Funeral Directors

Funeral Director License

Applicants will:

Provide transcripts showing credit of not less than two (2) years of general college education with at least 60 semester hours, to include the following subjects determined by the board:

1. six (6) semester hours in Humanities; six (6) semester hours in Social Science; four (4) semester hours in Natural Science; two (2) semester hours in Business; two (2) semester hours in Fine Arts, and
2. 40 semester hours of the applicant's choice. Meeting these requirements are determined by the board. Please feel free to direct any questions to the board’s office.
   
   • If you are applying for just a funeral director license (and not an embalmer license) you must submit a transcript to the board prior to applying for an apprenticeship. The board will review your transcript to determine if the above subjects have been completed as educational requirements must be finalized prior to the serving of an apprenticeship. Transcripts should be sent to the board by the college directly.

Obtain an assistant funeral director license, registered as an Apprentice Funeral Director and serve an apprenticeship for no less than one (1) year under the supervision of a licensed Kansas funeral director working on a full-time basis (full-time is defined as 40 hrs. per week/50 weeks per year). Funeral director apprenticeships are generally served at the same time as embalmer apprenticeships are. Unlike embalming apprenticeships, assistant funeral directors must serve under the supervision of a Kansas licensed funeral director (although the apprenticeship can be served out-of-state). Quarterly progress reports must be submitted to the board by both the apprentice (assistant) funeral director and supervising funeral director. During the apprenticeship, you must assist with conducting a minimum of twenty-five (25) funeral services.

Interview successfully with the board at the conclusion of the apprenticeship.

Receive a minimum score of 75 on the written Kansas funeral directors’ examination and pay an initial licensure fee - after licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $12.00 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). Individuals holding an assistant funeral director license will receive a credit of $8.50 per month for any remaining months of licensure. The full biennial renewal cost is $288.00. No credit toward the funeral director license is given for the initial assistant funeral director application fee of $150.00

Reciprocal Funeral Director License

Applicants will:

Provide the Board with: a completed application form and appropriate fees (see notes below), evidence of being a licensed funeral director in another state for a minimum of one year, a statement of good standing from home state board or agency by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting (the statement of good standing from your current state board of licensure must be mailed directly to Kansas.)

Be currently licensed in a state with educational requirements as high as those in Kansas, or individually meet current Kansas requirements. Licensure as a funeral director in another state for a minimum of one year is required. College transcripts should be sent to the board by the college directly.

Appear before the board for an interview (to explain why Kansas licensure is desired.)

Demonstrate the intent to practice funeral directing in the state of Kansas on a full-time or part-time basis.

Pass the written Kansas funeral director examination with a minimum score of 75. The written examination is generally administered on the same day as your interview with the board.

Pay the appropriate reciprocal, examination and initial funeral director licensure fees once licensure has been granted by the board. Initial licenses are prorated at $12.00 per month – based on an established renewal schedule pertaining to the first letter of your surname (last name). Individuals holding an assistant funeral director license will receive a credit of $8.50 per month for any remaining months of licensure. The full biennial renewal cost is $288.00.

Notes on Reciprocal Applications: The reciprocal application fee is $350 (This fee remains the same regardless if applying for either one or both licenses) as long as applying for both licenses at the same time. * (in other words, should you apply for one reciprocal license and later apply for the other, it will be another application with the $350 associated fee). When applying for a reciprocal funeral director license, you also need to send an additional $200 examination fee. All fees, transcripts and applications are due by the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting. The board meets four times annually: January, April, July and October. Rule books are available for $5.00 through our office or can be printed at no cost from our website.

*Applicants licensed before July 1, 1991 may have 60 hours of college and a one year Mortuary School Certificate or an A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science in order to meet reciprocal educational requirements.