2023 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 59. Professions and Occupations
§59-396.3. Qualifications and examination of funeral directors and embalmers - Approved schools – Licenses.
A. The Oklahoma Funeral Board shall determine the qualifications necessary to enable any person to practice as a funeral director or embalmer, and prescribe the requirements for a funeral establishment or commercial embalming establishment. The Board shall examine all applicants for licenses to practice as a funeral director or embalmer. The Board shall issue the proper licenses to applicants who successfully pass such examination and qualify pursuant to any additional requirements the Board may prescribe.
B. 1. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, the minimum requirements for a license to practice funeral directing or embalming, or both, are as follows:
An applicant for a license to practice funeral directing or embalming shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a legal resident of this state, and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. In addition, an applicant shall be a graduate of a program of mortuary science accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, and have served one (1) year as a registered apprentice. The applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of mortuary science, or subsequent to graduation from the school, and pass the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board National Board Science Examination and/or Arts Examination with a seventy-five (75) or higher score on each exam.
2. Curriculum of study for an embalmer and/or funeral director is a program of mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by the American Board of Funeral Service Education.
C. 1. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in subsection B of this section for a funeral director, the person may alternatively qualify for a license to practice funeral directing, but not embalming, upon meeting the eligibility requirements of this subsection as follows:
An applicant for a license to practice funeral directing shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a legal resident of this state, and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. An applicant is required to complete a funeral director course of study approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and that is administered by a program of funeral service/mortuary science accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The funeral director course of study shall include at least thirty (30) semester hours or equivalent closely following the ABFSE curriculum standard, limited to only: Business Management, Cremation, Social Sciences/Humanities, Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, plus essential elements of embalming, restorative art, general concerns when dealing with human remains, a practicum experience, and preparation for the required board exams. In addition to the funeral director course of study, the applicant is required to complete a twelve-month minimum term as a registered apprentice with employment at a licensed establishment and must have assisted with twenty-five arrangement conferences and assisted with twenty-five separate funeral or memorial services under the supervision of a licensed funeral director in this state. The applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of mortuary science, concurrently while in mortuary school, or subsequent to completion of the funeral director course of study.
2. Curriculum of study for a funeral director license shall be in a program of mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all fees as provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass an exam provided by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board with a score of seventy-five (75) or higher as well as pass a law exam provided by the Oklahoma Funeral Board, with a score of seventy-five (75) or higher. A license to practice as a funeral director issued pursuant to this subsection shall be restricted to funeral director, and the licensee shall not be eligible to practice as the funeral director in charge as defined in Section 396.2 of this title.
3. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in subsection B of this section for an embalmer, the person may alternatively qualify for a license to practice embalming, upon meeting the eligibility requirements of this subsection as follows:
An applicant for a license of this state, a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, and of good moral character. An applicant is required to complete an embalmer course of study approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and that is administered by a program of funeral service/mortuary science accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The embalmer course of study shall include at least thirty (30) semester hours or equivalent closely following the ABFSE curriculum standard, limited to only: Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Human Anatomy, Pathology, Embalming, Embalming Chemistry, and Restorative Art, plus essential elements of grief, communication, and preparation for the required board examinations. The applicant must also complete a twelve-month minimum term as a registered apprentice with full-time employment at a licensed establishment or licensed commercial embalming establishment and must have assisted with twenty-five embalmings under the supervision of a licensed embalmer in this state. The applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of mortuary science, concurrently while in mortuary school, or subsequent to completion of the embalmer course of study.
4. Curriculum of study for an embalmer license shall be in a program of funeral service/mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all fees as provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass the embalmer examination provided by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board with a score of seventy-five (75) or higher as well as pass a law exam provided by the Oklahoma Funeral Board with a score of seventy-five (75) or higher. A license to practice as an embalmer issued pursuant to this subsection shall be restricted to embalmer, and the licensee shall not be eligible to practice as the funeral director in charge as defined in Section 396.2 of this title.
D. The Board shall issue the appropriate license to any qualified applicant whose application has been approved by the Board, and who has paid the fees required by Section 396.4 of this title, has passed the required examinations with a seventy-five (75) or higher score and has demonstrated to the Board proficiency as an embalmer or funeral director.
E. The Board shall maintain for public inspection a list of all accredited schools of embalming and mortuary science.
F. Each funeral director in charge as defined in Section 396.2 of this title shall have a current dual funeral director and embalmer license. A funeral director in charge of a funeral service establishment or crematory that does not have a current dual funeral director and embalmer license on the effective date of this act shall be considered to be grandfathered and may serve as funeral director in charge of any funeral service establishment or crematory in accordance with rules prescribed by the Board, but shall not serve as funeral director in charge of a commercial embalming establishment which shall require a current dual funeral director and embalmer license.
G. Upon the effective date of this act, and for one (1) year thereafter, the Board may issue a temporary funeral director or embalmer license in the event a statewide state of emergency is declared by the Governor and during such time as the state of emergency is in effect.
Added by Laws 1941, p. 236, § 4, emerg. eff. May 20, 1941. Amended by Laws 1945, p. 192, § 1, emerg. eff. April 28, 1945; Laws 1961, p. 453, § 1, emerg. eff. July 11, 1961; Laws 1963, c. 117, § 3, emerg. eff. May 31, 1963; Laws 1970, c. 311, § 1, emerg. eff. April 27, 1970; Laws 1983, c. 163, § 1; Laws 1989, c. 297, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1989; Laws 1999, c. 64, § 4, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 57, § 5, emerg. eff. April 10, 2003; Laws 2013, c. 97, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2017, c. 204, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2017; Laws 2019, c. 363, § 14, eff. Nov. 1, 2019; Laws 2021, c. 183, § 1, emerg. eff. April 23, 2021; Laws 2022, c. 217, § 1, emerg. eff. May 5, 2022; Laws 2023, c. 54, § 1, emerg. eff. April 21, 2023.
