Licensing Requirements
There are no uniform licensing laws governing funeral service in the United States. Each state sets its own requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that licensure requirements have been met. Questions concerning individual state requirements should be directed to the licensing authority in the state(s) in which you intend to practice. Addresses of the licensing authorities may be obtained from the Institute.
Some state licensing agencies require a prospective student to notify the agency prior to enrollment in mortuary college, as well as completion of premortuary college educational requirements.
Some states bar applicants with misdemeanor or felony convictions from licensure. In most instances these matters are handled on a case by case basis. Prospective enrollees who may be affected by this should clear this matter prior to seeking enrollment by communicating directly with the state funeral service licensing agency.
Special note to those students seeking licensure in Texas:
The state regulatory agency is the Texas Funeral Service Commission, 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower 2, Suite 110, Wm. P. Hobby Building, Austin, TX 78701, 1-888-667-4881
Texas requires applicants for licensure to be 18 years of age, hold a high school diploma or GED certificate, graduate from an accredited mortuary college, minimum score of 75% on the National Board Examination, minimum 75% on the Texas Funeral Law Examination, and a period of provisional licensure in which the provisional licensee must perform 60 cases under the direct supervision of an approved funeral director and/or embalmer, followed by an exit interview.
Special note to those students seeking licensure in Louisiana.
The state regulatory agency is the Louisiana State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, 3500 N. Causeway Boulevard, Suite 1232, Metairie, LA 70002. (Mailing address is: P.O. Box 8757, Metairie, LA 70011.) Phone (504) 838-5109.
Pursuant to Louisiana statute R.S. 37:842 B, an applicant is qualified for licensure in Louisiana as an embalmer and funeral director if he/she:
- Is a resident of Louisiana, and eighteen years of age, or at least eighteen years of age and legally emancipated.
- Is found by the board to be of good moral character and temperate habits.
- Has served as an apprentice for a period of not less than one year in the state of Louisiana.
- Has paid the application fee required by Louisiana law. (See Louisiana Statute R.S. 37:845.)
- Is a graduate of a high school as evidenced by a diploma.
- Has successfully completed a full course of not less than fifteen full months in the science of embalming at an accredited school of mortuary science or funeral service recognized by the board.*
- Passes successfully an examination conducted by the board to practice the science of embalming as defined in Louisiana law. (See Louisiana Statute R.S. 37:831.)
*Students who desire to be licensed in Louisiana, in addition to the twelve months currently offered at Commonwealth, must complete an additional “full quarter” of study. Commonwealth will recognize and accept hours only from state accredited universities, colleges, and community colleges under guidelines of SACS accreditation or the equivalent thereto. Graduates of Commonwealth Institute’s Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service program meet the 15 month requirement.
This information is subject to change without notice; students should contact their state board for specific requirements.
State Boards
For most current information on State Licensing laws visit http://theconferenceonline.org/students-req.shtml
Alabama Board of Funeral Service
770 Washington Ave, Ste 226
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-4049
Alaska Div. of Occupational Licensing
Mortuary Science Section
PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
(907) 465-2695
Fax: (907) 465-2974
p.j._gingras@dced.state.ak.us
www.dced.state.ak.us/occ
Arizona State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
1400 W Washington
Room 230
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 542-3095
Fax: (602) 542-3093
Arkansas State Board of Embalmers
101 E Capitol, Ste 113
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 682-0574
Fax: (501) 682-0575
erachael.mcgrew@mail.state.ar.us
www.state.ar.us/fdemb
California Cemetery & Funeral Bureau
400 R St, Ste 3040
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 322-7737
www.dca.ca.gov/cemetery
Colorado Funeral Service Board
7853 E Arapahoe Ct #2100
Englewood, CO 80112
(303) 694-4728
Fax: (303) 694-4869
mail@costda.org
Connecticut Embalmer/Funeral Director Licensure
Dept. of Public Health
410 Capitol Ave, MS #12APP
PO Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134
(860) 509-7569
www.dph.state.ct.us
Delaware Board of Funeral Service
Cannon Building, Ste 203
861 Silver Lake Blvd
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 739-4522
smiccia@state.de.us
www.state.de.us
District of Columbia Board of Funeral Directors
Room 923, Occupational and Professional Licensing Administration
614 H St NW
Washington, DC 20001-7200
(202) 727-7473
Florida Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
1940 N Monroe St, Ste 60
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0754
(904) 488-8690
Fax: (850) 922-2918
leon.biegalski@dbpr.state.fl.us
www.state.fl.us/dbpr/pro/funer/fun_index.html
Georgia State Examining Boards
237 Coliseum Dr
Macon, GA 31217
(478) 207-1460
Fax: (478) 207-1468
Hawaii Sanitation Branch
Department of Health
591 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 586-8000
Fax: (808) 586-4729
Idaho Occupational Licensing Bureau
Owyhee Plaza
1109 Main St, Ste 220
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 334-3233
jwiedric@ibol.state.id.us
www.state.id.us/ibol
Illinois Professional Services Section
Department of Professional Regulation
320 W Washington St
Springfield, IL 62786
(217) 785-0800
www.dpr.state.il.us
Indiana State Board of Funeral & Cemetery Service
302 W Washington Ave
Room E-034
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-7215
Fax: (317) 232-2312
www.state.in.us/pla
* Iowa Board of Mortuary Science
Iowa Dept of Public Health
321 E 12th St
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
(515) 281-4287
Fax: 515-281-3121
mbledsoe@idph.state.ia.us
www.idph.state.ia.us
Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts
700 S.W. Jackson, Ste 904
Topeka, KS 66603-3733
(785) 296-3980
Fax: (785) 296-0891
boma1@ink.org
www.ink.org/public/ksbma
Kentucky Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors
PO Box 324
Crestwood, KY 40014
(502) 241-3918
Fax: (502) 241-4297
emmalou.hartlage@mail.state.ky.us
Louisiana State Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors
PO Box 8757
Metairie, LA 70011
(504) 838-5109
Fax: (504) 838-5112
labefd@ix.netcom.com
www.lsbefd.state.la.us
Maine Board of Funeral Service
State House Station 35
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 624-8623
fax: (207) 624-8637
diane.j.bradstreet@state.me.us
www.maineprofessionalreg.org
Maryland State Board of Morticians
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
4201 Patterson Ave
Baltimore, MD 21215-2299
(410) 764-4792
Fax: (410) 358-6571
groninge@dhmh.state.md.us
www.dhmh.state.md.us/bom
Massachusetts Board of Embalming and Funeral Service
239 Causeway St
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 727-1718
Fax: (617) 626-1627
kim.m.scully@state.ma.us
www.state.ma.us/reg/boards
* Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services
Board of Examiners in Mortuary Science
PO Box 30018
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 241-9252
bcinfo@cis.state.mi.us
www.michigan.gov
Minnesota Mortuary Science Section
121 E 7th Pl
PO Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 282-3829
Fax: (651) 282-3839
david.lemke@health.state.mn.us
www.health.state.mn.us
Mississippi State Board of Funeral Service
7 River Bend Place, Suite B
Flowood, MS 39232
(601) 354-6903
Fax: (601) 932-1901
funeral_board@msbfs.state.ms.us
www.msfuneralboard.com
Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors
PO Box 423
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0423
(573) 751-0813
Fax: (573) 751-1155
phandly@mail.state.mo.us
www.ecodev.state.mo.us/pr/embalm/
Montana Board of Funeral Service
PO Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
(406) 444-5433
dlibsclfnr@state.mt.us
www.dlibsdfnr.state.mt.us
* Nebraska Dept of Health and Human Services Credentialing Division
PO Box 94986
301 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2117
Fax: (402) 471-3577
kris.childs@hhss.state.ne.us
Nevada Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
305 N Carson St, #201
Carson City, NV 89701
(775) 882-3005
nevadafuneralboard@msn.com
www.funeralstate.nv.us/contact.htm
New Hampshire Board of Registration of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
Health & Welfare Building
6 Hazen Dr
Concord, NH 03301-6527
(603) 271-4648
Fax: (603) 271-3447
New Jersey State Board of Mortuary Science
PO Box 45009, Rm 513
Newark, NJ 07101
(973) 504-6425
New Mexico State Board of Thanatopractice
PO Box 25101
Santa Fe, NM 87504
(505) 476-7090
Fax: (505) 476-7095
funeralboard@state.nm.us
www.rtd.state.nm.us/d&c/thanato
* New York Bureau of Funeral Directing New York State Dept of Health
Hedley Park Place
433 River St, Ste 303
Troy, NY 12180-2299
(518) 402-0785
Fax: (518) 402-0784
funeral@health.state.ny.us
North Carolina Board of Mortuary Science
PO Box 27368
Raleigh, NC 27611-7368
(919) 733-9380
mhenderson@ncbms.org
www.ncbms.org
North Dakota Board of Embalmers
PO Box 633
Devils Lake, ND 58301
(701) 662-2511
* Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors of Ohio
77 S High St, 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
(614) 466-4252
Fax: (614) 728-6825
oh.emb.bd@exchange.state.oh.us
www.state.oh.us
Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors
4545 N Lincoln Blvd, Ste 175
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 522-1790
Fax: (405) 522-1790
brown@okfuneral.com
www.okfuneral.com
Oregon State Mortuary and Cemetery Board
Portland State Office Bldg Suite 430
800 N.E. Oregon St, Box #19
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 731-4040
Fax: (503) 731-4494
mortuary.board@state.or.us
www.oregon.gov
* Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors
PO Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
(717) 783-3397
fax: (717) 783-7769
funeral@pados.dos.state.ps.us
www.dos.pa.us/bpoa/fundirbd/mainpage.htm
Rhode Island Division of Professional Regulation
State Health Dept Building, Room 104
3 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2827
vanessad@doh.state.ri.us
www.healthri.org
South Carolina State Board of Funeral Service
Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation
PO Box 11329
Columbia, SC 29211-1329
(803) 896-4494 or 896-4497
Fax: (803) 896-4484
hayes@mail.llr.state.sc.us
www.llr.state.sc.us
South Dakota Board of Funeral Service
132 E Illinois
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 642-1600
Fax: (605) 642-1756
www.state.sd.us/dcr/funeral
Tennessee State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers
500 James Robertson Pkwy
Nashville, TN 37243-1144
(615) 741-2378
arthur.giles@state.tn.us
Texas Funeral Service Commission
PO Box 12217
Austin, TX 78711
(512) 936-2474
crob@tfsc.state.tx.us
or emon@tfsc.state.tx.us
www.tfsc.state.tx.us
Utah Dept of Professional Licensing
PO Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741
(801) 530-6396
Fax: (801) 530-6511
www.dopl.utah.gov
Vermont Board of Funeral Service
Office of Professional Regulation
81 River St
Montpelier, VT 05609-1106
(802) 828-3228
Fax: (802) 828-2368
tmcnight@sec.state.vt.us
www.sec.state.vt.us
Virginia Dept of Health Professions
Board of Funeral Directors
6606 W Broad St, 4th Floor
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 662-9907
Fax: (804) 662-9523
fanbd@dhp.state.va.us
www.dhp.state.va.us
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Office-Business & Professions Divisions
PO Box 9012
Olympia, WA 98507-9012
(360) 664-1555
Fax: (360) 586-4414
funerals@dol.wa.gov
www.wa.gov/dol/bpd/funfront
* West Virginia Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors
179 Summers St, Ste 305
Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 558-0302
boeafd@lycos.com
www.legis.wv.us
Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing Funeral Directors Examining Board
PO Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 261-2390
Fax: (608) 267-3816
www.legis.state.wi.us
++ Wyoming State Board of Embalming
2020 Carey Ave, Ste 201
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7788
vskora@state.wy.us
www.soswy.state.wy.us/director/ag-bd/embalm.htm
* An asterisk beside the state means the student must register with the state board before entering school. ++ Wyoming
Wyoming Licensing note: Funeral director’s license given to only one person per establishment. Other employees (embalmers or nonlicensed employees) may perform the duties of a funeral director under the funeral director’s/establishment license. Main licensee is responsible for their actions.
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