2006 Code of Virginia § 54.1-2817 - Funeral service interns

54.1-2817. Funeral service interns.

A person desiring to become a funeral service intern shall apply on a formprovided by the Board. The applicant shall attest that he holds a high schooldiploma or its equivalent. The Board, in its discretion, may approve anapplication to be a funeral service intern for an individual convicted of afelony, if he has successfully fulfilled all conditions of sentencing, beenpardoned, or has had his civil rights restored. The Board shall not, however,approve an application to be a funeral service intern for any personconvicted of embezzlement or of violating subsection B of 18.2-126.

The Board, in its discretion, may refuse to approve an application to be afuneral service intern for an individual who has a criminal or disciplinaryproceeding pending against him in any jurisdiction in the United States.

When the Board is satisfied as to the qualifications of an applicant, itshall issue a certificate of internship. When a funeral service intern wishesto receive in-service training from a person licensed for the practice offuneral service, a request shall be submitted to the Board. If suchpermission is granted and the funeral service intern later leaves theproctorship of the licensee whose service has been entered, the licenseeshall give the funeral service intern an affidavit showing the length of timeserved with him. The affidavit shall be filed with the Board and made amatter of record in that office. Any funeral service intern seekingpermission to continue in-service training shall submit a request to theBoard.

A certificate of internship shall be renewable as prescribed by the Board.The Board shall mail at such time as it may prescribe by regulation, to eachregistered funeral service intern at his last known address, a notice thatthe renewal fee is due and that, if not paid by the prescribed time, apenalty fee shall be due in addition to the renewal fee.

The registration of any funeral service intern who is in the active militaryservice of the United States may, at the discretion of the Board, be held inabeyance for the duration of his service. The Board may also waive therenewal fees for such military personnel.

All registered funeral service interns shall report to the Board on aschedule prescribed by the Board upon forms provided by the Board, showingthe work which has been completed during the preceding period of internship.The data contained in the report shall be certified as correct by the personlicensed for the practice of funeral service under whom he has served duringthis period and by the person licensed for the practice of funeral serviceowning or managing the funeral service establishment.

Before such funeral service intern becomes eligible to be examined for thepractice of funeral service, evidence shall be presented along with anaffidavit from any licensee under whom the intern worked showing that theintern has assisted in embalming at least 25 bodies and that the intern hasassisted in conducting at least 25 funerals. In all applications of funeralservice interns for licenses for the practice of funeral service, theeligibility of the applicant shall be determined by the records filed withthe Board. The successful completion by any person of the internship shallnot entitle him to any privilege except to be examined for such license.

Credit shall not be allowed for any period of internship that has beencompleted more than three years prior to application for license or more thanfive years prior to examination for license. If all requirements forlicensure are not completed within five years of initial application, theBoard may deny an additional internship. A funeral service intern maycontinue to practice for up to 90 days from the completion of his internshipor until he has taken and received the results of all examinations requiredby the Board. However, the Board may waive such limitation for any person inthe armed service of the United States when application for the waiver ismade in writing within six months of leaving service or if the Boarddetermines that enforcement of the limitation will create an unreasonablehardship.

The Board shall have power to suspend or revoke a certificate of internshipfor violation of any provision of this chapter.

No more than two funeral service interns shall be concurrently registeredunder any one person licensed for the practice of funeral service, funeraldirecting or embalming. Each sponsor for a registered funeral service internmust be actively employed by or under contract with a funeral establishment.

(Code 1950, 54-260.34 through 54-260.38; 1956, c. 220; 1970, c. 513, 54-260.72; 1972, c. 797; 1973, c. 296; 1974, c. 157; 1978, c. 849; 1981, c.258; 1986, c. 43; 1988, c. 765; 2005, c. 477; 2006, c. 56.)