Licensing, Renewal, and Continuing Education
Licensure pathways
- Funeral director: at least 18, high school diploma or equivalent, completion of an approved mortuary science education program, a supervised internship, and examination. Embalmer: comparable education plus an embalming internship and examination. The combined license requires both competencies.
- Direct disposer: at least 18, high school diploma or equivalent, completion of the Board-approved 40-hour course, and examination. A direct disposition establishment must have a licensed direct disposer in charge.
- Establishments and preneed licensees: separate facility or entity licenses; changes in ownership, location, or person in charge must be reported and may require a new license.
- Preneed sales agents: licensed and sponsored by a licensed preneed licensee; they may sell only for that licensee.
Renewal and CE
Licenses renew on a biennial cycle. Renewal is not automatic: the licensee must submit the renewal, pay the fee, and certify continuing education. CE must be Board-approved and documented; the Board's renewal notice and rule chapter control the current hour total and subject-specific requirements. Do not rely on a course provider's claim that a course counts without checking approval. A late-renewal window usually carries an additional fee; once it closes, the license is no longer valid and reinstatement requirements apply.
Worked example
A funeral director completes continuing education but forgets to renew before the expiration date. Eight months later she arranges a funeral. Her CE does not cure the lapse. She was practicing on an expired license, which is unlicensed practice; the establishment that employed her also faces exposure for using an unlicensed person. She must apply for reinstatement and satisfy the Board's current requirements; she cannot backdate renewal.
Traps
- Treating CE as a substitute for timely renewal. Both are required.
- Assuming inactive status allows practice. Inactive means you may not practice.
- Forgetting that the individual license and the establishment license are separate; one can lapse while the other remains active.
- Assuming a lapsed license can be renewed as of right after the late window. Reinstatement may require additional proof or examination.
- Relying on unapproved online CE.