Nebraska does not reduce neatly to one generic “mortician license” checklist. Nebraska’s strongest official source is the statute: it directly defines the single combined license and the exact 40-credit, 12-month, 25/25 structure. Start by choosing the license type that matches the work you want to do, then verify the current application packet with Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
Licensing rules can change. Treat this page as a planning guide, not legal advice. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is the final authority.
Quick Answer
Nebraska issues a single funeral directing and embalming license. The statute requires 40 semester hours of college credit in specified subject areas, a full course of instruction in an accredited mortuary science school, a 12-month Nebraska apprenticeship under a licensed funeral director and embalmer, 25 arterially embalmed bodies, 25 assisted funerals, and licensure examinations approved by the board.
Which Nebraska License Do You Need?
| Likely license | Who it fits | Education signal | Supervised-work signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral Director and Embalmer | People seeking Nebraska authority to practice both funeral directing and embalming under the state’s single individual license. | Equivalent of 40 semester hours of college credit in addition to a full course of instruction in an accredited school of mortuary science. The 40 hours must include 6 English, 12 business, 4 chemistry, 12 biological science relating to the human body, and 6 psychology or counseling semester hours. | 12 months under the supervision of a licensed funeral director and embalmer practicing in Nebraska. |
| Reciprocity / Credential-Based Applicant | Out-of-state funeral director and embalmer licensees seeking Nebraska recognition. | Nebraska administrative rules may accept five years of out-of-state practice plus 16 hours of acceptable CE completed within the prior 24 months as equivalent for the specific education coursework. | One year of funeral directing and embalming practice after licensure or certification in another jurisdiction may be deemed equivalent to Nebraska’s 12-month apprenticeship. |
Nebraska License Paths
Funeral Director and Embalmer
Who this is for: People seeking Nebraska authority to practice both funeral directing and embalming under the state’s single individual license.
Education: Equivalent of 40 semester hours of college credit in addition to a full course of instruction in an accredited school of mortuary science. The 40 hours must include 6 English, 12 business, 4 chemistry, 12 biological science relating to the human body, and 6 psychology or counseling semester hours.
Exams: International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards exam with scaled score of at least 75; Nebraska jurisprudence examination with at least 75%; Nebraska vital statistics forms examination with at least 75%.
Supervised work: 12 months under the supervision of a licensed funeral director and embalmer practicing in Nebraska.
Cases or reports: The apprenticeship must include arterially embalming 25 bodies and assisting with 25 funerals.
Fees and renewal: The DHHS page search result says renewal requires payment of the renewal fee; verify the current fee directly with DHHS because the extractable page did not expose a current amount. DHHS search results state renewal requires the renewal fee and at least 12 hours of approved continuing education in each renewal period.
Planning note: The administrative rule also requires a complete Department application and documentation of statutory requirements.
Reciprocity / Credential-Based Applicant
Who this is for: Out-of-state funeral director and embalmer licensees seeking Nebraska recognition.
Education: Nebraska administrative rules may accept five years of out-of-state practice plus 16 hours of acceptable CE completed within the prior 24 months as equivalent for the specific education coursework.
Exams: Nebraska jurisprudence examination; Nebraska vital statistics forms examination.
Supervised work: One year of funeral directing and embalming practice after licensure or certification in another jurisdiction may be deemed equivalent to Nebraska’s 12-month apprenticeship.
Cases or reports: Direct source verification of credential and documentation of practice are required.
Fees and renewal: Verify current credential-based application fees with DHHS. Nebraska renewal rules apply after licensure.
Planning note: The reciprocity rule is useful for experienced licensees but should not be assumed by new graduates.
What Can Delay Your Nebraska License?
- Nebraska is a combined license state; there is no ordinary separate new funeral-director-only page in the reviewed official sources.
- Mortuary school hours cannot also be used to satisfy the separate 40-credit general education requirement under the administrative rule.
- Out-of-state applicants should distinguish the five-year education-equivalency rule from the one-year apprenticeship-equivalency rule.
Official Nebraska Links
- Official DHHS funeral directing and embalming page; extraction returned limited text.
- Nebraska One Stop license portal entry for the DHHS credential.
- Nebraska Revised Statute 38-1414 license requirements.
- 172 NAC chapter 67 section 003 license requirements, reciprocity, and exams.
Plan Your Next Step
If you are still choosing a school or deciding whether this state is worth the move, model the time and money path before you apply:
- Compare mortuary schools - tuition, completion, and program fit
- Run the ROI Calculator - tuition, lost income, and payback timing
- Check Nebraska salary data - state wage context before committing
- View the Market Map - compare Nebraska with nearby states
- Back to license requirements by state - compare rules before relocating
Sources and Method
This page was rebuilt from official Nebraska board, agency, statute, rule, application, fee, renewal, and lookup sources found with AnySearch, search-layer, direct source extraction, and PDF text extraction where needed. Source notes are stored in data_sources/licensing/state-licensing-sources.json; structured facts are stored in data_sources/licensing/state-licensing-requirements.json.