(1) The internship requirements for a combination license as both funeral director and embalmer may be served concurrently pursuant to rules adopted by the licensing authority.
(2)(a) An applicant who has not completed the educational credentials required for a combination license as both funeral director and embalmer is eligible for licensure as a combination funeral director and embalmer intern if the applicant:

1. Is currently enrolled in and attending a college accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) in a course of study in mortuary science accredited by ABFSE.
2. Has completed at least 75 percent of the course of study in mortuary science as certified by the college in which the applicant is currently enrolled.
3. Has taken and received a passing grade in a college credit course in mortuary law or funeral service law and has taken and received a passing grade in a college credit course in ethics.

Ask a business law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified business lawyers.
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Florida Statutes 497.377

  • Board: means the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Control: means the possession, directly or indirectly, through the ownership of voting shares, by contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or entity. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Direct supervision: means supervision by a licensed:
    (a) Funeral director who provides initial direction and periodic inspection of the arrangements and who is physically present or on the premises of the funeral establishment at all times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to funeral directing are performed; or
    (b) Embalmer who provides initial direction and instruction regarding the preservation of a dead human body in its entirety or in part and who is physically present or on the premises of the funeral establishment or embalming facility at all times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to embalming are performed. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Director: means the director of the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Embalmer: means any person licensed under this chapter to practice embalming in this state. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Funeral director: means any person licensed under this chapter to practice funeral directing in this state. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Funeral establishment: means a facility licensed under this chapter where a funeral director or embalmer practices funeral directing or embalming. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • funeral service: means the observances, services, or ceremonies held to commemorate the life of a specific deceased human being and at which the human remains are present. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • General supervision: means supervision by a licensed:
    (a) Funeral director who is reasonably available and in a position to provide direction and guidance by being physically present, being on the premises of the funeral establishment, or being in proximity to the funeral establishment and available telephonically or by electronic communication at all times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to funeral directing are performed; or
    (b) Embalmer who is reasonably available and in a position to provide direction and guidance by being physically present, being on the premises of the funeral establishment or embalming facility, or being in proximity to the funeral establishment or embalming facility and available telephonically or by electronic communication at all times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to embalming are performed. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • License: includes all authorizations required or issued under this chapter, except where expressly indicated otherwise, and shall be understood to include authorizations previously referred to as registrations or certificates of authority in chapters 470 and 497 as those chapters appeared in the 2004 edition of the Florida Statutes. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • Rules: refers to rules adopted under this chapter unless expressly indicated to the contrary. See Florida Statutes 497.005
  • service: means any service offered or provided in connection with the final disposition, memorialization, interment, entombment, or inurnment of human remains or cremated remains. See Florida Statutes 497.005
(b) An application for a combination funeral director and embalmer intern license must include the name and address of the funeral director licensed under s. 497.373 or s. 497.374(1) and the embalmer licensed under s. 497.368 or s. 497.369 under whose supervision the intern will receive training and the name of the licensed funeral establishment at which the training will be conducted.
(c) A combination funeral director and embalmer intern may perform only the tasks, functions, and duties relating to funeral directing and embalming which are performed under the direct supervision of a licensed funeral director who has an active, valid license under s. 497.373 or s. 497.374(1) and an embalmer who has an active, valid license under s. 497.368 or s. 497.369. However, a combination funeral director and embalmer intern may perform such tasks, functions, and duties under the general supervision of a licensed funeral director and embalmer upon graduation from a college accredited by ABFSE with a degree as specified in s. 497.373(1)(d) and upon passage of the examination required under s. 497.373(2)(b) if the funeral director in charge of the internship training establishment, after 6 months of direct supervision, certifies to the licensing authority that the intern is competent to complete the internship under general supervision.
(d)1. A combination funeral director and embalmer intern license expires 1 year after issuance and, except as provided in subparagraph 2., may not be renewed; however, upon expiration of a combination funeral director and embalmer intern license, any intern that has completed the educational credentials required for a combination license as both funeral director and embalmer and has applied for licensure may continue to perform the tasks, functions, and duties related to funeral directing and embalming in the manner provided in paragraph (c) until a license is issued or denied, or for a period of 90 days, whichever occurs sooner.
2. The licensing authority may adopt rules that allow a combination funeral director and embalmer intern to renew her or his combination funeral director and embalmer intern license for an additional 1 year if the combination funeral director and embalmer intern demonstrates her or his failure to complete the internship before expiration of the license due to illness, personal injury, or other substantial hardship beyond her or his reasonable control or demonstrates that she or he has completed the requirements for licensure as a combination funeral director and embalmer but is awaiting the results of a licensure examination.