The Bureau licenses funeral establishments and funeral directors; embalmers and apprentice embalmers; cemetery brokers, salespersons, and managers; cremated remains disposers, and hydrolysis facilities. It also investigates consumer/licensee complaints and licensee compliance.
It also maintains an Advisory Committee composed of representatives of the regulated industry. The Advisory Committee addresses licensure qualification, examination and state-to-state reciprocity issues.
Licensing
The licensing requirements for funeral directors and embalmers vary by state. Most states require funeral directors to pass a state exam and have education and experience requirements. In New York, for example, license applicants must have a high school diploma and complete a mortuary science program. They must also complete internships and pass a state board exam to become licensed.
A funeral director who has already been licensed in another jurisdiction may apply for a limited license in New York by submitting an original certification from the other jurisdiction that he or she is a licensed funeral director and is in good standing. The license is subject to biennial renewal.
The Bureau’s mission is to advocate consumer protection and licensee compliance through proactive education and consistent interpretation and application of the laws governing the death care industry. The Bureau licenses 13 different licensing categories, including funeral establishments and funeral directors; embalmers and apprentice embalmers; cemetery brokers, salespersons, and managers; cremated remains disposers, crematories, and hydrolysis facilities; and privately owned cemeteries in California.
Rules and Regulations
The Board may formulate rules and regulations not inconsistent with this Act to regulate the business or profession of funeral directing. The Rules are intended to promote consumer protection and establish minimum standards for funeral establishments.
The Rule requires you to prepare and give consumers a General Price List (GPL) that lists your prices for the goods and services you sell. You must offer packages, but you must also provide the consumer with itemized prices so that they can choose only the items they want.
If you enter into an arrangement with a religious group, burial society or memorial society to arrange funerals for members of the group at special prices, you must follow the Rule’s requirements. If a member of one of these groups inquires in person about your arrangements, you must make your prices available to them.
You cannot condition the furnishing of a funeral good or service to a consumer on their purchase of a package, casket, embalming, urn, vault or grave liner. You also cannot include the charge for an optional service in a non-declinable basic services fee.
Continuing Education
Continuing education requirements for funeral directors are designed to help ensure that licensed funeral directors maintain the knowledge and skills to effectively perform their professional duties. NFDA offers a variety of courses, seminars and webinars to fulfill this requirement.
The curriculum includes courses covering such topics as embalming, funeral services and arrangement conferences, pre-need sales, restorative arts, cemetery services, federal and state laws governing the profession, counseling, funeral service merchandising, professionalism, funeral home management and sanitation and infection control.
A course in ethics is also required and topics include preventing wrongful acts, avoiding sexual harassment and protecting client confidentiality. Also, this course helps to explain the different phases of grief and provides guidance in assisting those bereaved. Another course teaches how to properly complete a Certificate of Death. And, there is a seminar on improving professional communication.
Requirements
The funeral industry must meet certain regulatory requirements. These can include rules regarding handling of remains, exposure control, hepatitis B vaccinations and more. Local governmental agencies can also establish additional requirements.
For example, many municipalities have rules governing where and how bodies can be buried within the city or county. Some have stricter rules than others.
Funeral directors must follow state and local regulations as well as those of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. In addition, they must pass an exam to be licensed in the state where they plan to work.
A funeral home must give consumers a General Price List (GPL) upon their request. This is usually done during an arrangement conference in person, but can be by telephone. The GPL must contain identifying information, an itemized list of merchandise and services and the prices. A funeral provider can use other formats such as notebooks, charts or brochures containing the same information as the GPL but the format must be clearly visible and readily accessible to the consumer.