well i wasn't sure so I looked it up and here is an article I found:
Does the law say that I must be embalmed?
No state requires routine embalming and some don't require it at all. It is not required for cremation if performed immediately. If a funeral salesperson tells you that it is the law, ask what special circumstances exist that require it. Insisting that embalming is required where it is not is against the law.
The following chart lists state embalming laws. Note the four categories:
* Waiting Period: Numbers state the hours that a corpse must be embalmed or refrigerated.
* Disease: Embalming may be required for certain communicable or contagious diseases. The letters RQD means that when the patient has died of infectious illness, a doctor must be consulted to determine whether the corpse should be embalmed or not. (Embalming may actually further the spread of some diseases. Hawaii has laws against embalming under certain circumstances.) Which diseases are covered by these laws varies from state to state. Check with your local public health department for specifics if you live in one of these states.
* Interstate Transport. Some states require that embalming be performed on bodies being shipped out of state.
* Common Carrier. Some states require that embalming be performed before a body can be shipped on a common carrier such as an airline, a trucking line, or a ship.
http://www.alsirat.com/silence/consumers/embalming.html
the link can give the rest of the information along with staying in regulations with forum (Jules is that right?
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