PrintCremation
Cremation is the most common way of disposing of human remains in Hong Kong. The body is burned to ashes, which can be stored or placed in various ways to commemorate the deceased. There are six crematoria operated by the government. For detailed information about government-run crematoria, please click here.
Applications for cremation should be made at the Cremation Booking Office of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) at the Joint Office. In addition to submitting the applicant’s information, the application must be stamped and approved with a seal by a licensed undertaker of burials registered with the FEHD, and the information of the licensed undertaker of burials must be filled in. Cremation fees can be found here. The FEHD will provide cremation sessions within 15 days from the day following the submission of the application for the applicant to choose from.
The rules for cremation coffins are as follows:
- The surface should not be inlaid with metal ornaments or plastic materials;
- No items or valuable burial items made of metal or plastic materials should be placed inside the coffin;
- The name of the deceased must be displayed;
- Size restrictions: vary according to individual crematoria and should be checked beforehand.
On the day of cremation, the deceased’s family can consult and apply with the crematorium staff to arrange for witnessing the cremation through closed-circuit television.
The following will mention several ways and their related requirements for the interment of ashes.