cargo booking, container specifications, and documentation requirements for both states

The Arkansas Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide includes a shipping coordination checklist that walks through the outbound Arkansas requirements, the common carrier documentation sequence, and the questions to ask the receiving funeral home to confirm that both states' requirements are aligned before transport is arranged.

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