N.Y. Public Health Law 4145 – Deaths; burial and removal permits; disposition of remains
§ 4145. Deaths; burial and removal permits; disposition of remains. 1. No person in charge of any premises on which interments, cremations, natural organic reductions or other disposition of the body of a deceased person are made shall inter or permit the interment or other disposition of any body unless it is accompanied by a burial, cremation, natural organic reduction or transit permit, as provided in this article.
2. (a) The funeral director or undertaker shall deliver the burial permit to the person in charge of the place of burial or other disposition before interring or otherwise disposing of the body or shall attach the removal or transit permit to the box containing the body, when shipped by any transportation company, which permit shall accompany the remains to its destination, where, if within this state, it shall be delivered to the person in charge of the place of burial or other disposition.
(b) Any person or other entity owning, operating, managing, or designated to receive the body of a deceased person at a place of burial, cremation, natural organic reduction, or other final disposition in this state, who receives the body of a deceased person, shall provide a receipt for the body to the funeral director, undertaker or registered resident who delivered such body. Each receipt shall (i) be endorsed by both such person and the funeral director, undertaker or registered resident, (ii) indicate the date the body was delivered, (iii) include the name of the funeral director, undertaker or registered resident delivering the body and the registration number of such funeral director, undertaker or registered resident, (iv) include the name of the registered funeral firm the funeral director, undertaker or registered resident represents, (v) include the name of the deceased person as it appears on the burial, cremation, natural organic reduction, or transit permit, and (vi) include the name of the owner, operator, manager, or person in charge of the place of burial, cremation, natural organic reduction, or other final disposition who received the body of the deceased person. A copy of such receipt shall be retained by the owner, operator, manager, or person in charge of the place of burial, cremation, natural organic reduction, or other final disposition for a period of not less than four years, and shall be made available for inspection by the division of cemeteries during normal business hours. The original copy of every such receipt shall be retained by the licensed funeral firm for a period of not less than four years pursuant to the rules and regulations of the department governing the maintenance of records.
3. The person in charge of the place of burial or other disposition shall endorse upon the permit, the date of interment, natural organic reduction, or cremation or other disposition over his signature, and shall return all permits so endorsed to the registrar of his district within seven days after the date of interment, cremation, natural organic reduction, or other disposition.
4. When burying or otherwise disposing of the body of a deceased person in a cemetery or burial place having no person in charge, the funeral director or undertaker shall (a) sign the burial or removal permit, giving the date of burial; (b) write across the face of the permit the words "No person in charge; " and (c) file the burial or removal permit within three days with the registrar of the district in which the cemetery is located.
5. The person in charge of the place of burial, cremation, natural organic reduction, or other disposition shall keep a record of all bodies interred or otherwise disposed of on the premises under his charge, in each case stating the name of each deceased person, place of death, date of burial or disposal, and name and address of the funeral director or undertaker, which record shall at all time be open to official inspection.
6. For the purposes of this section, such documents required to be produced under this section may be signed by written instrument or the use of an electronic signature, as that term is defined in subdivision three of § 302 of the state technology law, with the intent to execute the instrument, writing or electronic record.