Can You Legally Spread Someone's Ashes in New Hampshire/Ocean?

A lot of people have their "spread my ashes (insert location here)..." location.

About 80% of people reading this know exactly what I mean, but for those who don't, many people who want to be cremated after they pass away want to have their ashes spread somewhere specific.

Some keep all of their ashes in an urn for a family member, others in a necklace or keepsake. But many want some (or all) of their ashes spread somewhere. This is typically a location near and dear to them.

Typical ash-spreading location requests could be the local beach or national park, under a tree, on top of a previously-buried loved one, or even crazier locations like Fenway Park, Six Flags New England, or Walt Disney World.

Many people will spread their ashes on their own property, which is 100% legal, according to a Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium article.

As long as you get permission from the private landowner (or you own the land yourself), you are allowed to spread someone's ashes on private property, BUT, you need permission. Otherwise, you're not allowed to.

What about some other wild locations, like the ocean? If someone loved Hampton Beach, spent all of their time on the strip, and requested to have their ashes spread near the wall, can you do so? Or is it illegal?

The answer is that it is not allowed. There is a big difference between "a rule" and "a law." As far as I can tell, this is a rule. So it would not be unlawful...just against the rules.

Do with that information what you will.

It is 100% legal to spread someone's ashes into the ocean as long as you are at least three nautical miles from shore, according to Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium.

Summary:

Your land: Legal.

Private land: Illegal (unless permission from the owner was granted).

Public land: Against the rules (not the law, per se).

Beach, bays, river openings: Against the rules.

The ocean: Legal as long as you are over three nautical miles off the coast.