Part III. Requirements for Licensure
18VAC65-20-170. Requirements for an establishment license.
A. No person shall maintain, manage, or operate a funeral service establishment in the Commonwealth, unless such establishment holds a license issued by the board. The name of the funeral service licensee or licensed funeral director designated by the ownership to be manager of record for the establishment shall be included on the license.
B. Except as provided in § 54.1-2810 of the Code of Virginia, every funeral service establishment and every branch or chapel of such establishment, regardless of how owned, shall have a separate manager of record who has responsibility for the establishment as prescribed in 18VAC65-20-171. The owner of the establishment shall not abridge the authority of the manager of record relating to compliance with the laws governing the practice of funeral services and regulations of the board.
C. At least 30 days prior to opening an establishment, an owner or licensed manager seeking an establishment license shall submit simultaneously a completed application, any additional documentation as may be required by the board to determine eligibility, and the applicable fee. An incomplete package will be returned to the licensee. A license shall not be issued until an inspection of the establishment has been completed and approved.
D. Within 30 days following a change of ownership, the owner or licensed manager shall request a reinspection of the establishment, submit an application for a new establishment license with documentation that identifies the new owner, and pay the licensure and reinspection fees as required by 18VAC65-20-70. Reinspection of the establishment may occur on a schedule determined by the board, but shall occur no later than one year from the date of the change.
E. The application for licensure of a branch or chapel shall specify the name of the main establishment and contain an attestation of the affiliation of the branch or chapel and the main establishment.
F. In the event of an emergency requiring the evacuation or discontinued use of a funeral establishment, the impacted establishment may be approved by the board to continue operations out of another licensed funeral establishment for a period of no more than 60 days. The impacted establishment may request an extension of emergency operations for an additional 30 days upon good cause shown. In requesting approval for conducting emergency operations under this section, the impacted funeral establishment shall submit documentation that identifies the manager of record for both the impacted establishment and establishment for emergency operations and any agreement for emergency usage.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 5.2, 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 20, Issue 8, eff. January 28, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 27, Issue 10, eff. March 3, 2011; Volume 29, Issue 25, eff. September 26, 2013; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021.
18VAC65-20-171. Responsibilities of the manager of record.
A. Every funeral establishment shall have a manager of record who is employed full time by and in charge of the establishment.
B. The manager shall be fully accountable for the operation of the establishment as it pertains to the laws and regulations governing the practice of funeral services, to include:
1. Maintenance of the facility within standards established in this chapter;
2. Retention of reports and documents as prescribed by the board in 18VAC65-20-700 during the period in which he serves as manager of record;
3. Reporting to the board of any changes in information as required by 18VAC65-20-60; and
4. Correcting or seeking corrections of any deficiencies identified during the course of an inspection of the establishment.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; amended, Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 25, eff. September 26, 2013; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021.
18VAC65-20-180. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 §§ 5.3 to 5.8, 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.
18VAC65-20-231. Requirements for a funeral director license by examination.
A. To qualify for licensure as a funeral director, a person shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent;
2. Have completed a funeral service or funeral directing internship as prescribed by the board in regulation;
3. Have graduated from a school of mortuary science or funeral service accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Incorporated or have completed an associate's degree or its equivalent, which consists of at least 60 credit hours of coursework, of which at least 30 hours shall be from a funeral directing program approved by the board;
4. Have successfully completed coursework in the area of pathology as approved by the board;
5. Have passed the National Board Examination in Arts or State Board Examination in Arts of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards; and
6. Have passed the Virginia State Board Examination on the laws, rules, and regulations for funeral practice.
B. Applicants shall submit school transcripts and National Board Examination or State Board Examination scores as part of an application package, including the required fee and any additional documentation as may be required to determine eligibility.
C. The board, in its discretion, may license an individual convicted of a felony if such individual has successfully fulfilled all conditions of sentencing, been pardoned, or has had his civil rights restored. The board may refuse to license an individual who has a criminal or disciplinary proceeding pending against him in any jurisdiction in the United States.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-232. Requirements for an embalmer license by examination.
A. To qualify for licensure as an embalmer, a person shall:
1. Be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school diploma or its equivalent;
2. Have completed a funeral service or an embalming internship as prescribed by the board in regulation;
3. Have graduated from a school of mortuary science or funeral service accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Incorporated or have completed an embalming program approved by the board;
4. Have passed the National Board Examination in Sciences or State Board Examination in Sciences of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards; and
5. Have passed the Virginia State Board Examination on the laws, rules, and regulations for funeral practice.
B. Applicants shall submit school transcripts and National Board Examination or State Board Examination scores as part of an application package, including the required fee and any additional documentation as may be required to determine eligibility.
C. The board, in its discretion, may license an individual convicted of a felony if such individual has successfully fulfilled all conditions of sentencing, been pardoned, or has had his civil rights restored. The board may refuse to license an individual who has a criminal or disciplinary proceeding pending against him in any jurisdiction in the United States.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-235. Approval of educational programs.
All applicants for licensure as a funeral service licensee are required to have graduated from a funeral service program offered by a school of mortuary science or funeral service accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Incorporated.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 15, Issue 7, eff. January 20, 1999; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-236. Requirements for students assisting with embalming.
In accordance with § 54.1-2805 of the Code of Virginia, a student who is duly enrolled in a mortuary education program in the Commonwealth and who is not registered with the board as a funeral intern may assist in embalming in a funeral service establishment provided the following requirements are met:
1. The funeral establishment holds a current, unrestricted license issued by the board;
2.The funeral establishment and funeral service licensee or embalmer providing student supervision meet the accreditation standards of the American Board of Funeral Service Education and the Commission on Accreditation for off-campus embalming instruction;
3. Students shall receive instruction and shall observe embalming of a dead human body prior to assisting with an embalming in a funeral service establishment and shall assist with embalming in conjunction with an embalming laboratory course;
4. A funeral service licensee or embalmer may supervise up to three students under his immediate supervision, which shall mean the supervisor is physically and continuously present in the preparation room with the students to supervise each task to be performed;
5. A funeral service establishment shall include on the form granting permission to embalm information disclosing that the establishment is a training facility for mortuary education students and that a student may be assisting the licensee with embalming; and
6. The embalming report shall include the names of students assisting with an embalming and shall be signed by the supervisor.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2805 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 35, Issue 10, eff. February 21, 2019.
18VAC65-20-240. Requirements for funeral service licensure by examination.
A. Application requirements. Applicants shall submit official mortuary school transcripts and national examination board scores as part of an application package, including the required fee and any additional documentation as may be required to determine eligibility.
B. National examination requirements. Prior to applying for licensure by examination, every applicant shall pass the National Board Examination of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.
C. State examination requirements. All applicants shall pass the Virginia State Board Examination.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-2803 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 5.9, 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 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 26, Issue 3, eff. November 11, 2009; Volume 26, Issue 18, eff. June 9, 2010; Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 3, 2021.
18VAC65-20-250. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 §§ 5.10 to 5.19, 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.
18VAC65-20-350. Requirements for licensure by reciprocity or endorsement.
A. Licenses for the practice of funeral service, funeral directing, embalming, or an equivalent license issued by other states, territories, or the District of Columbia may be recognized by the board and the holder of such license may be granted a license to practice funeral service, funeral directing, or embalming 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, funeral directing, embalming, or an equivalent license in another state, territory, or the District of Columbia and possesses credentials that 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.
Statutory Authority
§ 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 § 5.20, 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 20, Issue 8, eff. January 28, 2004; Volume 24, Issue 24, eff. September 3, 2008; Volume 39, Issue 6, eff. December 7, 2022.
18VAC65-20-360. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from VR320-01-2 §§ 5.21 and 6.1 to 6.3, 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.