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What to expect in San Diego
Your captain meets your group at the dock, takes you to the scattering spot, and gives you time for words, music, flowers or silence. Afterward, the captain records the coordinates of the scattering so your family always knows where it took place. Biodegradable urns and flowers can be ordered from our memorial store and delivered before your service.
Scattering rules in San Diego
Captain license
Not needed when the family scatters
Cremated Remains Disposer (CRD) registration
Inside San Diego waters
Allowed with conditions
San Diego Bay; Mission Bay; Pacific Ocean off Point Loma and La Jolla
Ocean
3+ nautical miles from land
Federal rule. Report to the EPA within 30 days.
San Diego Bay and Mission Bay are inland tidal waters, not lakes. State law therefore allows scattering 500+ yards from every shoreline (including islands and piers), from a boat. In practice, Mission Bay has very few spots that far from shore. San Diego Bay has some in the wider middle stretches, but it is full of Navy security and restricted areas around North Island, Naval Base San Diego and Naval Base Point Loma. Federal rules also require boats to slow down within 500 yards of any U.S. Navy vessel and keep out of 100 yards (Naval Vessel Protection Zones, 33 CFR 165.2010-2030). Most operators go past Point Loma and 3 nm out. La Jolla's coast is a state Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS), where waste discharges are banned (see open questions). There is no national marine sanctuary. San Diego County charges $12 per permit and says a permit is needed 'when scattering cremains on land or at sea.'
Full California guide: permits, paperwork and sourcesLast checked October 15, 2026. A summary, not legal advice.