No, you can’t ship human ashes through FedEx. The FedEx Service Guide lists “cremated or disinterred human remains” among the items customers are prohibited from shipping, both within the U.S. and internationally. In the United States, the carrier that does accept cremated remains is the U.S. Postal Service, using Priority Mail Express inside its own Cremated Remains box.
This guide covers what FedEx’s rule says, how to send ashes the approved USPS way, what changes for international shipments, and what to do if you already booked a FedEx shipment.
Why can’t you ship human ashes through FedEx?
FedEx’s U.S. terms and conditions include a list of prohibited items that customers agree not to tender. Item four on that list reads: “Human corpses, human organs or body parts, human embryos, or cremated or disinterred human remains.” The international terms repeat the same prohibition, so there is no FedEx Express or FedEx Ground service, domestic or international, that accepts ashes.
The only exception in the guide covers human tissue or body parts shipped as regulated biological or infectious substances for medical purposes. It does not apply to cremated remains sent by a family or funeral home. Our overview of FedEx services, tiers and transit times shows what FedEx does carry, and the FedEx frequently asked questions guide covers other restricted items.
| Carrier | Accepts human cremated remains? | Service to use |
|---|---|---|
| FedEx | No, prohibited in the FedEx Service Guide | None |
| UPS | No, listed among UPS prohibited articles | None |
| USPS (domestic) | Yes | Priority Mail Express only |
| USPS (international) | Yes, where the destination country allows it | Priority Mail Express International only |
How do you ship cremated remains with USPS instead?
USPS Publication 139, “How to Package and Ship Cremated Remains” (January 2025), says you can mail cremated remains to any domestic address as long as you prepare the package by its rules. Publication 52’s Packaging Instruction 10C adds that domestic shipments are “permitted via Priority Mail Express service only.”
- Use a sealed, sift-proof inner container. It must be strong and durable, and “sift-proof” means loose powder can’t leak out. For international mail, the inner container must be a funeral urn.
- Bag it. Place the sealed container in a sealed plastic bag, and USPS recommends a label on the bag with both addresses and the words “Cremated Remains.”
- Cushion it. Pack enough padding around the container that it can’t shift or break in transit.
- Use the USPS Cremated Remains box. The outer package must be the USPS Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains box (BOX-CRE), which is free from The Postal Store on USPS.com and sometimes stocked at select Post Offices.
- Add a contact slip inside. USPS suggests a sheet with both addresses and phone numbers in case the outer label is lost.
- Address and label it as Priority Mail Express. Use complete return and delivery addresses with ZIP Codes, then mail it at a Post Office or with an approved Priority Mail Express label.
Priority Mail Express is USPS’s fastest domestic service, with an overnight to 2-day delivery commitment depending on the destination, tracking, and a money-back guarantee if the commitment is missed. To see what it costs for your box’s weight and destination, you can compare live USPS rates in the ParcelPath rate calculator, where ParcelPath offers up to 89% off USPS retail rates with no subscription or fees.
What paperwork do you need to ship ashes?
For a domestic shipment, USPS packaging rules don’t require a death certificate or special form; the requirement is correct packaging, the Cremated Remains box and Priority Mail Express. Publication 139 does recommend attaching the cremation certificate to the outer box, or keeping it easily accessible, when you have it.
Paperwork can still matter outside the Postal Service. Funeral homes, cemeteries and some states have their own rules on transferring or interring remains, so ask the receiving funeral director or cemetery what they need before you mail anything.
Can you ship human ashes internationally?
Yes, through USPS, but only with Priority Mail Express International and only where the destination country permits it. Publication 139 tells shippers to verify that in the Individual Country Listing of the International Mail Manual before mailing, because some countries prohibit cremated remains and others set conditions.
International shipments have three extra requirements. The inner container must be a sealed, sift-proof funeral urn, the contents must be identified as “Cremated Remains” on the customs declaration, and the cremation certificate plus any permits the destination requires should be attached; the sender is responsible for getting them. FedEx can’t serve as a backup here either: our guide on whether FedEx delivers internationally to 220+ countries covers its network, but the human-remains prohibition applies on every international lane.
What if you already booked a FedEx shipment for ashes?
Cancel it before the package is tendered. If you scheduled a FedEx pickup, our explainer on whether FedEx charges for pickup covers how pickups are booked and billed, so you can cancel the request in the same place. Then repackage the remains in a USPS Cremated Remains box and switch to Priority Mail Express.
Timing around holidays matters too. If you had planned a FedEx delivery for a memorial date, the FedEx holiday schedule no longer applies; check USPS holiday closures instead and allow for the Priority Mail Express commitment to your destination. For other carriers and services by shipment type, see our roundup of the best shipping services and solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FedEx accept human ashes if they are in a sealed urn?
No. The FedEx Service Guide prohibits “cremated or disinterred human remains” regardless of how they are packaged, so a sealed urn, a decorative box or a commercial shipping container makes no difference. The only exception covers human tissue shipped as a regulated medical or biological substance, which doesn’t include ashes sent by families or funeral homes.
Which carrier can I use to ship human ashes in the U.S.?
Use the U.S. Postal Service. USPS Publication 52 permits domestic cremated remains via Priority Mail Express service only, packed in a sealed, sift-proof inner container, cushioned, and placed inside the free USPS Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains box. FedEx and UPS both prohibit human cremated remains.
Can I use my own box to mail cremated remains with USPS?
No. USPS Publication 139 says you must use the USPS Priority Mail Express Cremated Remains box as the outer package. It is free and can be ordered online from The Postal Store on USPS.com, and select Post Offices may stock it. Your own urn or container goes inside it as the sealed, sift-proof inner container.
Can I ship pet ashes the same way?
Yes. USPS Publication 139 covers the remains of a loved one or a pet, so pet ashes use the same Priority Mail Express service, sift-proof inner container and Cremated Remains box. FedEx’s prohibited-items wording names human remains specifically, so ask FedEx directly before trying to send pet ashes through it.
Sources
- USPS Publication 139: How to Package and Ship Cremated Remains (January 2025)
- USPS Publication 52, Appendix C, Packaging Instruction 10C: Cremated Remains
- USPS International Mail Manual: Individual Country Listings
- USPS Priority Mail Express
- FedEx Service Guide 2026: Prohibited items (U.S. and international terms)
Part of our Does FedEx Deliver Internationally guide. Related: FedEx shipping hub.
