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What to expect in San Francisco
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 Francisco
Captain license
Not needed when the family scatters
Cremated Remains Disposer (CRD) registration
Inside San Francisco waters
Allowed with conditions
San Francisco Bay; the Golden Gate; Pacific Ocean outside the Golden Gate
Ocean
3+ nautical miles from land
Federal rule. Report to the EPA within 30 days.
San Francisco Bay, including the Golden Gate strait, is inland navigable water. State law allows scattering 500+ yards from any shoreline, from a boat. You may not scatter from the Golden Gate Bridge or any pier. Mid-channel in the Golden Gate and the open central bay can meet the 500-yard rule, but this is heavy ship traffic under Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service, so stay clear of the traffic lanes. Bay waters are not in a national marine sanctuary. Just outside the Golden Gate, the Greater Farallones and Monterey Bay sanctuaries meet near Rocky Point, Marin. Their rules list no exception for cremated remains (see open questions). The EPA 3-nm rule applies once you are in ocean waters. File with SF Office of Vital Records (101 Grove St, Room 105) if San Francisco is the nearest county.
Full California guide: permits, paperwork and sourcesLast checked October 15, 2026. A summary, not legal advice.