STATE OF KANSAS
INDIVIDUAL LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
EMBALMER LICENSE
Applicants will:
1) Pre-Register with the Board (pre-registration and placement applications) when enrolling in mortuary school and prior to serving a practicum in mortuary school. Pre-Registration requires direct personal (physical) supervision and automatically ends with the completion of practicum at mortuary school.
2)
file a Kansas Certificate of Registration application as a
student embalmer and $100 fee with the Mortuary Arts Board-- following
completion of college practicum courses and prior to working in a
Kansas embalming/preparation room. Registration also requires the
direct personal (physical) supervision of a Kansas licensed embalmer
when embalming in a Kansas preparation room. The certificate is required
for embalming apprenticeships and is valid for a maximum of two
years--allowing embalming (under the direct personal supervision
previously described) until you have graduated from mortuary college,
passed the national examination and have registered as an apprentice
embalmer with the board.
3) provide a copy of final college/mortuary school transcripts indicating a minimum of an Association in Arts degree in Mortuary Science with at least 30 semester hours in mortuary science. Transcripts must indicate that a degree has been earned and should be sent to the board by the college directly
4) pass the written national examination administered by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.
5) serve a one (1) year apprenticeship working on a full-time basis (full-time is defined as 40 hrs. per week/50 weeks per year) under the supervision of a licensed embalmer. Embalming apprenticeships must be completed within two (2) years of passing the written national examination. Failure to complete an apprenticeship within two years of passing the national examination will result in having to re-pass the national examination and re-serve an apprenticeship starting from scratch. Kansas embalming apprenticeships served outside the state of Kansas can be served under a licensed Kansas embalmer or a licensed embalmer from that particular state. EXAMPLE: If you are working in Missouri, it is possible to also serve your Kansas embalming apprenticeship under a licensed Missouri embalmer--providing you and your supervising licensee are appropriately registered/licensed in Missouri. Please note that when serving a Kansas apprenticeship in another state, you must file the appropriate paperwork with that state also. Your apprenticeship will not officially begin until the day that all paperwork has been filed and received by the board. Quarterly progress reports must be submitted to the board by both the apprentice embalmer and supervising embalmer. You must successfully interview with the board and pay an initial licensure fee after licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $7.00 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). The full biennial renewal cost is $168.00.
FUNERAL DIRECTOR LICENSE
Applicants will:
1) provide transcripts showing credit of not less than two (2) years of general college education with at least 60 semester hours, to include the following subjects determined by the board:
A) six (6) semester hours in Humanities; six (6) semester hours in Social Science; four (4) semester hours in Natural Science; two (2) semester hours in Business; two (2) semester hours in Fine Arts, and
B) 40 semester hours of the applicant's choice. Meeting these requirements are determined by the board. Please feel free to direct any questions to the board’s office.
If you are applying for just a funeral director license (and not an embalmer license) you must submit a transcript to the board prior to applying for an apprenticeship. The board will review your transcript to determine if the above subjects have been completed as educational requirements must be finalized PRIOR to the serving of an apprenticeship. Transcripts should be sent to the board by the college directly.
2) obtain an assistant funeral director license, registered as an Apprentice Funeral Director and serve an apprenticeship for no less than one (1) year under the supervision of a licensed Kansas funeral director working on a full-time basis (full-time is defined as 40 hrs. per week/50 weeks per year). Funeral director apprenticeships are generally served at the same time as embalmer apprenticeships are. Unlike embalming apprenticeships, assistant funeral directors must serve under the supervision of a Kansas licensed funeral director (although the apprenticeship can be served out-of-state). Quarterly progress reports must be submitted to the board by both the apprentice (assistant) funeral director and supervising funeral director. During the apprenticeship, you must assist with conducting a minimum of twenty-five (25) funeral services.
3) interview successfully with the board at the conclusion of the apprenticeship.
4) receive a minimum score of 75 on the written Kansas funeral directors’ examination and pay an initial licensure fee -after licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $9.50 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). Individuals holding an assistant funeral director license will receive a credit of $7.50 per month for any remaining months of licensure. The full biennial renewal cost is $228.00. No credit toward the funeral director license is given for the initial assistant funeral director application fee of $150.00
ASSISTANT FUNERAL DIRECTOR LICENSE
Applicants will:
1) be a full-time employee with the licensed Kansas funeral director under whom the apprenticeship is to be served (if you are serving an apprenticeship and intend to become a funeral director);
2) be at least seventeen (17) years of age; high school graduate or the equivalent as determined by the Kansas Department of Education;
3) be of good moral character, capable and trustworthy;
4) pay the appropriate initial license fee, a $150 application fee,
5) pass the written examination (unless serving an apprenticeship) - the examination fee is $50.00, and
6) be approved by the Board.
Because licenses are renewed biennially, you will be credited for any remaining months on an assistant funeral director license toward the funeral director license. The $150 application fee and months already served as an assistant funeral director will not be credited. Initial licenses are prorated at $7.50 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). The full biennial renewal cost is $180.00. If not serving an apprenticeship, employment does not have to be full-time.
RECIPROCAL EMBALMER LICENSE
Applicants will:
1) provide the Board with: a completed application form and appropriate fee-($350.00 reciprocal fee and a $200.00 examination fee - if you are applying for a funeral director license, also), a statement of good standing from home state board or agency by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting (the statement of good standing from your current state board of licensure must be mailed directly to Kansas); your final college transcript showing an AA degree in a Mortuary Science Program sent directly to us from the school and have your national or state embalming examination results sent directly to us. Rule books are available for $5.00 - although you can print them off from our website at no cost.
2) be currently licensed in a state with educational requirements as high as those in Kansas or individually meet current Kansas requirements.
3) appear before the board for an interview (to explain why Kansas licensure is desired.)
4) demonstrate the intent to practice embalming part-time or full-time in Kansas.
5) pass any oral or written examination as administer by the board.
6) agree to certify in writing or orally that the applicant has read, understands and will abide by the state rules, regulations and statutes.
7) pay the appropriate reciprocal and embalmer initial licensure fees once licensure has been granted by the board.
Initial licenses are prorated at $7.00 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). The full biennial renewal cost is $168.00.
RECIPROCAL FUNERAL DIRECTOR LICENSE
Applicants will:
1) provide the Board with: a completed application form and appropriate fees (see notes below), evidence of being a licensed funeral director in another state for a minimum of one year, a statement of good standing from home state board or agency by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting (the statement of good standing from your current state board of licensure must be mailed directly to Kansas.)
2) be currently licensed in a state with educational requirements as high as those in Kansas, or individually meet current Kansas requirements. Licensure as a funeral director in another state for a minimum of one year is required. College transcripts should be sent to the board by the college directly.
3) appear before the board for an interview (to explain why Kansas licensure is desired.)
4) demonstrate the intent to practice funeral directing in the state of Kansas on a full-time or part-time basis.
5) pass the written Kansas funeral director examination with a minimum score of 75. The written examination is generally administered on the same day as your interview with the board.
6) pay the appropriate reciprocal, examination and initial funeral director licensure fees once licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $9.50 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). Individuals holding an assistant funeral director license will receive a credit of $7.50 per month for any remaining months of licensure. The full biennial renewal cost is $228.00.
NOTES ON RECIPROCAL APPLICATIONS:
The reciprocal application fee is $350 (This fee remains the same regardless if applying for either one or both licenses) as long as applying for both licenses at the same time. When applying for a reciprocal funeral director license, you also need to send an additional $200 examination fee. All fees, transcripts and applications are due by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting. The board meets four times annually: January, April, July and October. Rule books are available for $5.00 through our office or can be printed at no cost from our website.
*Applicants licensed before July 1, 1991 may have 60 hours of college and a one year Mortuary School Certificate or an A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science in order to meet reciprocal educational requirements.
EMBALMER ENDORSEMENT LICENSE
Applicant will:
1) provide the board with: a completed application form, a statement of good standing from home state board or agency (sent directly to us by the state board or agency), national examination results (sent directly to us by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards), and $350.00 non-refundable application fee by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting.
2) all applicants must be licensed for at least five years and have completed at least five consecutive years of active practice in embalming, pass both sections of the national (NBE) examination written by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards and not have had any adverse action taken against them by any state board in which licensure has been held.
3) appear before the board for an interview (to explain why Kansas licensure is desired.)
4) certify in writing or orally that the applicant has read, understands and will abide by the state rules, regulations and statutes.
5) pay the appropriate initial license fee once licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $7.00 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). The full biennial renewal cost is $168.00.
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FUNERAL ESTABLISHMENT LICENSE
1) Applications should be submitted at least 30 days prior to opening, change of ownership, change of funeral director in charge, name change or location change.
2) Applications can be obtained through the board's Topeka office and must include a report of all prefinanced funeral agreements (trusts, insurance ....) When you are buying an already established business, it is necessary to list all agreements being transferred to the new license. First time (new) businesses’ applications should read "NONE" as it is illegal to sell any such agreements until licensure has been granted.
3) Biennial renewal of each license requires that all prefinanced funeral agreements (funded via trusts and insurance) be submitted at time of renewal.
4) Each funeral establishment license will be issued to a licensed Kansas funeral director who will have personal supervision and charge of the funeral establishment. A roster of all employees will be submitted initially and when renewing licensure biennially.
5) All licensees must notify the board if their funeral establishment is sold or discontinued or if their connection with the funeral establishment is terminated.
6) Each funeral establishment must maintain a preparation room as defined by law. Funeral establishments are subject to unannounced inspections at least twice annually.
7) The full biennial renewal cost is $650. Initial licenses are prorated at $27.08 per month--based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the name of the funeral establishment.
BRANCH FUNERAL ESTABLISHMENT LICENSE
1) Requirements and fees are identical to funeral establishments, except that it is not necessary to physically employ a funeral director in charge on site or to maintain a preparation room.
2) In order to be eligible for licensure as a branch establishment, ownership must be IDENTICAL to the ownership of the funeral establishment which owns the branch.
3) The funeral director responsible for the personal supervision of the funeral establishment also will be responsible for the supervision of ALL branches of that funeral establishment – unless a different funeral director is designated when applying for licensure. Branch funeral establishment licenses will be issued to a licensed Kansas funeral director who will have personal supervision and charge of the branch funeral establishment.
4) The full biennial renewal cost is $650. Initial licenses are prorated at $27.08 per month--based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the name of the branch funeral establishment.
5) Branch funeral establishments are subject to unannounced inspections at least twice annually.
CREMATORY LICENSE
1) Applications must be submitted at least 30 days prior to opening, change of ownership, name change, change of crematory operator in charge, or location change.
2) Applications can be obtained through the board’s Topeka office or from the web site.
3) Each crematory must list the crematory operator who will be in charge of the crematory. The crematory operator in charge of the crematory must hold a Kansas funeral director’s or embalmer’s license unless the crematory only receives dead human bodies for cremation through licensed funeral establishments or branch funeral establishments.
4) Crematory operators in charge of a crematory must notify the board if their crematory is sold or discontinued or if their connection with the crematory is terminated.
5) Each crematory operator in charge must maintain their crematory as defined by law. Crematories are subject to unannounced inspections at least twice annually.
6) Initial licensure fees must be submitted prior to the inspection of a new crematory. Initial licenses are prorated at $27.08 per month for stand alone crematories and $12.50 per month for crematories located at a funeral home. The full biennial renewal cost is $650.00 for stand alone crematories and $300.00 for crematories located at a funeral home.
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PLEASE NOTE: All particulars regarding Kansas licensure can be found in our rulebook that is available for $5 through our office. The rulebook also may be printed at no cost from our website and is listed under Legislation.
Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts
700 SW Jackson St., Suite 904
Topeka, Kansas 66603-3733
Telephone: (785) 296-3980
Fax: (785) 296-0891
Email: boma1@ksbma.ks.gov
Web site: www.kansas.gov/ksbma/
ALL LICENSURE FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE!
Last updated: FEBRUARY 22, 2010
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