Marine Management Organisation¶
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is the executive non-departmental public body that licenses and regulates marine activity in English waters. For families dealing with a death, the MMO matters in one specific situation: anyone wishing to bury a body at sea in English waters needs an MMO marine licence before the burial can take place. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]
What requires a licence:
- Burial at sea of a deceased person, coffin lowered to the seabed at one of the permitted locations.
What does not require a licence:
- Scattering of cremated ashes at sea. No licence needed, no MMO involvement. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]
Designated burial sites: the MMO licenses three designated areas off the English coast, off The Needles (Isle of Wight), between Hastings and Newhaven, and off Tynemouth (North Tyneside). Burials at other locations are possible but require a standard licence (rather than the cheaper self-service licence) and additional evidence that the location is suitable. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]
What the MMO requires:
- Coffin must be solid softwood with specific reinforcements, drainage holes, and weighting (minimum 200 kg of iron, steel, or concrete).
- Body must be wrapped in metal wire mesh.
- Body must not be embalmed.
- Body must be dressed only in lightweight, biodegradable clothing.
- For The Needles site, three DNA samples must be taken from the deceased and uploaded to the Missing Persons Database in case of future identification.
Documents required for a licence application: death certificate, Certificate of Freedom from Fever and Infection, coroner's notice (if applicable), and the DNA consent form for The Needles. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]
Timing: a burial must take place within three months of the licence being granted. [source: gov-uk/burial-at-sea-licence-2026-05-02.html]
Other UK jurisdictions:
- Scotland: marine licensing is handled by Marine Scotland (part of Scottish Government).
- Wales: handled by Natural Resources Wales.
- Northern Ireland: handled by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
The MMO's remit is England-only, despite the name suggesting wider coverage.
Practical note: most families using burial at sea work through a specialist funeral director who handles the licence application alongside the other arrangements. The MMO does not itself arrange the burial. It issues the legal permission for it to take place.
Last verified: 2 May 2026 against gov.uk burial-at-sea licence guidance.
AfterLoss¶
Our burial rights in the UK guide covers the Marine Management Organisation licence for burial at sea and the practicalities of working with a licensed operator. Funeral Wishes lets a person record burial at sea as their preference, so the family begins the licence and operator conversations knowing that is what was wanted.