Oklahoma § 59-396.3 - Qualifications and examination of funeral directors and

§ 59-396.3. Qualifications and examination of funeral directors and

embalmers - Approved schools – Licenses.

A. The Oklahoma Funeral Board shall determine the

qualifications necessary to enable any person to practice as a

funeral director or embalmer, and prescribe the requirements for a

funeral establishment or commercial embalming establishment. The

Board shall examine all applicants for licenses to practice as a

funeral director or embalmer. The Board shall issue the proper

licenses to applicants who successfully pass such examination and

qualify pursuant to any additional requirements the Board may

prescribe.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

B. 1. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, the

minimum requirements for a license to practice funeral directing or

embalming, or both, are as follows:

An applicant for a license to practice funeral directing or

embalming shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a legal

resident of this state, and a citizen or permanent resident of the

United States. In addition, an applicant shall be a graduate of a

program of mortuary science accredited by the American Board of

Funeral Service Education, and have served one (1) year as a

registered apprentice. The applicant may serve as a registered

apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of mortuary

science, or subsequent to graduation from the school, and pass any

of the following relevant exams necessary for licensure: the

International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board National

Board Science Examination, the International Conference of Funeral

Service Examining Board National Board Arts Examination, the

Oklahoma Funeral Directors Examination, or the Oklahoma Embalmers

Examination with a seventy-five (75) or higher score on each exam.

2. Curriculum of study for an embalmer or funeral director is a

program of mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by the

American Board of Funeral Service Education.

C. 1. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in

subsection B of this section for a funeral director, the person may

alternatively qualify for a license to practice funeral directing,

but not embalming, upon meeting the eligibility requirements of this

subsection as follows:

An applicant for a license to practice funeral directing shall

be at least eighteen (18) years of age, a legal resident of this

state, and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. An

applicant is required to complete a funeral director course of study

approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and that is administered by a

program of funeral service/mortuary science accredited by the

American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The funeral

director course of study shall include at least thirty (30) semester

hours or equivalent closely following the ABFSE curriculum standard,

limited to only: Business Management, Cremation, Social

Sciences/Humanities, Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, plus essential

elements of embalming, restorative art, general concerns when

dealing with human remains, a practicum experience, and preparation

for the required board exams. In addition to the funeral director

course of study, the applicant is required to complete a twelvemonth minimum term as a registered apprentice with employment at a

licensed establishment and must have assisted with twenty-five

arrangement conferences and assisted with twenty-five separate

funeral or memorial services under the supervision of a licensed

funeral director in this state. The applicant may serve as a

registered apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

mortuary science, concurrently while in mortuary school, or

subsequent to completion of the funeral director course of study.

2. Curriculum of study for a funeral director license shall be

in a program of mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by

the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all fees as

provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass an exam provided by

the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board or

the Oklahoma Funeral Directors Exam with a score of seventy-five

(75) or higher as well as pass a law exam provided by the Oklahoma

Funeral Board, with a score of seventy-five (75) or higher. A

license to practice as a funeral director issued pursuant to this

subsection shall be restricted to funeral director, and the licensee

shall not be eligible to practice as the funeral director in charge

as defined in Section 396.2 of this title.

3. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in

subsection B of this section for an embalmer, the person may

alternatively qualify for a license to practice embalming, upon

meeting the eligibility requirements of this subsection as follows:

An applicant for a license of this state, a citizen or permanent

resident of the United States, and of good moral character. An

applicant is required to complete an embalmer course of study

approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and that is administered by a

program of funeral service/mortuary science accredited by the

American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The embalmer

course of study shall include at least thirty (30) semester hours or

equivalent closely following the ABFSE curriculum standard, limited

to only: Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Human Anatomy,

Pathology, Embalming, Embalming Chemistry, and Restorative Art, plus

essential elements of grief, communication, and preparation for the

required board examinations. The applicant must also complete a

twelve-month minimum term as a registered apprentice with full-time

employment at a licensed establishment or licensed commercial

embalming establishment and must have assisted with twenty-five

embalmings under the supervision of a licensed embalmer in this

state. The applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to

enrollment in an approved school of mortuary science, concurrently

while in mortuary school, or subsequent to completion of the

embalmer course of study.

4. Curriculum of study for an embalmer license shall be in a

program of funeral service/mortuary science which shall be that

prescribed by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all

fees as provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass the

embalmer examination provided by the International Conference of

Funeral Service Examining Board or the Oklahoma Embalmers Exam with

a score of seventy-five (75) or higher as well as pass a law exam

provided by the Oklahoma Funeral Board with a score of seventy-five

(75) or higher. A license to practice as an embalmer issued

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

pursuant to this subsection shall be restricted to embalmer, and the

licensee shall not be eligible to practice as the funeral director

in charge as defined in Section 396.2 of this title.

D. The Board shall issue the appropriate license to any

qualified applicant whose application has been approved by the

Board, and who has paid the fees required by Section 396.4 of this

title, has passed the required examinations with a seventy-five (75)

or higher score and has demonstrated to the Board proficiency as an

embalmer or funeral director.

E. The Board shall maintain for public inspection a list of all

accredited schools of embalming and mortuary science.

F. Each funeral director in charge as defined in Section 396.2

of this title shall have a current dual funeral director and

embalmer license. A funeral director in charge of a funeral service

establishment or crematory that does not have a current dual funeral

director and embalmer license on the effective date of this act

shall be considered to be grandfathered and may serve as funeral

director in charge of any funeral service establishment or crematory

in accordance with rules prescribed by the Board, but shall not

serve as funeral director in charge of a commercial embalming

establishment which shall require a current dual funeral director

and embalmer license.

G. Upon April 23, 2021, and for one (1) year thereafter, the

Board may issue a temporary funeral director or embalmer license in

the event a statewide state of emergency is declared by the Governor

and during such time as the state of emergency is in effect.

Added by Laws 1941, p. 236, § 4, emerg. eff. May 20, 1941. Amended

by Laws 1945, p. 192, § 1, emerg. eff. April 28, 1945; Laws 1961, p.

453, § 1, emerg. eff. July 11, 1961; Laws 1963, c. 117, § 3, emerg.

eff. May 31, 1963; Laws 1970, c. 311, § 1, emerg. eff. April 27,

1970; Laws 1983, c. 163, § 1; Laws 1989, c. 297, § 4, eff. Nov. 1,

1989; Laws 1999, c. 64, § 4, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2003, c. 57, §

5, emerg. eff. April 10, 2003; Laws 2013, c. 97, § 2, eff. Nov. 1,

2013; Laws 2017, c. 204, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2017; Laws 2019, c. 363,

§ 14, eff. Nov. 1, 2019; Laws 2021, c. 183, § 1, emerg. eff. April

23, 2021; Laws 2022, c. 217, § 1, emerg. eff. May 5, 2022; Laws

2023, c. 54, § 1, emerg. eff. April 21, 2023; Laws 2025, c. 50, § 1,

eff. Nov. 1, 2025.

§59-396.3a. Persons and businesses required to be licensed.

The following persons, professions and businesses shall be

required to be licensed pursuant to the Funeral Services Licensing

Act:

1. Any person engaged or who may engage in:

a.

the practice or profession of funeral directing or

embalming,

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

b.

maintaining the business of a funeral establishment or

commercial embalming establishment,

c.

the sale of any funeral service merchandise, or

d.

providing funeral services; and

2. Any funeral establishment or commercial embalming

establishment.

Added by Laws 1989, c. 297, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 1989. Amended by Laws

1999, c. 64, § 5, eff. July 1, 1999.

§59-396.3b. Assistant funeral directors — Licensure.

A. As used in this section, “assistant funeral director” means

a person who assists a funeral director duly licensed in this state

in one or more of the principal functions of funeral directing and

is actively engaged in such work. An assistant funeral director

shall be an employee of the funeral director in charge under whom

the employee is registered, and shall be a person to whom the

funeral director in charge delegates the responsibility of

conducting funeral services, making funeral arrangements, and making

interments.

B. The Oklahoma Funeral Board may license assistant funeral

directors to each Oklahoma-licensed funeral director in charge. The

funeral director in charge shall have only one assistant funeral

director. Licensure as an assistant funeral director shall be

separate and distinct from registration as an apprentice funeral

director or embalmer. The Board may issue an assistant funeral

director license upon successful completion of the Oklahoma State

Law Examination for Funeral Directors, the manner and form of which

shall be determined by the Board, and upon payment of the

application fee which shall include the license fee for the current

year or portion thereof. Such application and registration and

renewal fee shall be in the amount fixed by the Board in accordance

with the provisions of Section 396.4 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma

Statutes. Before issuing a license to an applicant for an assistant

funeral director’s license, the Board shall require satisfactory

proof that the applicant is capable and trustworthy to act as such

and that the applicant is a person of good moral character, has a

good standing in the community, and is qualified to engage in the

business. In determining the moral character of any such applicant,

the Board shall take into consideration any felony conviction of

such person; provided, however, any such conviction shall not

automatically operate as a bar to licensure. Each person applying

for an assistant funeral director’s license shall make application

and be recommended in writing on forms provided by the Board. The

application shall show that the applicant is at least eighteen (18)

years of age and shall have at least sixty (60) semester hours of

study earned, measured in quarter or clock hours, from a regionally

accredited college or university before such license can be issued

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

to the applicant. Upon issuing a license to an assistant funeral

director, the Board shall cause the licensee to be registered under

the supervision of the Oklahoma-licensed funeral director by whom

such licensee is employed and under whom such licensee is

registered. The funeral director under whom the assistant funeral

director has been registered shall immediately notify the Board when

the licensee has left the employment of the director. Upon

reemployment of the licensee by any other funeral director in

charge, such licensee shall be reinstated by the Board. The work of

an assistant funeral director shall at all times be under the

supervision and control of the Oklahoma-licensed funeral director

under whom the licensee is registered. Licenses of assistant

funeral directors may be suspended or revoked, or the Board may

refuse to issue or renew a license, for any of the reasons and in

the manner stated in this section for funeral directors’ licenses.

C. The expiration date of each license shall be December 31.

Subject to the provisions of this section, each license shall be

renewable on an annual basis upon the filing of a renewal

application prior to the expiration date of the license and upon

payment of the renewal fee.

D. The assistant funeral director shall complete continuing

education in accordance with the provisions of Section 396.5b of

Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Added by Laws 2025, c. 381, § 2, eff. July 1, 2025.