How to Ship Cremated Remains via USPS

If you need to ship cremated remains to a family member, a scattering location, or a memorial service in another state, USPS is your only legal option. FedEx, UPS, and DHL all explicitly prohibit shipping human or pet cremated remains — no exceptions, regardless of packaging.

The postal service has strict rules about how the shipment must be packaged, labeled, and sent. Here's exactly what you need.

The Required Shipping Method

You must use Priority Mail Express (domestic) or Priority Mail Express International (international). No other USPS service class — not Priority Mail, not First Class, not Media Mail — is permitted for cremated remains.

Priority Mail Express provides tracking, insurance up to $100 (additional coverage is available), and a delivery estimate. The tracking matters: you want confirmation that the remains arrived, and the family receiving them needs to know when to expect the package.

The Required Packaging

USPS requires the official Cremated Remains Kit (BOX-CRE). You can pick one up at your local post office or order it free from usps.com. The kit includes:

• A sturdy outer shipping box
• Inner packaging material
• The required Label 139 (orange cremated remains identifier)

The inner container holding the ashes must be sift-proof — sealed in a way that no loose material can escape. A screw-top urn inside a sealed plastic bag works. A tied plastic bag alone does not meet the standard.

Label 139 must be affixed to all six sides of the outer box. This isn't optional. The label tells postal workers that the contents are cremated remains and triggers specific handling protocols.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Secure the remains in a sift-proof inner container. If the urn is decorative (ceramic, stone), wrap it in bubble wrap to prevent breakage, then seal it inside a zip-lock bag as a secondary sift barrier.
2. Place the sealed container inside the BOX-CRE kit with cushioning material on all sides.
3. Seal the outer box with packing tape. Do not use string or twine.
4. Affix Label 139 on all six sides of the box.
5. Fill out the shipping label with the sender's and recipient's full names, addresses, and phone numbers. Include a return address — if the package is undeliverable, you want it back.
6. Take the package to the post office counter. Do not drop it in a collection box or schedule a carrier pickup. Counter acceptance ensures the shipment is scanned and entered into the system properly.

What About Small Amounts or Keepsake Jewelry

Keepsake portions of cremated remains — small vials, jewelry pendants filled with a few grams of ash — are subject to the same rules. You still need Priority Mail Express, the BOX-CRE kit, and Label 139. The postal service makes no exception based on quantity.

This catches many people off guard. A family dividing remains among siblings in different states needs to send each portion as a separate compliant shipment.

International Shipping

Priority Mail Express International covers shipments to most countries, but the receiving country may have its own import requirements. Common requirements include:

• A certified death certificate (sometimes translated and apostilled)
• A cremation certificate from the crematorium
• A customs declaration listing "cremated human remains" as the contents

Contact the destination country's consulate or embassy before shipping to confirm their specific import documentation. Some countries require the remains to arrive through a licensed funeral director on the receiving end.

Cost

Shipping costs vary by destination, package weight, and service. Check current USPS rates before sending. The BOX-CRE kit is free. Label 139 is free. Additional insurance beyond the included $100 is available at the counter.

Common Mistakes

• Using FedEx or UPS — your shipment will be refused or confiscated if discovered. There is no workaround or special arrangement.
• Skipping Label 139 — the shipment may be flagged, delayed, or returned.
• Using Priority Mail instead of Priority Mail Express — the shipment violates postal regulations and may be held.
• Dropping the package in a collection box — there's no scan confirmation, and mishandling is more likely.

If you're coordinating a memorial that involves transporting or shipping remains, the Celebration of Life Planning Guide covers shipping, TSA rules for flying with ashes, and EPA requirements for scattering — all the logistics families need to navigate.