Mortician and funeral director licensing is regulated at the state level. Requirements can vary by license type, including funeral director, embalmer, intern, apprentice, or combined funeral service license.
This guide links to state-by-state licensing pages built from the 2025 Regulations in Funeral Service Licensing publication from The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, plus the NFDA licensing board directory.
Licensing rules change. Use these pages for career planning, then verify final requirements with the state board before applying.
Quick Answer: What License Do You Need to Be a Mortician?
The license you need depends on the state. Some states use a combined funeral service license; others separate funeral director, embalmer, apprentice, intern, or trainee licenses. In most states, the path includes an approved funeral service education program, supervised experience, the National Board Exam or state exams, and a board application.
Start with the state where you want to work, not the school you like most. A program is only useful if it satisfies that state’s license pathway.
If you want the fastest path, use the Mortician Licensing Wizard first. Pick a state and it will surface the education, exam, apprenticeship, and renewal items to verify before you choose a school.
What Usually Varies by State
- Education requirement: ABFSE degree, certificate, college credits, or state-specific pathway
- Exam requirement: NBE Arts, NBE Sciences, state law/rules exam, or other exams
- Apprenticeship/internship: whether required, when it can be completed, and case reports
- License type: funeral director, embalmer, combined license, intern, or apprentice
- Renewal: renewal cycle, fees, and continuing education requirements
How to Use This Directory
Start with the state where you plan to work, then compare neighboring states if you may relocate for school, apprenticeship, or a first funeral home role. License titles are not always interchangeable: one state may separate funeral director and embalmer licenses, while another may use a combined funeral service path. Before you rely on a requirement, open the state-specific guide and confirm the current board packet, supervisor rules, exam sequence, fees, and renewal cycle. This directory is best used as a routing hub for planning questions, not as a substitute for a board application.
State License Requirement Guides
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Puerto Rico
Plan Around Licensing Before Choosing a School
The cheapest school is not always the best fit if it does not match your target state’s license pathway. Before enrolling, compare:
- Your target work state
- Required license type
- Whether the program is ABFSE-accredited
- Internship/apprenticeship timing
- Exam requirements
- Expected salary and ROI after graduation
Use the School Finder, Career ROI Calculator, and Market Map together before committing.
Federal-Level Requirements
While licensing is state-controlled, several federal requirements apply nationwide:
- FTC Funeral Rule — all funeral providers must give consumers itemized price lists and cannot require purchases they don’t want (e.g., cannot require casket purchase for cremation)
- OSHA regulations — formaldehyde exposure limits, bloodborne pathogen standards, PPE requirements for embalming
- National Board Exam (NBE) — administered by The International Conference; required by most states as a licensing prerequisite
- ABFSE accreditation — most states require graduation from an ABFSE-accredited program; there are currently 58 accredited programs nationwide
These federal standards create a baseline, but every state adds its own rules on top. Always verify with your state board before applying.
Related Guides
- Mortician Requirements Checklist
- How Long Does It Take to Become a Mortician?
- Mortician Apprenticeship: Requirements, Pay & What to Expect
- How to Become a Mortician
- Mortician Salary by State
How This Page Was Built
- Primary source: 2025 Regulations in Funeral Service Licensing table text extracted into the local data_sources folder.
- Method: the generator extracts the jurisdiction row, infers checklist items from explicit terms such as ABFSE, NBE, apprentice, intern, exam, and renewal, then keeps a source-text snapshot on the page.
- Limits: table text can be dense and license-type-specific. The state board is the final authority for application requirements, fees, and renewal rules.