20 CSR 2120-2.010 - Embalmer's Registration and Apprenticeship
(1) Every
person desiring to enter the profession of embalming dead human bodies within
Missouri, and who is enrolled in an accredited institution of mortuary science,
shall complete a practicum as required by the accredited institution of
mortuary science education.
(2) For
every person desiring to enter the profession of embalming dead human bodies
within Missouri the board may conduct a criminal history background check
through the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Applicants shall submit to the board
the applicable fee for the criminal history background check as determined by
the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
(3) After registration with the board as a
practicum student in an accredited institution of mortuary science education,
the student may assist in a Missouri licensed funeral establishment preparation
room only under the direct supervision of a Missouri licensed embalmer and may
assist in the direction of funerals only under the direct supervision of a
Missouri licensed funeral director. Each person desiring to be a practicum
student shall register with the board as a practicum student on the form
provided by the board in accordance with the requirements of the accredited
institution of mortuary science prior to beginning the practicum. Applications
shall be accompanied by the applicable fee.
(4) During the period of the practicum, the
certificate of registration issued to the practicum student shall be displayed,
at all times, in a conspicuous location accessible to the public at each
funeral establishment where the practicum student is working.
(5) The practicum student registration
authorizes the registrant to engage in the practice of embalming only at the
Missouri licensed funeral establishment(s) designated on the certificate of
registration and only under the direct supervision of a Missouri licensed
embalmer. The practicum student may assist in the practice of funeral directing
only under the direct supervision of a Missouri licensed funeral director and
only at the Missouri licensed funeral establishment(s) designated on the
certificate of registration. If during the course of the practicum, the
practicum student wishes to work at a Missouri licensed funeral establishment
other than as designated on the certificate of registration, the practicum
student shall notify the board in writing of the name, location, and Missouri
licensed funeral establishment license number of the new Missouri licensed
funeral establishment within ten (10) days of the change.
(6) Upon successful completion of the
practicum, the practicum student registration shall become null and void. A
practicum shall be deemed successfully completed when the practicum student has
achieved a passing grade on the practicum from the institution of mortuary
science at which the practicum student is enrolled.
(7) After graduating from an accredited
institution of mortuary science education, the applicant then shall file, with
the board, an official transcript of his/her embalming school grades showing
s/he is a graduate of that school. In addition, the applicant shall ensure that
his/her official copy of the national board examination results are provided to
the board in writing by the International Conference of Funeral Service
Examining Boards, Inc., or designee of the board.
(8) Effective July 30, 2004, the Missouri
State Board embalmers' examination shall consist of the National Board Funeral
Service Arts section, the National Board Funeral Service Science section, and
Missouri Law section. Application, payment, scheduling, and administration for
the national board examinations will be made directly through the International
Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, Inc., or other designee of the
board. An applicant shall be exempt from the requirement of successful
completion of the Missouri Law section if the applicant has successfully
completed the Missouri Law section for another Missouri license within the
jurisdiction of the board and the license is in active status. In lieu of the
National Board Funeral Service Arts examination, successful completion of the
Missouri Funeral Service Arts examination results will be accepted, or the
board may accept successful completion of an examination administered by
another state, territory, or province of the United States that is
substantially equivalent or more stringent than the Missouri Funeral Service
Arts examination.
(9) Effective
January 1, 2023, the Missouri State Board embalmers' examination shall consist
of the National Board Funeral Service Arts section, the National Board Funeral
Service Science section, and Missouri Law section. Application, payment,
scheduling, and administration for the national board examinations will be made
directly through the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining
Boards, Inc., or other equivalent nationally accredited agency approved by the
board. An applicant shall be exempt from the requirement of successful
completion of the Missouri Law section if the applicant has successfully
completed the Missouri Law section for another Missouri license within the
jurisdiction of the board and the license is in active status.
(10) The embalming examination shall cover
knowledge of the subjects of embalming, anatomy, pathology, bacteriology,
mortuary administration, chemistry, restorative arts, together with statutes,
rules, and regulations governing the care, custody, shelter, and disposition of
dead human bodies and the transportation thereof.
(11) An applicant shall submit proof of
having satisfied the requirements of the National Board Funeral Service Arts
section and the National Board Funeral Service Science section of the
examination by having his/her official copy of the scores from the
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, Inc., or designee
of the board transmitted to the board from the Conference. In lieu of the
National Board Funeral Service Arts examination, successful completion of the
Missouri Funeral Service Arts examination will be accepted, or the board may
accept successful completion of an examination administered by another state,
territory, or province of the United States that is substantially equivalent or
more stringent than the Missouri Funeral Service Arts examination.
(12) Effective January 1, 2023, the Missouri
Funeral Service Arts section of the examination will no longer be administered
in lieu of the National Funeral Service Arts section; however, an applicant may
submit proof of having satisfied the requirements of the Missouri Funeral
Service Arts section of the examination in lieu of the National Board Funeral
Service Arts section of the examination by having his/her official copy of the
scores from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards,
Inc., or other equivalent nationally accredited agency approved by the board,
transmitted to the board from the Conference. The board will accept the
successful score of the Missouri Funeral Service Arts examination taken prior
to January 1, 2023, as long as the application including the exam score is
submitted per the requirements as outlined in board rules.
(13) Those applicants achieving seventy-five
(75) on each of the three (3) sections of the embalming examination will be
deemed to have passed the board's embalming examination. Any applicant who
scores less than seventy-five (75) on any section of the embalming examination
may retake the failed section, upon application and payment of the
administration and reexamination fees. On any reexamination of a single failed
section, the applicant shall score at least seventy-five (75) to
pass.
(14) After the applicant has
made a passing grade on the national and/or state examinations as outlined in
board rule, the applicant then may apply for registration as an apprentice
embalmer. This application shall contain the name(s) of the Missouri licensed
embalmer(s) under whom the applicant will serve. Each supervisor must be
licensed and registered with and approved by the board. Any change in
supervisor shall also be registered and approved within ten (10) business days
after the change has been made. Applications shall be submitted on the forms
provided by the board and shall be accompanied by the applicable fee.
Application forms are available from the board office or the board's website at
http://pr.mo.gov/embalmers.asp.
(15) Each apprentice embalmer shall provide
to the board, on the application provided by the board, the name(s),
location(s), and license number(s) of the licensed funeral establishment(s)
where the apprentice is serving as an apprentice. If the apprentice embalmer
begins work at any other licensed funeral establishment during the period of
apprenticeship, the apprentice embalmer shall notify the board, on the form
provided by the board, within ten (10) business days after the change has been
made.
(16) The period of
apprenticeship under this rule shall be at least twelve (12) consecutive
months. The apprentice embalmer shall devote at least thirty (30) hours per
week to his/her duties as an apprentice embalmer. During the period of the
apprenticeship, the certificate of registration issued to the apprentice shall
be displayed, at all times, in a conspicuous location accessible to the public
at each funeral establishment where the apprentice is working.
(17) Prior to completion of the period of
apprenticeship, the apprentice embalmer shall achieve a grade of seventy-five
(75) or greater on the Missouri Law exam. This exam may be taken any time after
graduating from an accredited institution of mortuary science, but shall be
successfully completed prior to appearing before the board for oral
examination. The Missouri Law exam covers knowledge of Chapter 333, RSMo, and
the rules governing the practice of embalming, funeral directing, and funeral
home licensing, along with government benefits, statutes, and rules governing
the care, custody, shelter, disposition, and transportation of dead human
bodies. The Missouri Law section also contains questions regarding Chapter 436,
RSMo, relating to pre-need statutes and Chapters 193 and 194, RSMo, relating to
the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services statutes, as well as
questions regarding Federal Trade Commission rules and regulations and
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements as they apply
to Missouri licensees. Notification of intent to take this section of the
examination shall be received by the board at least fifteen (15) working days
prior to the date the candidate plans to sit for the examination.
(18) An affidavit provided by the board,
signed by both the apprentice and the supervisor(s) verifying that the
applicant has successfully completed the embalming of twenty-five (25) dead
human bodies, shall be submitted to the board at the time of completion of the
apprenticeship period and prior to the oral examination.
(19) After successful completion of the
embalmer's examination and the embalmer apprenticeship as provided in these
rules, the embalmer applicant shall appear for the oral examination. To appear
for the oral examination, the embalmer applicant shall-
(A) Submit an application on a form supplied
by the board and pay the applicable fees to the board; and
(B) Successfully pass the oral examination
administered by the board for licensure.
(20) The oral examination shall be conducted
by one (1) or more board members who hold a Missouri state embalmer license, or
a member of the board staff that is a licensed embalmer, and shall be conducted
in person at a place and time established by the board. The oral examination
shall consist of no fewer than five (5) substantive questions related to the
practice of embalming and/or the statutes, rules, and regulations governing
embalming practice in the state of Missouri. Whether the applicant
satisfactorily completes the oral examination shall be in the sole discretion
of the board.
(21) After
satisfactory completion of these requirements, an embalmer's license shall be
issued to an apprentice embalmer upon payment of the applicable fee and subject
to the provisions of section
333.121, RSMo.
(22) An applicant shall meet the requirements
of the board for licensure within five (5) years of his/her graduation from an
accredited institution of mortuary science. If the applicant fails to meet the
requirements of the board within the required time, a new application and
applicable fees shall be filed with the board and the applicant shall be
required to appear for the oral examination within five (5) years of the new
date of application. No previous practicum, apprenticeship, application, or
Missouri Law section will be considered for a new application. However, the
successful examination results of the National Board Funeral Service Arts
section and the National Board Funeral Service Science section, or designee of
the board will be accepted.
(23) A
Missouri licensed embalmer may engage in the practice of embalming in the state
of Missouri only in Missouri licensed funeral establishments. Each embalmer
shall inform the board in writing of each funeral establishment name(s),
location(s), and license number(s) where the embalmer is performing
embalming.
(24) A Missouri licensed
embalmer has the ongoing obligation to keep the board informed if the licensee
has been finally adjudicated or found guilty, or entered a plea of guilty or
nolo contendere, in a criminal prosecution under the laws of
any state or of the United States, whether or not sentence was imposed. This
information shall be provided to the board within thirty (30) days of being
finally adjudicated or found guilty.
(25) Any embalmer licensed by the board in
the state of Missouri who wishes to become a licensed funeral director shall be
required to comply with all requirements necessary for licensure as a funeral
director, except the Missouri licensed embalmer shall be exempt from the
requirement of a funeral director apprenticeship.
(26) Should an individual desire to obtain a
Missouri embalmer's license after his/her license has become void under section
333.081.3, RSMo, the individual shall be required to make application, obtain a
passing grade on the embalmer examination, and shall be required to complete a
six (6) consecutive month period of apprenticeship during which time s/he shall
be required to embalm at least twelve (12) dead human bodies under the
supervision of a Missouri licensed embalmer. The applicant shall be required to
pay the current applicable apprenticeship and application fees to obtain a new
embalmer's license under this section. No previous apprenticeship, application,
or examination will be considered for a new application under this section.
However, the successful examination results of the National Board Funeral
Service Arts section and the National Board Funeral Science section will be
accepted.
(27) After successful
completion of the embalmer's examination and the embalmer apprenticeship as
provided in these rules, the embalmer applicant shall appear for the oral
examination at a location specified by the board. To arrange for the oral
examination, the embalmer applicant shall submit an application of a form
supplied by the board and pay the applicable fees to the board. Applicants
shall successfully pass the oral examination administered by the board for
licensure.
(28) All certificates,
registrations, and licenses, or duplicate copies thereof issued by the State
Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors shall be displayed at all times in a
conspicuous location accessible to the public in each office or place of
business where they work, for inspection by any duly authorized agent of the
board.
(29) The rules in this
division are declared severable. If any rule, or section of a rule, is held
invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction or by the Administrative Hearing
Commission, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect
unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or by the
Administrative Hearing Commission.
Notes
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