Texas licensing is built around two main routes: the provisional licensing program for new entrants and reciprocity for people already licensed in another state. If you are starting from scratch, plan around supervised provisional work, mortuary school, the National Board Exam, the Texas Mortuary Law Exam, and TFSC paperwork review.
Licensing rules can change. Treat this page as a planning guide, not legal advice. The Texas Funeral Service Commission is the final authority.
Quick Answer
To become licensed as a Texas funeral director or embalmer, TFSC says applicants generally must be at least 18, have a high school diploma or GED, graduate from an accredited school or college of mortuary science, complete the provisional licensing program unless reciprocating from another state, pass the required National Board Exam(s), pass the Texas Mortuary Law Exam with a 75 percent grade, and complete an FBI criminal background check.
Which Texas License Route Fits You?
| Situation | Route to check first | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| You are new to funeral service | Provisional license program | Texas expects supervised practical experience before full licensure unless you qualify by reciprocity. |
| You are enrolled in or graduated from mortuary school | Standard provisional route | TFSC allows provisional applicants to be enrolled in or graduated from an accredited mortuary science school. |
| You have not enrolled in mortuary school yet | Provisional education waiver | TFSC describes a 12-month waiver, but says the license will not renew until an enrollment letter is submitted. |
| You hold an active out-of-state license | Reciprocal license program | Good-standing history, NBE scores, Texas law exam, transcripts, and background check drive this path. |
| You want both funeral director and embalmer credentials | Dual route | TFSC says a person in both provisional programs receives two provisional licenses. |
Texas Provisional Licensing Path
- Confirm whether you need funeral director, embalmer, or dual licensure.
- Meet TFSC baseline requirements: age 18, high school/GED, and mortuary school enrollment or graduation.
- Secure employment under the direct instruction and supervision of the funeral-director-in-charge or embalmer-in-charge during the entire provisional program.
- Submit the provisional application through TFSC’s online licensing system and pay the application fee.
- Complete the FBI criminal background check.
- Pass the Texas Mortuary Law Exam before provisional licensure.
- Complete required supervised practice and documentation while remaining in provisional status until TFSC reviews all paperwork.
- Pass the required National Board Exam(s) and move from provisional to full licensure when TFSC approves the file.
Texas Rule 204.2 lists a $93 application fee for provisional funeral director, provisional embalmer, individual funeral director, and individual embalmer applications. The Conference’s 2025 table also reports case counts and total fee snapshots, but applicants should treat TFSC’s current rules and application system as controlling.
Texas Reciprocity Path
TFSC may issue a funeral director, embalmer, or dual license to an applicant licensed in good standing in another state. The reciprocal packet reviewed for this guide asks for:
- completed application and licensee affidavit;
- board certification showing good standing;
- transcripts from an accredited mortuary school or college;
- passing National Board scores of 75 percent or higher;
- Texas Mortuary Law Exam score of 75 percent or better within the last six months;
- FBI background check after TFSC receives the reciprocal application.
For states with substantially similar requirements, TFSC asks for at least one year of good-standing licensure. For states that are not substantially similar, the packet describes a five-year good-standing threshold.
Renewal and Expired-License Rules
Texas Rule 203.1 states that the license period is two years beginning on the first day of the licensee’s birth month. Renewal requires the renewal fee and continuing education. The same rule also creates higher fees or reinstatement steps for licenses expired more than 90 days, more than one year, or longer, including possible retaking of the State Mortuary Law Examination.
What Can Delay Your Texas License?
- Leaving provisional status too early: TFSC says a licensee must remain provisional until all required administrative paperwork is submitted and reviewed.
- Education waiver misunderstanding: the waiver can help someone start before mortuary school enrollment, but it is not a way to avoid school.
- Law exam timing: the Texas Mortuary Law Exam is required before provisional licensure and also appears in reciprocity and reinstatement contexts.
- Reciprocity state comparison: one year vs five years depends on whether TFSC treats the other state’s requirements as substantially similar.
- Background check timing: reciprocal applicants receive FBI background instructions after TFSC receives the reciprocal application.
Official Texas Links
- Texas Funeral Service Commission
- Becoming licensed in Texas
- Texas Rule 203.1 - license requirements and renewal
- Texas Rule 204.2 - individual application fees
- TFSC reciprocal application packet
Plan Your Next Step
- Compare mortuary schools - find accredited programs that fit Texas requirements
- Run the ROI Calculator - model tuition, provisional wages, and payback timing
- Check Texas salary data - compare pay before committing
- View the Market Map - compare Texas with nearby states
- Back to license requirements by state - compare reciprocity before moving
Sources and Method
This page was rebuilt from Texas Funeral Service Commission licensing pages, Texas administrative rules, the official reciprocal packet, NFDA’s updated board directory, and The Conference’s 2025 licensing table. Source notes are stored in data_sources/licensing/state-licensing-sources.json.