Frequently asked questions: Funeral directors

Complaints

Where can I file a complaint against a funeral home or cemetery?

Initially, a call to this office at (360) 664-1555 may provide answers to your concerns. When you call, we may ask you put your complaint in writing. You should then send a written complaint with copies of all substantiating documents to:

Funeral and Cemetery Licensing Office
Department of Licensing
PO Box 9012
Olympia, WA 98507-9012

What is the complaint handling process?

We request the complaint be in writing. However an exception can be made between the time a death occurs and the disposition of the remains when staff may need to obtain some information immediately, before it becomes unavailable.

Once a written complaint is received it is assigned to a member of the state board for review. The reviewing member consults with board staff to determine if possible violation(s) of the laws and rules governing funeral and cemetery practice has occurred. Additional information may be needed at this point in order to reach this determination, so some further contact with the complainant or other parties may be necessary.

A decision is made by the reviewing member and board staff either to close the complaint for lack of jurisdiction, or that the conduct was proper and there are no apparent violation(s), OR to request an investigation if there are possible violation(s).

The investigation is then assigned to the inspector/investigator who performs the investigation and completes an investigative report. That report is then returned to the reviewing member and board staff for further review. The prosecuting assistant attorney general may be consulted as well.

If it has been determined that there is no basis for disciplinary action at this time, the file is closed. If possible violations have occurred, they are reviewed with the prosecuting assistant attorney general. If agreement on possible violations is not reached, the investigation is closed. If agreement is reached, begin disciplinary procedures to address the issue.

Complaints and investigations become a matter of record with the Department of Licensing. This is important as some types of unprofessional conduct may require a pattern of conduct in order to establish a violation, so previous records can become important in establishing a pattern of conduct.

Licenses

How do I become licensed as a funeral director and/or embalmer?

An applicant for a license as a funeral director must be at least 18 years of age and must have obtained an associate of arts degree in mortuary science or completed a course of not less than 2 years in an accredited college, and a 1-year course of training under a licensed funeral director in this state. The applicant must also pass an examination in the funeral arts and an examination in the laws of this state pertaining to the handling, care, transportation, and disposition of human remains and the contents of RCW 18.39.
An applicant for a license as an embalmer must be at least 18 years of age and have obtained an associate of arts degree in mortuary science or completed a course of instruction in an accredited mortuary science college program and other college courses that total 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, completed a 2-year course of training under a licensed embalmer in this state, and have passed an examination in the embalming sciences and an examination in the laws of this state pertaining to the handling, care, transportation, and disposition of human remains, and the contents of RCW 18.39.
The 2-year college course required for funeral directors under this chapter shall consist of 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of instruction at a school, college, or university accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges or other accrediting association approved by the board, with a minimum 2.0 grade point, or a grade of C or better, in each subject required by the following paragraph.
Credits shall include 1 course in psychology, 1 in mathematics, 2 courses in English composition, 2 courses in social science, and 3 courses selected from the following subjects: Behavioral sciences, public speaking, counseling, business administration and management, computer science and first aid. This section does not apply to any person registered and in good standing as an apprentice funeral director or embalmer on or before January 1, 1982.
See the Internship section for intern requirements.

Do I need to complete mortuary school to become licensed as a funeral director only?

No. An Associate of Arts degree in mortuary science is one way to satisfy the education requirement. The other way is to complete two years in an accredited college, including certain courses as specified in paragraph (4) above. Call for details. If you are not sure that you have completed the proper courses, send a photocopy of your transcript(s) to this office for evaluation.

Will my funeral director and embalmer licenses from another state reciprocate with Washington?

The Washington State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers may recognize licenses from other states and extend reciprocity if the applicant's qualifications are comparable to the requirements for licensing in the State of Washington. The applicant must furnish satisfactory evidence that the applicant holds a valid license from another state. Verification of licensure must be provided from the other state. Five years active experience as a licensee in another state may also be accepted to make up a deficit in the comparable education requirements. If you have fewer than five years licensed experience in another state, you must meet the requirements of an in-state applicant.

Internship

What is the internship requirement to become licensed?

Funeral director: One year of internship consisting of at least 1800 hours of employment and training, and assisting in 25 funerals.
Embalmer: Two years of internship consisting of at least 3600 hours of employment and training, and assisting in 50 embalmings.

Is there an education requirement to become an intern?

No.

How can I become an intern?

Submit your application for employment or resume to funeral homes. When you are hired they will assist you in registering for the intern program with this office.

Continuing education

How many hours of continuing education are required for a licensee or intern?: Ten hours every 2 years. For a new licensee or intern your first ten hours must include at least 4 hours of AIDS education and training unless you have completed AIDS training or completed mortuary school since January 1, 1987.
As a continuing education provider, how can I obtain approval of a course or seminar I am offering?: This office requires an outline, agenda, or brief summary of the course or seminar. It must contain enough information for us to determine the value of the course. We need to know how many clock hours of credit you are asking for. Please submit this information allowing enough time for us to respond before the date of the course.

Employment

Does the Department of Licensing maintain a list of funeral homes looking for new employees?: No. Many funeral homes will contact the Washington State Funeral Directors Association which does maintain a job referral service. Contact them for details at: (253) 588-7111 or Fax: (253) 588-7444.

Funeral homes

What are the requirements to open a funeral home?

The board shall issue a funeral establishment license to any person, partnership, association, corporation, or other organization to operate a funeral establishment, at specific locations only, which has met the following requirements:

The applicant has designated the name under which the funeral establishment will operate and has designated locations for which the general establishment license is to be issued;
The applicant is licensed in this state as a funeral director, or employs one licensed funeral director who will be in service at each designated location;
The applicant has filed an application with the director of the department of licensing as required by RCW 18.39.145 and paid the required filing fee pursuant to RCW 43.24.086;
As a condition of applying for a new funeral establishment license, the person or entity desiring to acquire such ownership or control shall be bound by all then existing prearrangement funeral service contracts.
All duties requiring a license will be performed by licensed individuals or registered interns.

The board may deny an application for a funeral establishment license, or issue a conditional license, if disciplinary action has previously been taken against the applicant or the applicant’s designated funeral director or embalmer. No funeral establishment license shall be transferable. An applicant may make application for more than one funeral establishment license so long as all of the requirements are met for each license. All funeral establishment licenses shall expire annually on January 31, or as otherwise determined by the director.

I am considering entering into a prearranged funeral contract with a funeral home. Are funeral homes qualified to do this? Is this a good idea?

Funeral homes that offer to sell prearrangement funeral service contracts are licensed to do so by the Department of Licensing. Funeral homes are required to have their contract forms approved by the department. The monies you pay for your contract are deposited in an insured account in a public depository or invested in instruments issued or insured by any agency of the federal government. The Department monitors the status of prearrangement trust funds. Many people prefer to prearrange their funerals, burials, or cremations as a way of minimizing the burden for their survivors during a time of grief.

Embalming

Is embalming always required?: Embalming is not required, however every human remains must be embalmed or refrigerated within 24 hours of death, unless disposition of the body has been made. Embalming shall not occur without first having obtained authorization from a family member or representative of the deceased. If remains are refrigerated they shall remain so until final disposition or transport. See RCW 18.39.215 and WAC 246-490-040(3).

Crematory/Cremations

What are the requirements to open a crematory?

RCW 18.39.217 states, “A permit or endorsement issued by the board or under chapter 68.05 RCW is required in order to operate a crematory or conduct a cremation. Conducting a cremation without a permit or endorsement is a misdemeanor. Each such cremation is a separate violation. Crematories owned or operated by or located on property licensed as a funeral establishment shall be regulated by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. Crematories not affiliated with a funeral establishment shall be regulated by the Cemetery Board.” Applications are available on this website. In addition, local city/county ordinances such as zoning, health, ecology and air pollution control must be complied with.

Who can authorize cremations?

RCW 68.50.160 states, “A person has the right to control the disposition of his or her own remains without the predeath or postdeath consent of another person. A valid written document expressing the decedent’s wishes regarding the place or method of disposition of his or her remains, signed by the decedent in the presence of a witness, is sufficient legal authorization for the procedures to be accomplished. Prearrangements that are prepaid, or filed with a licensed funeral establishment or cemetery authority…are not subject to cancellation or substantial revision by survivors.”

If the decedent has not made a prearrangement as set forth above, the disposition of his or her remains devolves upon the following in the order named:

The surviving spouse
The surviving adult children of the decedent
The surviving parents of the decedent
The surviving siblings of the decedent
A person acting as a representative of the decedent under the signed authorization of the decedent.

What if none of these family members can be located?

RCW 68.50.160 further states that if a funeral establishment or cemetery has made a good faith effort to locate the responsible next of kin, and they cannot be found, “the cemetery authority or funeral establishment shall have the right to rely on an authority to bury or cremate executed by the most responsible party available, and the cemetery authority or funeral establishment shall not be criminally or civilly liable for burying or cremating the human remains.”

Human Cremated Remains

How do I obtain a permit to operate a business or service to dispose of cremated remains?

You must register with the Cemetery Board and comply with all state rules listed in WAC 98-60.

The application fee is $70 for the initial permit, which expires on January 31 of the following year.
The renewal fee is $35 each year thereafter.
Call (360) 664-1555 for an application.

Where can I scatter cremated remains in Washington?

You may scatter cremated remains on:

National Parks after receiving permission from the Chief Park Ranger.
State Trust Uplands after receiving permission from the regional manager for each scattering. However, scattering by commercial scattering services is not permitted.
public navigable waters under state control, including Puget Sound, the Pacific Ocean within the 3-mile limit, rivers, streams, and lakes.
the Pacific Ocean beyond the 3-mile limit. (These scatterings must be reported within 30 days to the Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.)
private land with the permission of the land owner.

What is the proper way to scatter cremated remains?

Do not drop or throw the urn containing the cremated remains. Scatter only the contents.
Pour the cremated remains out of the container and dispose of the container separately. There is usually a second identification label and/or a numbered metal disc inside the container. Keep this and dispose of it separately with the container.