Cremation in Moldova: Is It Possible, What to Do

In brief, in 30 seconds.

Moldova has no operating crematorium. The law that would allow opening them has been pending since 2023 and has not been passed.
Moldovan families transport the body abroad for cremation, most often to Odesa, and sometimes to Romania.
For a Ukrainian citizen, the simplest option is to transport the body to Ukraine. Then the family chooses between burial in a coffin or cremation in Ukraine.
To transport a body out of Moldova, a mortuary permit (permis mortuar) issued by the Ministry of Health is required.
If you already have the urn, transporting it to Ukraine costs from 800 €, with no prepayment.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Inquire about transport

GRG van in front of a palace in Stockholm

Is cremation possible in Moldova

No. According to the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova, there is no operating crematorium in the Republic of Moldova. Funeral companies explain this by the lack of a legal framework: it is impossible to get a permit to build a crematorium.

In 2023, a draft law on the operation of cemeteries was submitted to Parliament (legislative initiative No. 101 of 13.04.2023). For the first time, it would allow the creation of crematoriums by the state, local authorities, or in partnership with private companies. The draft received committee approvals and was included on the agenda for the session on July 7, 2023, but was never reviewed. Parliament stated that the bill has not been withdrawn and may still be voted on.

Until the law is passed, a person cannot be cremated in Moldova. No one makes any promises about when a crematorium might open.

What families do instead of cremation

Transporting the body to Ukraine

For a Ukrainian citizen, this is the most practical way. Moldova borders Ukraine, and the body is transported by road in a special vehicle. Then the family decides whether to:

bury their loved one in a coffin at home;
arrange cremation in Ukraine and bury the urn.

To learn how we transport the body, how much it costs, and what is required, read our page on body transport from Moldova.

What Moldovans themselves do

According to the Chișinău Center for Public Health (Centrul de Sănătate Publică Chișinău), in 2025 it issued 45 accompanying letters for the cremation of bodies in Odesa and one for cremation in Oradea (Romania). This means that most families who need cremation transport the body to Ukraine.

Cremation in a neighboring country

In theory, the body can be taken to Romania for cremation. For a Ukrainian citizen, this usually takes longer and is more complicated: afterward, the urn still has to be brought to Ukraine across another border. That is why we advise cremation in Ukraine if the family specifically chooses cremation.

If you already have the urn

Sometimes a person was cremated in another country, and the urn is currently with relatives in Moldova. Or the cremation was carried out in Romania. In that case, we pick up the urn from the family and bring it to Ukraine. Urn transport costs from 800 €, with no prepayment; payment is made after delivery under the contract.

The Customs Service of Moldova explains that transporting coffins and urns with ashes across the border is regulated by the 1973 Strasbourg Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses, which Moldova has ratified. To bring an urn into Moldova, you must present the original mortuary permit (permis mortuar) or death certificate and transport documents at the border. At the Ukrainian border, the urn goes through separate clearance: customs clearance for an urn. How we work with urns: urn transport.

Documents for transporting a body out of Moldova

According to the Customs Service of Moldova, a mortuary permit (permis mortuar) issued by the Ministry of Health and transport documents are mandatory to take a deceased person out of the country. Under the Strasbourg Agreement, the country of destination and transit does not require anything beyond the mortuary permit, apart from documents stipulated by international agreements.

In addition, you will need:

a death certificate issued by the Moldovan civil registry office;
the deceased person's passport;
family documents: a power of attorney, if a representative is acting on your behalf.

The Embassy of Ukraine operates in Chișinău. It will help if consular certificates are needed. We will provide the exact list for your case after a phone call; see the general list on the documents page.

How much it costs and how long it takes

The price depends on what the family chooses.

	Body transport, then cremation in Ukraine	Urn is already available
What we do	pick up the body, prepare the documents, transport to Ukraine	pick up the urn from the family, transport to Ukraine
Documents from Moldova	death certificate, mortuary permit (permis mortuar), transport documents	death certificate, cremation certificate
Transport price	see the country page	from 800 €
Cremation	in Ukraine, at the crematorium's rate	already completed

Estimated timelines:

Stage	Estimate
Phone call, contract, power of attorney	1 day
Death certificate and mortuary permit in Moldova	a few days
Body transport by road to Ukraine	a few days including the border
Cremation in Ukraine	according to the crematorium's schedule
Burial of the urn or coffin	by arrangement with the cemetery

Timelines depend on the Moldovan authorities, the border, and the schedule of the crematorium in Ukraine. We will update you on the progress at every stage. There is no prepayment for transport: payment is made after delivery under the contract.

If the person wished to be cremated

The family does not go against their loved one's wishes if the cremation takes place in Ukraine. The procedure is as follows: the body is transported to Ukraine, cremated here, and then the urn is buried. We will let you know which documents from Moldova the Ukrainian crematorium will need, and we will collect them before departure.

Burial in Ukraine

After arrival in Ukraine, the body is either buried in a coffin or cremated. The urn can be buried in a grave, interred in an existing family plot, or placed in a columbarium. Read more about this here: urn burial.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a crematorium in Chișinău?

No. According to Teleradio-Moldova, there is no operating crematorium anywhere in Moldova. The 2023 law on crematoriums has not been passed.

Where are people who died in Moldova cremated?

Most often in Odesa. In 2025, the Chișinău Center for Public Health issued 45 accompanying letters for cremation in Odesa.

How to cremate a Ukrainian citizen who died in Moldova?

Transport the body to Ukraine and carry out the cremation here. We will arrange the transport and help book the cremation in Ukraine.

What documents are needed to transport a body out of Moldova?

A mortuary permit (permis mortuar) from the Ministry of Health, a death certificate, and transport documents.

When will Moldova have a crematorium?

It is unknown. The 2023 draft law has still not been reviewed in Parliament, and no one gives any timelines.

Can an urn be transported from Moldova to Ukraine?

Yes. If the urn is already available, we pick it up from the family. The price is from 800 €, with no prepayment.

What to do now

Call us and let us know where your loved one passed away and where the body is now.
Decide whether the family wants a coffin burial or cremation in Ukraine.
Locate the deceased person's passport and issue a power of attorney for a representative.
Make arrangements with a cemetery in Ukraine. We will handle the transport and paperwork.

Call +380 77 882 77 77 Inquire about transport

Phone line open 24/7, also available on Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram.

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Cremation in Moldova: Is It Possible and What Families Should Do