Massachusetts § 49 - Licensing of funeral directors; revocation or suspension; hearing; fees; permits

§ 49. Licensing of funeral directors; revocation or suspension; hearing; fees; permits

Section 49. The board of health of each town shall annually, on or before May first, license persons to act as funeral directors therein upon such terms and conditions as the board of registration in embalming and funeral directing, established by section twenty-nine of chapter thirteen, shall prescribe. All such licenses shall expire April thirtieth each year, unless sooner suspended or revoked. Such licenses shall be issued only to persons certified to the boards of health by said board of registration, before May first each year, as qualified to be licensed as funeral directors. Any license hereunder may, after a hearing, be revoked by the board of health which issued it for any violation of law, local ordinances or the rules and regulations of said board of health, said board of registration or the state department of public health. The fee for such licenses shall be established by said board of health, but in no event shall any such fee be greater than one hundred dollars per year.

Boards of health shall send to said board of registration, immediately upon the issuance of licenses hereunder, the names and addresses of the persons to whom such licenses were issued.

A person registered and licensed as a funeral director may act as a funeral director in any town; provided, that, unless licensed as a funeral director by the board of health of a town, no person shall establish or maintain in such town a place of business or office or agency, or display in such town any sign indicating that he is licensed therein as an undertaker, funeral director or mortician, or hold himself out in such town as a funeral director without clearly indicating the town wherein he is so licensed.

The board of health of a town shall issue a permit for the continuance therein, under the active supervision of a person licensed as a funeral director in any town, of the business of a funeral director licensed by such board who has died, for the benefit of the estate or persons interested in the estate of the decedent, during such period of time and in such a manner and under such conditions as such board may determine.