Funeral Service Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ Sections
General Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
You may print your license on our website, http://sos.ga.gov//?section=licensing, free of charge, or you may order a duplicate license card from the same site with a $25.00 fee. Click the button labeled ‘Print Your License’ to access the log in page to begin the process.
You may download and submit the request form for a Decorative Wall Certificate >>
Death Certificates are handled through the State Office of Vital Records. State Office of Vital Records.
Please email [email protected] and indicate which establishment you no longer work at, your license number, and the date of separation.
Please email [email protected], and provide your
- current name,
- new name,
- license number,
- copy of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, OR name change approval documents from the court, and
- copy of a driver’s license, state issued ID card, passport, OR social security card showing the new legal name.
You may download the Application for Change of Name of Funeral Establishment, or the Application for Change of Name of Crematory.
Board Rule 250-6-.02 states that written notification of a change of ownership must be submitted to the Board within 15 days of the change. The written notification must be signed and notarized by both the seller and the purchaser of the establishment.
You may request one additional 90-day grace period in order to secure a new FDFCC. However, the second 90-day grace period is at the discretion of the Board, according to Board Rule 250-6-.02. The Board cannot grant more than two 90-day grace periods to a funeral or crematory establishment within the same two-year period.
The establishment owner must notify the Board within 5 days of the departure of the FDFCC. At that time, the owner may either submit an Application for Change of FDFCC, or submit a written request for a 90-day grace period, according to Board Rule 250-6-.02. The Board will consider the request for a grace period at the next scheduled meeting and notify the establishment owner in writing if the grace period is approved. If an application for new FDFCC is submitted, the Board office will notify the establishment owner and proposed FDFCC in writing of their appointment to meet with the Board at the next scheduled meeting.
Board Rule 250-6-.06 states that the FDFCC does not have to be present for the inspection. However, the establishment must be available for inspection during the stated hours.
If the funeral establishment and crematory are advertised in the same name and are located on the same property, the same funeral director in full and continuous charge may serve both establishments. If the crematory is advertised under a different name than the funeral home, the Board will require separate FDFCC's for the crematory and funeral home.
A reinstatement application requires the same steps for approval as an initial application for licensure. The completed application and required fees must be received by the Board office; a successful inspection must be performed prior to Board review; and the owner and FDFCC must appear before the Board at the next scheduled meeting. If a further delay is anticipated by the Board, the Board will inform the owner and FDFCC at the meeting.
Failure to renew an establishment license by the expiration date will require an Application for Reinstatement of Funeral Establishment License, or an Application for Reinstatement of Crematory License. Until the license is reinstated, the establishment will not have a license to operate.
Establishment licenses expire biennially on June 30 of the odd-numbered year (example: 6/30/2007) and must be renewed prior to the expiration date.
Establishment licenses are valid for two years, expiring on June 30 of the odd-numbered year (example: 6/30/2007), and must be renewed prior to the expiration date. The initial license may be valid for less than the full two-year period, due to the time period between the issue date and the expiration date.
Refer to the Fee Schedule for current fees.
Refer to the Fee Schedule for current fees.
No. You do not have to be a licensed funeral director or embalmer to own a funeral establishment or crematory. However, in order to receive an establishment license, you must secure the services of a licensed embalmer and a licensed funeral director, who will be the funeral director in full and continuous charge [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-71 (a)]. The unlicensed owner may not engage in any activity within the establishment that is reserved for licensed embalmers and funeral directors only (O.C.G.A. § 43-18-3).
You may check the status of your application online.
Even if the crematory is in the same building as the funeral home, the crematory must be licensed separately [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-72(a)].
The funeral home and crematory must be licensed separately (Board Rule 250-6-.01).
Check the status of your application online.
You may print your registration card online from our website, or you may order a printed card from the website for a $25.00 fee.
- Please refer to O.C.G.A.§ 43-18-41 for detailed information regarding the requirements for becoming licensed as an embalmer &/or funeral director. Briefly, to become licensed as an embalmer &/or funeral director, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age;
- Have graduated from a high school or obtained a GED certificate;
- Have graduated from an accredited college of funeral service;
- Have completed a minimum of 3,120 hours of service as an apprentice;
- Have passed the National Conference Exam;
- Have passed the Georgia Laws & Rules Exam.
You may hold a license as an embalmer without also holding a license as a funeral director; however, in order to become licensed as a funeral director, you must also be licensed as an embalmer [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-41 (c)].
Refer to the Fee Schedule for current fees.
You will need to submit an Application for Embalmer and Funeral Director by Reciprocity.
The Georgia State Board of Funeral Service reciprocates with other states that have licensure requirements that are substantially equal with Georgia’s. To determine if your original state of licensure has substantially equal requirements for licensure in Georgia, compare the state’s educational requirements, length of apprenticeship, and the number of bodies and funerals on which you are required to assist during the apprenticeship. For Georgia requirements for licensure please refer to Board Rules 250-5-.01 and 250-5-.04
- Yes. The Board will allow an embalmer or funeral director license to be placed on Inactive status if certain requirements are met:
- The license must be active and in good standing with the Board;
- The licensee has met the required 10 hours of continuing education for the next licensing period;
- The licensee will not practice during the period of inactive status.
Please review Board Rule 250-5-.11 for more detailed information regarding Inactive status.
- Briefly, an application to reactivate the license must be submitted to the Board to place a license back on Active status.
- If the license has been on Inactive status for more than two years, but less than four years, you must also submit proof of obtaining 5 hours of continuing education during the Inactive period. If the license has been on Inactive status for four or more years, you will be required to submit proof of obtaining 10 hours of continuing education, and you will also be required to pass the Funeral Laws & Rules Exam.
Please review Board Rule 250-5-.11 for more detailed information regarding reactivating an Inactive license.
Yes, all applicants must take the Funeral Laws & Rules Exam. [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-42 (1)]
PSI is the administrator of the exam. Refer to the PSI website when you are notified of your eligibility for the exam for a list of current exam fees.
Yes. You will be notified by PSI of your eligibility to take the exam. Notification typically comes in the form of a email from PSI. The postcard will include instructions on registrations and scheduling for the next exam.
Once you become licensed as a funeral director, you may be approved as the FDFCC of a funeral home. In determining suitability as the FDFCC, the board uses its discretion in reviewing the candidate’s qualifications in accordance with Board Rule 250-6-.08.
No. A funeral director may be funeral director in full and continuous charge for only one establishment [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-71 (a) (2)].
It is possible for the FDFCC to have other employment; however, approval of the FDFCC with secondary employment is at the Board’s discretion. The FDFCC must be able to work in the employ of the funeral establishment at least 40 hours per week and be accessible to the community. The Board exercises its discretion in determining the suitability of the proposed FDFCC in accordance with Board Rule 250-6-.08.
Yes. The FDFCC must notify the Board in writing within 5 days of the end of employment with the establishment [Board Rule 250-6-.02 (4) (a)].
Every licensed embalmer and funeral director must obtain a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education credit during the two-year licensing period. A licensed embalmer or funeral director who became licensed within one year of the expiration date of the initial license is not required to obtain the continuing education hours for the initial license period [Board Rule 250-5-.12].
Individuals over age 65 and those with inactive licenses are exempt from continuing education requirements. The Board may also waive the requirement for continuing education for reasons of hardship, disability, or illness. Please refer to Board Rule 250-5-.12 for more detailed information.
Licenses may be renewed online on the Board’s website. You will receive a notification from the Professional Licensing Boards Division approximately 60 days prior to the expiration date of the license, which will instruct you on the online procedure.
You may submit an Embalmer and Funeral Director Application to reinstate your licenses; however, approval of the application for reinstatement of a lapsed license is at the Board’s discretion. If your licenses have been lapsed for more than two years, you will be required to submit proof that you have obtained the required 10 hours of continuing education during the previous two years, and you will also be required to retake successfully the Funeral Laws & Rules Exam prior to approval by the Board (Board Rule 250-5-.10).
Refer to the Fee Schedule for current fees.
If you allow your licenses to lapse, you will need to submit an Embalmer and Funeral Director Application and indicate that you are applying as a reinstatement of a lapsed license. Approval of a reinstatement application is at the Board’s discretion. If your application for reinstatement of your licenses is received within two years after the expiration date of the licenses, you will need to submit proof that you have obtained the required 10 hours of continuing education during the previous two years (Board Rule 250-5-.10).
In order to obtain a license for a funeral establishment or a crematory, you must submit an Application for Funeral Establishment license, or an Application for Crematory license.
If the owner of the establishment is not a licensed funeral director, a licensed funeral director must be identified on the application as the proposed funeral director in full and continuous charge (FDFCC). Do not submit the application until the establishment is ready for an inspection. Once the application is submitted, your proposed establishment is considered ready for inspection. An inspector with the Professional Licensing Boards Division will contact you to set up an appointment for the initial inspection. You will be notified in writing by the Board office of your appearance time to meet with the Board to consider your application for new establishment at the next scheduled meeting. The owner and proposed FDFCC must appear before the Board prior to approval of the license.
The funeral director must be a resident of Georgia and must be able to work a minimum of 40 hours per week in the employ of the funeral establishment as funeral director in full and continuous charge. Please review O.C.G.A. § 43-18-71 and Board Rule 250-6-.08 for further details and for the responsibilities of the FDFCC.
Do not apply until your establishment is ready to be inspected. When your facility is ready for inspection, your proposed establishment is considered ready for inspection. We will notify our inspector, who will contact you to arrange the inspection. Please be careful to ensure that your facility meets the criteria established by the Board for facility licensure prior to contacting the office to arrange for an inspection. If the facility fails the inspection, an additional fee for another inspection will be required. You may refer to Board Rule 250-6-.06 for criteria for funeral establishment licensure, or Board Rule 250-6-.07 for criteria for crematory establishment licensure.
Board Rule 250-6-.06 details the criteria for facility licensure.
Board Rule 250-6-.07 details the criteria for facility licensure.
Board Rule 250-6-.06 states that inspections will be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Establishments should be open and available for inspection. If the establishment is not open, a telephone number should be posted on the outside of the establishment whereby someone from the establishment can be reached to open the establishment for an inspection.
Apprenticeship Application Questions
Refer to our Fee Schedule for current fees.
To become an apprentice, you must be at least 18 years of age, have at least a high school diploma or GED certificate - O.C.G.A. 43-18-50, and you must submit a Funeral Apprenticeship Application. Upon Board approval of your application, you may print your registration card from our website. You may also request your registration card to be printed and mailed to you for a fee. Apprentice mail is sent to the establishment address.
Apprenticeship registrations are valid for two years, expiring on March 31 of even-numbered years (example: 3/31/06), and must be renewed prior to the expiration date. The initial registration may expire in less than two years, due to the relation between the issue date and the expiration date of apprenticeship registrations.
An apprentice may renew the registration up to two times (O.C.G.A. § 43-18-51).
When an apprenticeship registration lapses, the apprentice may submit a Funeral Apprenticeship Application to reinstate the registration. The application for reinstatement must be received within one year of the expiration date of the registration [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-54 (c). The apprentice may receive full credit for the amount of time served while previously registered, as long as the registration lapsed due to failure to renew by the expiration date; however, no credit will be given for the time during which the registration was lapsed.
A minimum of 3,120 hours must be served as an apprentice and must be served in not less than 18 months.
Yes. You must be registered as an apprentice to perform funeral services duties, embalming bodies, and assisting in the directing of funerals (O.C.G.A. § 43-18-3).
No. You may not begin to serve an apprenticeship prior to receiving an approved registration. Apprenticeship hours that are documented on the Apprenticeship Service Report prior to receiving approval by the Board will not be credited toward the apprenticeship.
No. The apprenticeship must be served at an establishment approved as an apprenticeship site by the Georgia State Board of Funeral Service and under the direct supervision of a licensed embalmer, a licensed funeral director, or both. The apprenticeship registration is issued for a specific funeral establishment and for a specific supervising embalmer, funeral director, or both (O.C.G.A § 43-18-50).
The regular business hours for purposes of serving an apprenticeship are 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. [see Board Rule 250-4-.03 (2)]
No.
After the second renewal of an apprenticeship registration, the registration may not be renewed again. If the apprenticeship has not been completed, the apprentice must submit a new Funeral Apprenticeship Application. However, no more than two applications may be approved by the Board for an apprentice [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-54 (c)].
Hours spent sleeping at the funeral home may not be counted toward the completion of the apprenticeship, even if such hours sleeping occur during the regular business hours [see Board Rule 250-4-.03 (3)].
An apprentice may make arrangements with family members for funerals, embalm bodies, and serve during a funeral service; however, an apprentice may only perform these duties while under the direct supervision of the apprentice’s supervising embalmer and funeral director [see Board Rule 250-4-.05 (2) (c)].
The formal education at a board-approved school of mortuary science is 18 months.
No. You do not have to complete mortuary school before applying for an apprentice registration.
The Board accepts mortuary schools that are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education [Board Rule 250-5-.01 (2) (a)]
You may serve as an apprentice while attending mortuary school; however, you may only count 20 hours of apprentice work per week while attending school. The 18 months of apprenticeship must be served in addition to the 18 months of school [see O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50 (c) and Board Rule 250-4-.03 (1)].
No. The continuing education requirement only applies to licensed embalmers and funeral directors.
You may take the Georgia Laws and Rules Exam after an application for apprenticeship has been received by the Board office. When your application is received and reviewed in our office, you are added to our eligible candidates list with PSI. PSI notifies you by email of your eligibility and provides instructions for applying for the exam online from the PSI website.
PSI is the administrator of the exam and maintains a list of exam dates on their website. You will be provided with the dates and locations when you apply online with PSI to take the exam.
You may verify licenses of establishments, embalmers, and funeral directors online .
Board Rule 250-4-.05 details the requirements for approval as an apprenticeship site, such as having an establishment license, no violations cited in the last three inspections, and have had at least 30 bodies embalmed per year over the past 5 years.
No. The apprenticeship is registered at a specific funeral establishment and under specific supervisors. If your supervising embalmer is a trade embalmer, your supervisor may supervise your work only at the establishment specified on the application for apprenticeship and approved by the Board [see O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50 (b)and Board Rule 250-4-.05 (2) (a)].
When a supervising embalmer and/or funeral director leaves the funeral home, the apprenticeship is terminated [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50 (b) ]. In order to continue with the apprenticeship, a new Funeral Apprenticeship Application must be submitted to indicate a change in supervisor. Once the Board approves the change in supervisor, the apprenticeship may continue. The apprentice and funeral director in full and continuous charge must make sure that all apprentice service reports and affidavits of assistance in embalming and funeral directing are signed by the former supervisor, in order for the apprentice to receive credit for the work performed and the hours served. Failure to notify the Board of a change in supervisor may result not only in loss of credit of time served, but may also result in disciplinary action taken by the Board against the apprentice and the funeral director in full and continuous charge.
If the apprentice leaves the funeral establishment of record with the Board, the apprenticeship is terminated [O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50 (b)]. In order to continue with the apprenticeship, a new Funeral Apprenticeship Application must be submitted to indicate a change in apprenticeship site and supervisor. Once the Board approves the change, the apprenticeship may continue. The apprentice must make sure that all apprentice service reports and affidavits of assistance in embalming and funeral directing are signed by the former supervisor, in order for the apprentice to receive credit for the work performed and the hours served. Failure to notify the Board of a change in apprenticeship site or supervisor may result not only in loss of credit of time served, but may also result in disciplinary action taken by the Board against the apprentice and the funeral director in full and continuous charge.
The Affidavit of Assistance in Embalming and the Affidavit of Assistance in Funeral Directing are used to document the required 50 bodies that you have assisted in embalming and directing [Board Rule 250-5-.01 (2) (c) and Board Rule 250-5-.04 (2) (c) ]. These affidavits may be submitted at the completion of the apprenticeship, or they may be submitted along with an application for embalmer and funeral director license.
Only the supervisor approved by the Board for the apprentice and the funeral director in full and continuous charge are authorized to sign the affidavits and the service reports [Board Rule 250-4-.03 (4)]. Signatures must be notarized. Reports and/or affidavits signed by anyone other than the supervisor of record with the Board will not be credited toward the completion of the apprenticeship.
Board Rule 250-4-.06 states that an establishment may qualify for one apprentice for every 30 bodies it embalms each year. If the establishment embalms less than 30 bodies per year, it may qualify for only one apprentice. While this rule applies to the establishment, please also see Board Rule 250-4-.05 which states that a supervising embalmer or funeral director may supervise no more than four apprentices at one time.
Once you have completed all the requirements for your apprenticeship, you may submit an Embalmer and Funeral Director Application.
You must have been licensed as an embalmer and/or funeral director for at least 3 years [Board Rule 250-4-.05 (2) (b)].
CE Broker
CE Broker provides multiple account options for licensees to manage their CE requirements. Licensees can elect to use a free Basic Account or choose to upgrade to a Professional or Concierge Account for enhanced services. For more information on the different account options, click here.
CE Broker's support center is available from 8 am-8 pm Monday through Friday and is staffed with experts who have been thoroughly trained on the rules & regulations for the Georgia Board of Long-Term Care Facility Administrators.
To avoid any delays or potential disciplinary action based on noncompliance with the requirements, do not wait until the last minute to register for your account and/or become familiar with the new continuing education requirements outlined in Board Rule 250-5-.12.
Go to https://www.cebroker.com. Once you have created your account and logged into the system, click "Report CE" and locate the option that is most applicable to what you are recording. You will need to answer a few questions and then attach the documentation that the Board requires. If you are using the mobile application on your phone to submit your documentation into the system, you may take a picture of your documentation and upload it via your phone.
You will not receive credit for the courses you list or record if you do not load the supporting documents which represent your participation and completion of the course.
If you need assistance, please contact the CE Broker support team M-F from 8 am to 8 pm ET.
All Funeral Directors and Embalmers are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education as a condition of licensure renewal. Licensees should submit all continuing education documentation to CE Broker. A list of currently approved Education Providers and Courses can be found at https://goals.sos.ga.gov/GASOSOneStop/s/active-providers after sorting by profession.
More Resources
- The Academy of Graduate Embalmers The Academy of Graduate Embalmers
- Georgia Funeral Directors Association, Inc. Georgia Funeral Directors Association, Inc.
- Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association, Inc. Georgia Funeral Service Practitioners Association, Inc.
- International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, Inc. International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, Inc.
- National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc. National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, Inc.
- National Funeral Directors Association National Funeral Directors Association