Last updated 2026-08-18
TL;DR
Georgia has no human composting board because natural organic reduction is not listed in Georgia's final disposition statute. No in-state license, fee schedule, or processing time exists. In legal states, prices run about $5,000 to $7,000 and the process takes about 30 to 60 days. Those numbers don't apply in Georgia until the legislature changes the law.
Is human composting legal in Georgia right now?
No. Georgia's final disposition law does not list natural organic reduction as a permitted method [1]. The existing Board of Funeral Service has never adopted a natural organic reduction rule. No Georgia operator can perform the process inside state lines.
Washington's statute shows the contrast. It defines natural organic reduction as "the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil" [2]. Georgia has no equivalent definition. No definition means no authority. No authority means no facility.
That is the practical starting point for anyone entering this field in Georgia. You are not waiting on an application. You are waiting on the Georgia General Assembly. Funeral directors in Georgia still file the usual death paperwork, and that paperwork does not create a reduction license. It never has.
Do you need a license for human composting in Georgia?
There is no license to get. No natural organic reduction permit, endorsement, or board approval exists in Georgia. A license would require a statute, and the state has not passed one [1].
Georgia's Board of Funeral Service licenses funeral directors, funeral establishments, and crematories. Those are separate categories with their own applications and fees [6]. None of them covers a reduction vessel or the sale of human composting services.
If someone offers you a Georgia human composting license, ask for the statute number and the board application form. You will not get a real one. Call the Board of Funeral Service yourself. The answer is no, as of this update. Keep the board phone number handy. Write down the date you called. If a salesperson later claims Georgia opened a vessel permit, you have a record of what the board actually said.
Who would regulate a human composting board in Georgia if one existed?
Most likely the Georgia Board of Funeral Service [6]. A bill could create a brand new board instead, but that costs more money, and Georgia tends to put death-care licensure under the Secretary of State. Colorado and Oregon both used their existing funeral regulators rather than building new ones [3][4].
A Georgia bill would need to name the board, define natural organic reduction, set facility standards, and authorize fees. That is how legal states did it. Without that bill, the current board has no power to create a reduction license on its own.
Why doesn't Georgia have a human composting board?
Because no Georgia statute has created one. Washington passed a natural organic reduction law in 2019. Colorado and Oregon did it in 2021, and California followed in 2022 [2][3][4][5]. Georgia has not enacted an equivalent bill.
A board is not a first mover. The legislature is. If you hear that the board is "studying" the issue, that study is not rulemaking. It does not authorize a single vessel.
How much does human composting cost in Georgia?
It has no price in Georgia. No in-state provider can sell the service, so there is no Georgia price, no state license fee, and no board fee schedule. Any Georgia-specific price you are quoted is hypothetical. Do not treat a Georgia quote as a board-set fee. The board has not set one.
The honest benchmark comes from legal states. Recompose, a licensed Washington provider, publicly lists direct service at $7,000 [8]. People often add transportation, county permits, death certificate copies, and return shipping. Those costs vary. Compare Colorado and California for how their fee structures are still forming.
How long does human composting take in Georgia?
It cannot happen in Georgia, so no Georgia timeframe exists. The legal-state design runs about 30 to 60 days. Recompose describes roughly 30 days in the vessel and a curing period after, with soil returned around the two-month mark [9].
A Georgia board could someday set a different inspection interval, but until the law changes, no operator may run a vessel here. The processing time is a future number.
What would have to change for Georgia to get a human composting board?
Georgia's General Assembly would need to pass a bill that adds natural organic reduction to the final disposition statute and names a regulator. Colorado's SB21-006 and Oregon's HB 2574 show the pattern. Definitions first. Board authority second. Facility standards third. Fees fourth [3][4].
If a Georgia bill passes, expect a transition period. The board would need to write rules, create forms, and staff inspections. California's law passed in 2022, but the working rules came later [5]. Georgia would likely follow the same slow path.
Can you transport a body out of Georgia for human composting?
Yes, in most cases. Georgia law allows removal of a body from the state as a permitted disposition step [1]. Georgia's death certificate and disposition permit process handles out-of-state removal through the Department of Public Health [7]. A Georgia funeral director handles the transit permit and coordinates with a legal-state provider.
This is the only legal route today. The process happens elsewhere. The soil can return, but that return does not make the service a Georgia service. You are buying an out-of-state service, with Georgia only doing the transport paperwork.
What should Georgia families do now?
Contact a licensed provider in a legal state and a Georgia funeral home at the same time. Ask the provider for its current license number, total price, and how it returns soil. Ask the Georgia funeral director for the transit permit cost and the death certificate timeline.
Do not pay a Georgia application fee, board fee, or vessel permit. There is no board to receive it [1][6]. Ask for the receiving state's license number in writing. If they cannot produce it, walk away. If you are tracking the statute path yourself, HumusPath's one-time $199 NOR Facilitator Statute Kit compiles the bill text, board contacts, and chapter-and-verse you would otherwise pull by hand. It cannot change Georgia's current no. It just shortens the research.
How does Georgia compare with other states?
Georgia sits in the not-authorized group. Alabama has not enacted a natural organic reduction statute either. See human composting board in Alabama. Florida is also not a legal benchmark. See human composting board in Florida. Useful legal-state comparisons are Colorado and California. Arizona is a newer addition. See Arizona.
Here is the board-relevant comparison:
| State | Law passed | Board or regulator | Georgia-style local route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 2019 | Department of Licensing | No |
| Colorado | 2021 | Funeral home registration under DORA | No |
| Oregon | 2021 | Mortuary and Cemetery Board | No |
| California | 2022 | Cemetery and Funeral Bureau | No |
| Georgia | Not passed | None | No |
This table is about law, not price. Board names differ, but the Georgia column stays empty.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license for human composting in Georgia?
There is no license to get. Georgia law does not list natural organic reduction as a permitted final disposition method, so no permit, endorsement, or board approval exists. The Georgia Board of Funeral Service licenses funeral directors and establishments, but none of those categories authorizes a human composting vessel.
How much does human composting cost in Georgia?
It has no price in Georgia because no in-state provider may perform the process. The most useful national benchmark is Recompose, a licensed Washington provider, which publicly lists direct service at $7,000. Transportation from Georgia and return shipping add cost.
How long does human composting take in Georgia?
It cannot happen in Georgia, so no Georgia timeframe exists. In legal states the process runs about 30 to 60 days. Recompose describes roughly 30 days in the vessel plus a curing phase. Georgia could set a different timeframe only after a statute authorizes the practice.
Can a Georgia funeral home perform human composting?
No. A Georgia funeral home can help with death certificates, transit permits, and body removal. It cannot put a body in a reduction vessel in Georgia. Doing so would fall outside the final disposition methods Georgia law currently permits.
Is green burial the same as human composting in Georgia?
No. Green burial is legal in Georgia and uses a shroud or biodegradable casket without embalming. Natural organic reduction is a separate, regulated process that uses a vessel. Georgia has not authorized the vessel process.
What board should I call in Georgia about human composting?
Call the Georgia Board of Funeral Service. It is the existing death-care regulator under the Secretary of State. Ask if the board has added a natural organic reduction license category. As of this update, the answer is no.
Can I transport a body out of Georgia for human composting?
Yes, in most cases. Georgia law allows removal of a body from the state as a disposition step. A funeral director obtains the transit permit and coordinates with a licensed reduction provider in a legal state such as Washington, Colorado, or Oregon.
Has Georgia passed any law allowing human composting?
No. A state law would need to define natural organic reduction and name a regulator. Colorado, Oregon, and California have passed such laws, but Georgia has not passed an equivalent bill or given any board authority to regulate the practice.
What is natural organic reduction?
Washington statute defines it as "the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil." It uses a vessel with controlled heat, moisture, and organic material. Georgia has no statutory definition.
Can I receive soil back in Georgia from an out-of-state provider?
In most cases yes, because Georgia's restriction is on performing the process in state, not on receiving processed remains. Still, confirm with the provider and the receiving county. The soil is not a Georgia disposition. It is material returned from a lawful out-of-state service.
What documents do I need to remove a body from Georgia for human composting?
You need a death certificate and a disposition or transit permit handled through the Georgia Department of Public Health and the funeral director. The receiving state's provider will also have its own intake forms. No Georgia human composting board form exists.
Will Georgia legalize human composting soon?
Nobody has a reliable answer. A bill would have to move through the Georgia General Assembly and be signed by the governor. Nobody can promise a date. If you care about the issue, call your state senator and representative.
Sources
- Georgia Code § 31-21-20 via Justia: Georgia final disposition law does not list natural organic reduction as a permitted method.
- Washington State Legislature RCW 68.05.010: Washington defines natural organic reduction as "the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil."
- Colorado General Assembly SB21-006: Colorado enacted natural organic reduction legalization in 2021.
- Oregon Legislative Information HB 2574: Oregon authorized natural organic reduction in 2021.
- California Legislative Information AB 501: California passed natural organic reduction law in 2022 with implementation to come.
- Georgia Board of Funeral Service: Georgia Board of Funeral Service is the existing funeral service regulator and has no natural organic reduction license category.
- Georgia Department of Public Health Death Records: Georgia issues death certificates and disposition permits required before a body can leave the state.
- Recompose Our Process: Recompose describes roughly 30 days in the vessel plus curing, about 60 days total.