Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Special Requirements
You must have a Virginia Funeral Service license before making funeral arrangements and performing embalming. Applicants who wish to become certified as embalmers must meet the following requirements:
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
· Must be at least 18 years of age
· A graduate of a high school or the equivalent
· Completed an 18 month Resident traineeship program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A student may not attend school full time while serving the traineeship.
· Be a graduate from a school of mortuary science or funeral service approved by the Board
· Pass the required state and national exams
· Have not been convicted of a felony
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
· Must have a high school diploma or the equivalent
· Must graduate from a funeral service program offered by a school of mortuary science or funeral service that is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Inc.
· Completed an 18 month traineeship program in the Commonwealth of Virginia
LICENSURE BY EXAMINATION:
A. Application requirements:
1. With the exception of school transcripts and national examination board scores, all parts of an application package, including the required fee and any additional documentation as may be required to determine eligibility, shall be submitted simultaneously.
2. An individual applying for the state examination shall submit the application package not less than 30 days prior to an examination date. The board may, for good cause shown by the applicant, waive the time for the filing of any application.
B. National examination requirements: Prior to applying for licensure by examination, every applicant shall pass the National Board Examination of the Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards of the United States, Inc., administered in accredited schools of embalming or mortuary science.
C. State examination requirements: All applicants shall pass the Virginia State Board Examination.
LICENSURE BY REPROCITY OR ENDORSEMENT:
A. Licenses for the practice of funeral service or its equivalent issued by other states, territories, or the District of Columbia may be recognized by the board and the holder of such license or licenses may be granted a license to practice funeral service within the Commonwealth. Licenses may be granted to applicants by the board on a case-by-case basis if the applicant holds a valid license for the practice of funeral service or its equivalent in another state, territory, or the District of Columbia and possesses credentials which are substantially similar to or more stringent than required by the Commonwealth for initial licensure at the time the applicant was initially licensed.
B. An applicant for licensure by reciprocity or endorsement shall pass the Virginia State Board Examination.
LICENSE RENEWAL:
The funeral service license, funeral director license, or embalmer license shall expire on March 31 of each calendar year.
A. A person, establishment, crematory, courtesy card holder or surface transportation and removal service that desires to renew its license or registration for the next year shall, not later than the expiration date, submit the renewal application and applicable fee.
1. In order to renew an active funeral service, director or embalmer license, a licensee shall be required to comply with continuing competency requirements.
2. The board shall not renew a license for any licensee who fails to attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements on the renewal form.
B. A person who or entity which desires to renew an expired license for up to one year following expiration shall comply with requirements of subsection A of this section and also submit the applicable fee for late renewal.
C. A person who or entity which fails to renew a license, registration, or courtesy card by the expiration dates shall be deemed to have an invalid license, registration, or courtesy card and continued practice may subject the licensee to disciplinary action by the board.
REINSTATEMENT:
A. The board may consider reinstatement of an expired license or registration that has not been renewed within one year of expiration for up to three years following expiration. A written application request for reinstatement shall be submitted to the board and shall include payment of the reinstatement fee.
B. If the Virginia license of a funeral service provider, funeral director and embalmer is lapsed three years or less and the applicant is seeking reinstatement, he shall provide evidence of having completing the number of continuing competency hours required for the period in which the license has been lapsed.
C. When a license is not reinstated within three years of its expiration date, an applicant shall reapply for licensure and pass the state examination.
TEMPORARY LICENSES:
Virginia does not have temporary licenses. You must have a Virginia Funeral Service license before making funeral arrangements and performing an embalming.
Required Fees:
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Initial license to practice funeral service or funeral director or an embalmer
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$ 275
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Renewal of licensure or registration
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$ 175
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Late renewal of licensure or registration up to one year following expiration
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$ 60
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Reinstatement of licensure or registration
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$ 275
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Reinstatement following suspension
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$ 500
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Reinstatement following revocation
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$ 1000
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Verification of licensure or registration to another state
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$ 50
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For More Information, Contact:
Virginia Department Of Health Professions
Board Of Funeral Directors And Embalmers
6603 West Broad St., 5th Floor
Richmond, VA 23230-1717
Phone: 804.662.9907
TTY: 804.662.7197
http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/
The data sources for the information displayed here include: Virginia Career VIEW Research. (Using onet28)
