Last updated 2026-08-18
TL;DR
Colorado does not have a separate human composting board. The Colorado Mortuary Science Board inside DORA licenses natural organic reduction facilities, and you need a state facility license plus local zoning sign-offs. The state does not set service prices; providers commonly quote $5,000 to $7,000. A full cycle runs roughly 30 to 60 days. Confirm current fees and timelines with the board and facility.
Is there a human composting board in Colorado?
No separate agency called the Colorado Human Composting Board exists. The real regulator is the Colorado Mortuary Science Board, a board inside the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations. That board handles funeral establishments, crematories, mortuary science practitioners, and natural organic reduction facilities [3]. If you call a state office asking for the human composting board, the clerk will likely redirect you to mortuary science.
Colorado's statute uses the term natural organic reduction, not human composting. SB21-006 defined it in 2021 as 'the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil' [2]. The law took effect on September 7, 2021 [1]. That made Colorado the second state to legalize the practice, after Washington in 2019. The Colorado Mortuary Science Board is the board-confirmable authority for licensing and discipline [3][4].
The practical takeaway for a new facility operator is simple. You are not looking for a specialty human composting board. You are looking for the Mortuary Science program at DORA, and the natural organic reduction facility application within it [3].
Do you need a license for human composting in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado does not let someone operate a natural organic reduction facility on a plain business license. You need a license from the Colorado Mortuary Science Board. Individuals arranging their own after-death care do not hold a state license; they sign a disposition authorization that names a licensed facility and the method, so the facility carries the regulatory burden [1][3].
The current board license categories cover funeral establishments, crematories, and natural organic reduction facilities [3]. A new natural organic reduction operation normally files through the board, not a county clerk. The application asks for ownership, physical address, equipment, protocol, and a responsible licensed individual where the law requires one. DORA posts the current forms and fee schedule, and the board staff will tell you if you also need a funeral establishment or crematory license before the natural organic reduction license can issue [3].
Do not view the state license as the only gate. A Denver address, a rural county, or a mountain town can add local zoning and building approval requirements that the state board cannot waive. The state license says you meet mortuary science law; the local permit says the use is allowed in that location. You will need both.
What does the Colorado law actually say?
SB21-006 is the bill to read. The Colorado General Assembly passed it in 2021, and the act took effect September 7, 2021 [1]. The signed act adds natural organic reduction to the state's regulated disposition options. The law directs the Mortuary Science Board to adopt rules on or before January 1, 2022, so the board's current rules are now the working detail [1].
The definition is narrow. Natural organic reduction means 'the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil' [2]. That phrase matters because it excludes open-air home composting, informal burial without a facility, and other unauthorized methods. An operator who does not keep the process contained and controlled is not doing natural organic reduction under Colorado law [2].
The law also places natural organic reduction inside the existing Mortuary Science Code. That means standard disposition paperwork, refrigeration and storage limits, unprofessional conduct rules, and recordkeeping duties apply unless the board rule says otherwise [5]. The statute does not set a retail service price and does not set a minimum or maximum processing timeline [1][2]. Those are provider and operational factors, not statutory guarantees.
Which board handles applications and inspections?
The Colorado Mortuary Science Board is the licensing and discipline body. DORA staff in the Division of Professions and Occupations process the paper. The board members meet on a posted schedule and can adopt rules, approve or deny applications, and take action on violations [4].
For an applicant, the sequence is usually application, fee, document review, preopening inspection, then license. DORA's Mortuary Science page lists the natural organic reduction facility application and any supporting affidavits [3]. Inspections may be done by board staff or a contracted inspector; the board will say who needs to walk the site before a license is issued. Treat that inspection as a mandatory gate, not a courtesy walkthrough.
The board is also the right source for a license verification. If you are a family, a funeral director, or a landowner trying to confirm a facility is actually legal, ask DORA for a license number and current status. Colorado makes individual and facility license records available through its online verification system or a public records request [3][4].
How much does human composting cost in Colorado?
There is no Colorado board-set service price for human composting. The statute does not cap or publish what a provider may charge, and the Mortuary Science Board's fee schedule covers application, license, and renewal fees, not the consumer price of a disposition [1][3]. You should treat any published number as a provider quote, not a state rate.
Public provider pages and early Colorado reporting have generally put full-service natural organic reduction in the $5,000 to $7,000 band. That covers body pickup, preparation, the vessel process, soil drying or curing, and often return of a portion of soil. Variations come from distance, refrigeration needs, ceremony, and whether you work through a funeral home or directly with the facility. Some providers unbundle transport and death certificate filing, so the low headline number can climb [6].
The honest cost answer for 2026 is to ask two or three licensed Colorado facilities for a written general price list. Federal and state funeral rules require funeral providers to give price disclosures in many cases, but direct natural organic reduction providers may have separate terms. Confirm what the quote includes, who takes legal custody of the body, and whether soil transport or containers are extra.
How long does human composting take in Colorado?
Colorado law does not impose a statutory processing clock. The board rules also do not guarantee a turnaround time, so any timeline you see is a provider's operational estimate. A typical human composting cycle in Colorado is often described as 30 days of active vessel decomposition followed by several weeks of curing, for a total somewhere around 60 days. That estimate can stretch with batching, equipment downtime, weather, or family delays [6][7].
The Cornell Waste Management Institute's mortality composting guidance for managed animal remains describes the same basic two-phase pattern: an active compost period, then a curing phase [7]. Human natural organic reduction is a more controlled and monitored version of that process, but the microbiology does not hurry because a board rule demands it. Ask the facility for a written service timeline and any promised date for soil return.
For families, the realistic planning range is usually six to ten weeks from receipt of the body until the cured soil is ready. Do not book a memorial or travel date assuming day 60. Ask the facility what happens if the process runs long and whether they charge storage or extended holding.
What is the first-year licensing paper path?
Start with the DORA Mortuary Science application, not the equipment catalog. The first-year paper path looks roughly like this. Read the current statutes and board rules, form your legal entity, lock down zoning, then file the natural organic reduction facility application with DORA [3][5]. Pay the state fee, pass the preopening inspection, and only then accept remains.
There is a useful $199 one-time NOR Facilitator Statute Kit sold by HumusPath at /start, but it is not a license and not required. It is a statute and rule paper pack for people who want a clean set of source documents in front of them. You can pull the same material from DORA if you prefer [3].
Do not skip local approvals. The state license is not a zoning permit. A facility will typically need a certificate of occupancy or change of use, a building permit for any mechanical or plumbing work, and sometimes a wastewater review from the local district. OSHA's bloodborne pathogens standard applies to workers who handle human remains, so your first-year plan needs an exposure control plan, training records, and hepatitis B vaccine decisions [8]. The board does not give you an OSHA plan; your own labor compliance does.
Finally, set a renewal calendar. Natural organic reduction facility licenses are issued for a set term, and DORA posts the current renewal fee. A missed renewal is a much bigger problem than a missed equipment delivery.
What local approvals do you need beyond the state license?
State mortuary science law does not preempt local land use. A Colorado natural organic reduction facility still has to fit the property's zoning and use code. Some municipalities will treat it as a funeral service use, others as light industrial or medical waste adjacent, and some will have no category at all. You will need a written zoning confirmation or a conditional use permit before the state inspection is useful [1][3].
Building and fire approvals follow the physical plant. The vessel room may need mechanical ventilation, floor drains tied to an approved sewer or collection system, electrical service, and fire access. The local building official and fire marshal decide those details, not the Mortuary Science Board. If you lease a bay in an existing industrial park, confirm the lease allows this use. A landlord's generic 'warehouse okay' does not survive a code enforcement call.
Water and soils are local questions too. You are not spraying waste, but leachate and washdown water can trigger local wastewater review. Ask the district before you buy the vessel. The state license may be approved before the local use hearing finishes, so sequence the local review early.
What should you verify directly with the Colorado Mortuary Science Board?
Verify anything that has a dollar sign or a deadline attached to it. The board is the source of truth for the current application fee, renewal fee, required forms, inspection fee, and rule version. Statutes change, and a 2021 bill summary is not a 2026 fee schedule. DORA posts the Mortuary Science program page with current applications and fee documents [3].
Also confirm the status of any facility you plan to use or acquire. Ask for the exact license category, the expiration date, and any pending discipline. If you are a startup, ask whether your specific floor plan and equipment list will pass a preopening inspection before you sign a long lease. Board staff answer technical questions, but they do not give legal advice.
When you write, use plain language and request a written reply. Ask if the board has a checklist for natural organic reduction facility applicants, whether a licensed crematory or funeral establishment relationship is required, and how long initial application review currently takes. The board can confirm processing times and inspection scheduling directly [4].
How does Colorado compare with other state boards?
Colorado's model is not the only one. California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Arizona, and Connecticut have taken different statutory routes, and some have not legalized natural organic reduction at all. A comparison helps you see what is Colorado-specific and what is ordinary mortuary regulation.
In California, the legalization effort has moved through the legislature more than once, and the state's Cemetery and Funeral Bureau controls any new disposition license California human composting board. Florida's setup is governed by a different set of funeral statutes and the local licensing pipeline Florida human composting board.
Idaho and Arizona illustrate how rural states can treat natural organic reduction as an extension of crematory or funeral establishment authority, rather than a new department Idaho human composting board, Arizona human composting board. Illinois and Connecticut sit in the same pattern: a state regulator, not a stand-alone human composting commission, handles the license Illinois human composting board, Connecticut human composting board.
For a Colorado applicant, the lesson is not to copy another state's forms. Use another state's experience to ask the Colorado board better questions about zoning, inspection, and license prerequisites.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for human composting in Colorado?
Yes, if you operate a natural organic reduction facility. Apply through the Colorado Mortuary Science Board inside DORA. A family member or individual arranging their own disposition does not need a license, but the receiving facility must hold a current natural organic reduction facility license. Confirm whether you also need a funeral establishment or crematory license from the board before filing.
How much does human composting cost in Colorado?
Colorado does not set a state service price. Public provider pricing has generally fallen between about $5,000 and $7,000 for full-service natural organic reduction in the state. That range excludes unusual transport, extended refrigeration, or memorial services. Ask each licensed facility for a written general price list and confirm whether death certificate filing and soil return are separate line items.
How long does human composting take in Colorado?
The board does not set a required processing time. A typical provider cycle runs about 30 days in the vessel plus curing, often about 60 days total. Operational batching, weather, and family delays can push that window. Ask for a written service timeline and ask what happens if the process runs longer than the estimate.
Is human composting legal in Colorado?
Yes. SB21-006 legalized natural organic reduction in 2021, and the act took effect September 7, 2021. The statute defines natural organic reduction as the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil. The law does not permit informal or home human composting.
What agency regulates human composting in Colorado?
The Colorado Mortuary Science Board regulates natural organic reduction. It sits within the Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations. There is no separate human composting board. DORA's Mortuary Science page lists applications, fees, forms, and board meeting details.
Does Colorado allow home human composting?
No. The statutory definition requires contained, accelerated conversion under board oversight. A person operating without a natural organic reduction facility license is not doing legal human composting in Colorado. The board and local code enforcement can stop unlicensed practice.
Can a crematory add natural organic reduction in Colorado?
A crematory or funeral establishment may be able to add natural organic reduction if it meets the board's facility, operational, and inspection requirements and obtains the required natural organic reduction facility license. Confirm the current license structure and prerequisites with the Colorado Mortuary Science Board.
Does the Colorado board set human composting prices?
No. The board sets application, license, and renewal fees. It does not cap or publish consumer service prices. Each provider sets its own natural organic reduction price. For planning, get written quotes from multiple licensed Colorado facilities.
How do I verify a Colorado natural organic reduction facility license?
Ask DORA's Mortuary Science program for the facility's license number, category, expiration date, and any discipline. You can also request public records or use the state's online license verification system if available. Verify before signing any disposition agreement or paying a provider.
What paperwork does a family sign before human composting in Colorado?
A family or authorized agent signs a disposition authorization naming natural organic reduction and the licensed facility. That document rests on the statutory framework in the Colorado Mortuary Science Code. The funeral provider or facility should also handle death certificate and transit permits as required.
What local permits are needed to open a human composting facility in Colorado?
Local zoning approval, possibly a conditional use permit, building permits, fire sign-off, and sometimes wastewater review. The state board license does not replace these. Confirm with the city or county planning department before signing a lease or buying equipment.
Does the Colorado board require a funeral director to run a human composting facility?
It depends on the facility's structure and license category. Some owners use a licensed funeral establishment relationship or a responsible mortuary science practitioner. Do not assume a general business background is sufficient. Ask the board for a current application checklist and responsible person requirement.
Sources
- Colorado General Assembly, SB21-006 Natural Organic Reduction Human Remains: Colorado legalized natural organic reduction in 2021, effective September 7, 2021, and directed board rules by January 1, 2022.
- Colorado General Assembly, signed act SB21-006 PDF: The signed act defines natural organic reduction as 'the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.'
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Mortuary Science Program: The Mortuary Science Board regulates funeral establishments, crematories, natural organic reduction facilities, and practitioners, and DORA posts applications and fee schedules.
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Mortuary Science Board: The board meets on a posted schedule and is the state licensing and discipline body for mortuary science.
- Colorado Revised Statutes, C.R.S. 12-54-102 via Justia: Colorado's Mortuary Science Code contains the definitions and license categories that board applicants must follow.
- The Natural Funeral, Natural Organic Reduction page: An early Colorado natural organic reduction provider publicly describes process timing and service pricing.
- Cornell Waste Management Institute, Mortality Composting: Managed mortality composting commonly has an active phase and a curing phase; active decomposition often runs about 30 days.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Bloodborne Pathogens: Employers with occupational exposure to human remains need an exposure control plan, training, and hepatitis B vaccine decisions.