Part II. Renewals and Reinstatement
18VAC65-20-120. Expiration dates.
A. A funeral service establishment license, crematory registration, or surface transportation and removal service registration shall expire on March 31 of each calendar year.
B. The funeral service license, funeral director license, or embalmer license shall expire on March 31 of each calendar year.
C. Courtesy cards expire on March 31 of each calendar year.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 4.1, eff. October 24, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 8, Issue 25, eff. October 7, 1992; Volume 11, Issue 14, eff. May 3, 1995; Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999; Volume 16, Issue 7, eff. January 19, 2000; Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008.
18VAC65-20-130. Renewal of license; registration.
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 as provided in 18VAC65-20-120, submit the renewal form and applicable fee.
1. In order to renew an active funeral service, funeral director, or embalmer license, a licensee shall be required to comply with continuing competency requirements set forth in 18VAC65-20-151.
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.
3. In order to renew a courtesy card, the courtesy card holder shall provide documentation of current, unrestricted licensure for funeral service, funeral directing, or embalming from the licensing authority in the states in which the courtesy card holder is licensed to practice.
B. A person who or entity that 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 that fails to renew a license, registration, or courtesy card by the expiration dates prescribed in 18VAC65-20-120 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.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 4.2, eff. October 24, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 8, Issue 25, eff. October 7, 1992; Volume 11, Issue 14, eff. May 3, 1995; Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999; Volume 16, Issue 7, eff. January 19, 2000; Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; Volume 23, Issue 7, eff. January 10, 2007; Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 26, Issue 3, eff. November 11, 2009; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021.
18VAC65-20-140. Reinstatement of expired license or registration.
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. An application request for reinstatement shall be submitted to the board and shall include payment of the reinstatement fee prescribed in 18VAC65-20-70.
B. If the Virginia license of a funeral service licensee, a funeral director, or an embalmer is lapsed three years or less and the applicant is seeking reinstatement, the applicant 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.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 4.3, eff. October 24, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 8, Issue 25, eff. October 7, 1992; Volume 11, Issue 14, eff. May 3, 1995; Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999; Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; Volume 23, Issue 7, eff. January 10, 2007; Volume 26, Issue 3, eff. November 11, 2009; Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-150. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 4.4, eff. October 24, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 8, Issue 25, eff. October 7, 1992; Volume 11, Issue 14, eff. May 3, 1995; Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003.
18VAC65-20-151. Continued competency requirements for renewal of an active license.
A. Funeral service licensees, funeral directors, or embalmers shall be required to have completed a minimum of five hours per year of continuing education offered by a board-approved sponsor for licensure renewal in courses that emphasize the ethics, standards of practice, preneed contracts and funding, or federal or state laws and regulations governing the profession of funeral service.
1. One hour per year shall cover compliance with laws and regulations governing the profession or preneed funeral arrangements. At least one hour of continuing education in preneed funeral arrangements must be completed every three years. The one-hour requirement on compliance with laws and regulations may be met once every two years by attendance at a meeting of the board or at a committee of the board or an informal conference or formal hearing.
2. One hour of the five hours required for annual renewal may be satisfied through delivery of professional services, without compensation, to low-income individuals receiving health services through a local health department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of those services. One hour of continuing education may be credited for one hour of providing such volunteer services, as documented by the health department or free clinic. For the purposes of continuing education credit for volunteer service, an approved sponsor shall be a local health department or free clinic.
B. Courses must be directly related to the scope of practice of funeral service. Courses for which the principal purpose is to promote, sell, or offer goods, products, or services to funeral homes are not acceptable for the purpose of credit toward renewal.
C. The board may grant an extension for good cause of up to one year for the completion of continuing education requirements upon written request from the licensee prior to the renewal date. Such extension shall not relieve the licensee of the continuing education requirement.
D. The board may grant an exemption for all or part of the continuing education requirements for one renewal cycle due to circumstances determined by the board to be beyond the control of the licensee.
E. A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements for the first renewal following the date of initial licensure by examination in Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 22, eff. August 6, 2008; Volume 28, Issue 26, eff. September 26, 2012; Volume 33, Issue 11, eff. March 9, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 5, eff. November 28, 2018; Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-152. Continuing education providers.
A. Unless disqualified by action of the board, courses offered by the following providers are approved for continuing education credit:
1. Local, state, or federal government agencies;
2. Regionally accredited colleges and universities; or
3. Board-recognized national, regional, state, and local associations or organizations as follows:
a. National Funeral Directors Association and state chapters;
b. National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and state chapters;
c. Association of Independent Funeral Homes of Virginia;
d. Cremation Association of North America;
e. American Board of Funeral Service Education;
f. International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards;
g. Virginia Morticians Association; and
h. Other similar associations or organizations as approved by action of the board.
B. Course providers not listed in subsection A of this section may apply for approval by the board as continuing education providers.
1. To be considered for board approval, a continuing education provider shall submit 60 days prior to offering a continuing education course:
a. Documentation of an instructional plan and course objectives for the continuing education course that meets the criteria set forth in 18VAC65-20-151 B;
b. A syllabus of the course to be offered with the credentials of the course instructors, a description of each session, including number of continuing education hours; and
c. The continuing education provider fee set forth under 18VAC65-20-70.
2. Board approval of continuing education providers under this subsection shall expire on July 1 of each year and may be renewed upon resubmission of documentation on courses and instructors and the provider fee as required by the board.
3. Renewed approval of a continuing education provider may be granted without submission of an additional course review fee if the provider submits a statement that courses and instructors offered for the coming year will not change from the previous year. If there will be additions or alterations to the continuing education offerings of a provider, resubmission of course documentation and an additional course review fee is required.
4. If additional courses are submitted for board approval beyond those courses submitted with an initial or renewal application, the continuing education provider shall remit the fee for review under 18VAC65-20-70.
C. Continuing education providers approved under subsection A or B of this section shall:
1. Maintain and provide to the board upon request documentation of the course titles and objectives and of licensee attendance and completion of courses for a period of two years;
2. Monitor attendance at classroom or similar educational experiences for compliance with law and regulations; and
3. Provide a certificate of completion for licensees who successfully complete a course.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 26, eff. September 29, 2010; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021.
18VAC65-20-153. Documenting compliance with continuing education requirements.
A. All licensees with active status are required to maintain original documentation of continuing education for a period of three years after the corresponding annual renewal period.
B. After the end of each renewal period, the board may conduct a random audit of licensees to verify compliance with the requirement for that renewal period.
C. Upon request, a licensee shall provide documentation within 14 days as follows:
1. Official transcripts showing credit hours earned from an accredited institution; or
2. Certificates of completion from approved providers.
D. Compliance with continuing education requirements, including the subject and purpose of the courses as prescribed in 18VAC65-20-151 B, the maintenance of records, and the relevance of the courses to the category of licensure, is the responsibility of the licensee. The board may request additional information if such compliance is not clear from the transcripts or certificates.
E. Continuing education hours required by disciplinary order shall not be used to satisfy renewal requirements.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021; Volume 40, Issue 26, eff. September 26, 2024.
18VAC65-20-154. Inactive license.
A. A funeral service licensee, a funeral director, or an embalmer who holds a current, unrestricted license in Virginia shall, upon a request for inactive status on the renewal application and submission of the required renewal fee, be issued an inactive license.
1. An inactive licensee shall not be entitled to perform any act requiring a license to practice funeral service, funeral directing, or embalming in Virginia.
2. The holder of an inactive license shall not be required to meet continuing education requirements, except as may be required for reactivation in subsection B of this section.
B. A funeral service licensee, a funeral director, or an embalmer who holds an inactive license may reactivate his license by:
1. Paying the difference between the renewal fee for an inactive license and that of an active license for the year in which the license is being reactivated; and
2. Providing proof of completion of the number of continuing competency hours required for the period in which the license has been inactive, not to exceed three years.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 19, eff. July 2, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 7, eff. January 10, 2007; Volume 31, Issue 8, eff. January 14, 2015; Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-160. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 5.1, eff. October 24, 1990; amended, Virginia Register Volume 8, Issue 25, eff. October 7, 1992; Volume 11, Issue 14, eff. May 3, 1995; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999.