How to apply for cremation of dead bodies and book the date and time of cremation?

Contents

• Dead bodies suitable for cremation
• Joint Office set up by the Immigration Department, Department of Health and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
• Application procedures
• Handling of Ashes

Dead bodies suitable for cremation

Crematoria service can be adopted if any one of the following requirements is fulfilled:

1. A Medical Certificate (Cremation) for the deceased has been issued by the related medical practitioner and a Cremation Permit; or
2. A Cremation Order has been issued by the Coroner.

Family members or friends of the deceased should register and perform related procedures at the Joint Office set up by the Deaths Registry of the Immigration Department, Cremation Permit Office of the Department of Health and Cremation Booking Office of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).
 

Joint Office set up by the Immigration Department, Department of Health and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

1. Hong Kong Office: 18/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wanchai
2. Kowloon Office: 1/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po

Office hours：
Monday to Friday：9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 2 PM to 4:30 PM
Saturday：9:00 AM to 12:30 PMSundays and Public Holidays: Closed
(Note: Office hours are subject to the announcement by relevant Departments. Please refer to websites of relevant Departments or Press release of the Government.)
 

To book a cremation session at a crematorium of FEHD, the applicant should first apply for the “Cremation Permit” at the Joint Office or obtain the “Certificate of Order Authorizing Cremation of Body” (commonly known as “cremation order”) from the Coroner. The applicant can book an unallocated cremation session within the next 15 days from the day of application. There are six crematoria operated by FEHD.  For the opening hours and telephone numbers of the crematoria, please click here. Public can also check the booking status of cremation sessions online, for details, please click here.

The application procedures for cremation of dead bodies and booking for the date and time of cremation are the same.  Please refer to the following for details.
 

Application procedures

Handling of Ashes

FEHD will issue a “Permit to Take Away Cremated Ashes” to the applicant after cremation.  The applicant can consider to use the following ways of disposal of cremated ashes provided by FEHD：

1. Scattering the cremated ashes at designated waters, for details, please click here；
2. Scattering the cremated ashes in a garden of remembrance managed by FEHD, for details, please click here；or
3. Depositing the cremated ashes at a columbarium managed by FEHD, for details, please click here.

In case of inclement weather or service adjustments due to special circumstances, the opening hours may be changed. Please refer to the departmental website and the latest press releases.