Washington Administrative Code

(1) A hydrolysis facility or natural organic reduction facility must not accept or hold human remains unless the human remains are in a container or shroud that is resistant to leakage or spillage of bodily fluids.(2) The holding facility must:(a) Comply with WAC 246-500-020 and …

(1) Reduction must not take place until the burial transit permit and authorization for the reduction method are obtained.(2) Immediately prior to being placed within the reduction chamber, the identification of the human remains must be verified by the reduction facility operato…

(1) Upon completion of the reduction process, the end products must be removed from the reduction chamber, with the exception of residue.(2) The end products must be placed within an individual container or tray in such a way that will prevent commingling with other human remains…

(1) Human remains following reduction must be packaged in a sealable container or containers as may have been ordered or supplied by the authorizing agent or the reduction facility.(2) The packaged human remains will be identified. The metal identification disc or metal tag must …

(1) A crematory, hydrolysis facility, or natural organic reduction facility must keep a permanent record of all reductions performed and the disposition or release of the human remains following cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, or natural organic reduction. The record must include…

(1) When reduced human remains have been in the possession of a reduction facility, funeral establishment or cemetery for a period of ninety days or more, the entity holding the human remains following reduction may arrange for disposition in any legal manner, provided the entity…

(1) Crematory facilities must:(a) Only use a commercially produced crematory unit(s); and(b) Employ a licensed crematory operator or operators.(2) Hydrolysis facilities must:(a) Only use a purpose built vessel as a reduction chamber which meets generally accepted standards of the…

(1) A license or endorsement is required in order to operate a crematory, hydrolysis facility, or natural organic reduction facility. Each applicant shall:(a) Submit an application on a form approved by the funeral and cemetery board; and(b) Pay a fee as determined by the directo…

(1) Licenses are required for operators of each method of reduction. In order to operate a crematory, a hydrolysis facility, or a natural organic reduction facility, applicants must submit:(a) An application on a form prescribed by the board;(b) A nonrefundable application fee as…

(1) Crematories, alkaline hydrolysis facilities, and natural organic reduction facilities regulated under the authority of chapters 18.39 and 68.05 RCW are subject to inspection at least once each year by the inspector of funeral establishments, crematories, alkaline hydrolysis, …

(1) The regulatory fees for crematories, alkaline hydrolysis facilities, and natural organic reduction are calculated per disposition and collected at the time of renewal of the license, permit, or endorsement.(2) For a change of ownership, the selling entity is required to submi…

(1) "Authorizing agent" means the person(s) legally entitled to control the disposition of the human remains.(2) "Final disposition" means burial, entombment, inurnment or scattering.[Statutory Authority: RCW 68.05.105 and 18.39.175. WSR 20-09-031, § 308-47A-010, filed 4/6/20, ef…

(1) An authorizing agent or person or persons who have the right to control final disposition of reduced human remains under RCW 68.50.160(3) to dispose of human remains may do so without a permit.(2) The authorizing agent may designate another person or entity to dispose of the …

(1) Designees who regularly or occasionally dispose of reduced human remains must submit an application for a final disposition permit on a form prescribed by the board and pay the application fee.(2) All final disposition permits issued under this rule shall be issued for the ca…

(1) Final disposition permit holders must provide a certificate of disposition of human remains to the authorizing agent or person authorizing the disposition. The certificate shall identify:(a) The name of the deceased;(b) The location and date of the disposition of the human re…

For the purpose of these rules, the following terms will be construed as follows:(1) "Arrangements" means the discussion(s) that take place between the funeral director and person(s) with the right to control disposition, or their designated representative of the deceased, during…

Any individual who has been issued a license, in accordance with chapter 18.39 RCW, as a funeral director and/or embalmer having reached at least the age of sixty-two and having discontinued active practice may be eligible to obtain a "retired certificate of registration." If gra…

(1) Funeral establishments, funeral directors, embalmers, interns, employees or agents while providing for the care and handling of human remains shall:(a) Comply with all applicable Washington state laws, rules and regulations related to health or the handling, transportation or…

A funeral establishment or branch establishment shall:(1) Have an exclusive area/office at an identified location for conducting the business which is accessible to the public.(2) Provide private and secure area(s) for holding human remains which will include:(a) A mechanically o…

No licensee will, directly or indirectly, assume control of any human remains without having first obtained authority from the person(s) having the right to control the disposition of the human remains under RCW 68.50.160, as to matters relating to the preparation, handling and f…

No licensee will divulge any information as to illness, cause of death, financial affairs or transactions, and any other information customarily considered confidential, obtained while serving in such licensed capacity.[Statutory Authority: RCW 68.05.105 and 18.39.175. WSR 20-09-…

(1) No licensee will remove, embalm, or perform other preparation of a human remains when they have information indicating crime or violence in connection with the cause of death, until permission is obtained from a coroner, medical examiner or other qualified official.(2) Any li…

(1) A licensee must display a license in each location where they are employed.(2) If licensed work is provided by an agent at the funeral establishment or branch, a copy of the license will be displayed in each location where the licensed work occurs.[Statutory Authority: RCW 68…

No licensee shall lend, place, permit or authorize the placement of their license in any establishment or place of business unless the licensee is an owner, part owner or bona fide employee of such place of business, nor shall a funeral establishment or place of business to prete…

(1) Funeral establishments and branch establishments licensed under the provisions of chapter 18.39 RCW will be inspected at least once each year by the duly appointed department inspector.(2) Inspections shall cover compliance with applicable statutes and rules. Funeral establis…

An applicant for a license as a funeral director shall meet the following requirements:(1) Be at least eighteen years of age;(2) Complete the following education requirements at an accredited institution approved by the board:(a) Obtain an associate of arts degree in mortuary sci…

An applicant for a license as an embalmer must meet the following requirements:(1) Be at least eighteen years of age.(2)(a) Obtain an associate of arts degree in mortuary science; or(b) Complete a course of instruction in an accredited mortuary science college program and other c…

(1) Applicants for initial licensing as a funeral director or embalmer must submit:(a) An application on a form prescribed by the board.(b) Official sealed college transcripts.(c) Official national board or other state board examination scores.(d) A nonrefundable application fee …

(1) The board adopts the national examination and grading procedure of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB).(2) All applicants must pass a state law examination. In addition, applicants for funeral director licensing are required to pass an ex…

(1) The board adopts the standards of the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Inc., in approving courses of instruction in embalming schools, pursuant to RCW 18.39.035(2). The board approves all schools accredited by, and in good standing with, the American Board of Fune…

(1) For the purposes of RCW 18.39.035, the term "one year course of training" shall include assisting a licensed funeral director in coordinating all aspects of at least twenty-five arrangements for funeral, memorial and/or final disposition services for human remains.(2) The ter…

(1) For the purposes of RCW 18.39.035, the term "two year course of training" shall include the embalming of at least twenty-five human remains under the supervision of a licensed embalmer.(2) The term "two year" shall consist of at least thirty-six hundred hours of employment an…

(1) The annual license renewal date for embalmers and funeral directors is the 31st day of January of each year. The annual renewal license date for embalmer interns and funeral director interns is the licensee's birth date. Interns making application and fulfilling requirements …

(1) The responsibility for notifying the director, department of licensing of internship registration and termination rests with the licensee sponsor. In order to protect the status of the intern in cases where the employing licensee fails to initiate the required report of regis…

If a licensing applicant fails to complete the licensing process and their records show no activity for six consecutive years, the board will consider the application abandoned. No activity includes, but is not limited to:(1) Failure to submit the required documents within six co…

(1) Any provider of any aspect of the care, shelter, transportation, embalming, other preparation and arrangements for the disposition of human remains must be licensed as a funeral establishment. Establishments must obtain a funeral establishment or branch license for each locat…

(1) For the purposes of RCW 18.39.145 each funeral establishment and branch establishment must employ a designated funeral director. The designated funeral director must:(a) Have a minimum of one year of practical experience as a licensed funeral director in the state of Washingt…

To meet the statutory continuing education requirement for renewing licenses for funeral directors, embalmers, funeral director interns and embalmer interns, the board requires the following:(1) To maintain active practice, licensees must accumulate five hours of continuing educa…

Any person seeking to reinstate a license which has lapsed for less than one year must comply with the continuing education requirements for regular renewal of the license. Any person seeking to reinstate a license which has lapsed for one year or longer must present satisfactory…

In emergency situations, such as personal or family sickness, the funeral and cemetery board may waive, for good cause shown, all or part of the continuing education requirement for a renewal period for an individual licensee. The board will require such verification of the emerg…

A new license must be obtained following the sale or transfer of ownership or a controlling interest in a cemetery authority, reduction facility, funeral establishment, or branch establishment. All licenses are nontransferable.[Statutory Authority: RCW 68.05.105 and 18.39.175. WS…

(1) Funeral fees.Title of FeeFeeEmbalmer: State examination application$135.00 Renewal203.00 Late renewal fee47.00 License print fee5.00Embalmer intern: Intern application182.00 Application for examination100.00 Intern renewal135.00 Late renewal fee47.00 License print fee5.00Fune…

(1) A license as a funeral director intern or embalmer intern shall not exceed a time period of five years cumulative. Following completion of the internship program:(a) The license for internship will not be renewed.(b) The intern must qualify for licensure as a funeral director…

Licensees who supervise interns:(1) Must be working and located in the same licensed establishment as the intern, provided: Sponsors may permit interns to perform work at branch establishment locations if required by their job duties.(2) Each sponsor can supervise a maximum of th…

A leave of absence from internship requirements may be granted by the board with the following provisions:(1) The intern submits an appeal to the board for a leave of absence.(2) The intern is enlisted in military service of the United States or called to active duty in the Unite…

(1) Transportation of human remains may be performed by unlicensed persons who are employed by licensed funeral establishments in accordance with WAC 246-500-040.(2) A business established for the sole purpose of removals and/or transportation of human remains is required to obta…

The purpose of this chapter is to implement the provisions of RCW 18.39.240 through 18.39.345 and to establish rules for the registration of funeral establishments which enter into prearrangement funeral service contracts and to establish uniform minimum requirements for such con…

(1) "Board" means the funeral and cemetery board created pursuant to RCW 18.39.173.(2) "Director" means the director of licensing.(3) "Embalmer" means a person engaged in the profession or business of disinfecting and preserving human remains for transportation or final dispositi…

(1) Each funeral establishment entering into prearrangement funeral service contracts in which one or more of the following conditions exist must be registered with the board before entering into such contracts:(a) The sales price of the contract, using either trust or insurance …

(1) The terms of prearrangement funeral service contracts are of substantial importance to both consumers and the establishment. Prearrangement funeral service contracts must be approved by the board before being used by a funeral establishment.(2) Contracts must be written in la…