Crematorium Operations in Finland

Crematorium operating principle

A crematorium is a facility where the body of the deceased is cremated at high temperature. In Finland, crematorium operations are regulated by the Burial Act (457/2003), and operating a crematorium requires a permit from the Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto; before 1 January 2026 the Regional State Administrative Agency). The furnace is preheated to a high temperature, and according to Hietaniemi Crematorium cremation takes about one to one and a half hours. Each deceased is cremated individually in their own casket, and identification is ensured throughout the process – at Hietaniemi, for example, a metal coin stamped with a cremation number follows the deceased through the process and is placed in the urn.

Cremation has become significantly more common in Finland. According to the Finnish Association of Cemetery Administration, 40,350 deceased were cremated in 2025, about 69 per cent of all deaths, compared with about 49 per cent in 2015.

Cremation process step by step

Cremation proceeds systematically. The deceased is received at the crematorium in a casket – Finnish crematoria do not accept a deceased person without one – and identity is verified. A burial permit is required. After the funeral service, the casket is kept in storage until cremation. The casket is moved into the preheated furnace, where the organic matter burns away, leaving inorganic material from the skeleton. After cooling, an ash-processing machine separates casket screws, nails and other metal parts and processes the ashes to a uniform consistency. The ashes are transferred to an urn, which is sealed and labelled. Under Section 20 of the Burial Act, the crematorium must keep a permanent register of cremations.

Crematoria in Finland

Finland has just over 20 crematoria around the country. Crematoria are mainly operated by Evangelical Lutheran parishes and parish unions; Hietaniemi Crematorium in Helsinki is operated by the Crematorium Foundation. In 2025, the largest numbers of cremations were carried out at the Malmi and Honkanummi crematoria (5,049 combined), Turku (3,205), Hietaniemi (2,950), Lahti (2,884) and Vatiala in Kangasala (2,731). Fees vary between crematoria: at Hietaniemi, for example, the basic cremation fee is EUR 320 (price list from 1 February 2025), and the urn is stored free of charge for three months. Cremation can also take place at a crematorium outside the deceased's home municipality or burial location.

Legislation and permits

Under Section 17 of the Burial Act, operating a crematorium requires a permit from the Finnish Supervisory Agency. The permit can be granted to a parish or parish union, another public body, or a registered religious community, association or foundation, provided it can run the crematorium properly and has an environmental permit under the Environmental Protection Act. A crematorium may not be operated for profit. A deceased person may be buried or cremated only once the cause of death has been established and a doctor has issued a burial permit (Act on the Investigation of Cause of Death 459/1973, section 2); the permit is free of charge. The crematorium must keep a register of each cremated person, the time of cremation and where the ashes are to be placed (Section 20), and may release the ashes only for burial or permanent placement in one location (Section 18).

Release of ashes to the family

Cremation usually takes place within 1–2 weeks of the funeral service, and the ashes are released to the family or funeral home in an urn. The family can collect the urn themselves or authorise the funeral home, for example to bring it directly to the urn burial. The person collecting must prove their identity and sign for the urn, and before the release the crematorium must be told in writing where the ashes will be placed (Section 18). The ashes must be buried or permanently placed in one location within one year of cremation; placement requires the consent of the landowner or holder of the area. If the family does not take care of the ashes despite a reminder, they are placed at the expense of the estate in the cemetery where the deceased had the right to be buried (Section 19).