Current & Prospective Students
Documents & Forms
Student Guide
The Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts requires that certain information and forms be completed for pre registration, registration, apprenticeship and licensure with the Board. These requirements are set forth in Kansas laws, rules, regulations and statutes. Individuals can enter the embalming profession in Kansas by graduating from an accredited junior college, mortuary school or university earning a minimum of an Associate in Arts Degree in Mortuary Science.
The following outline has been prepared for the future embalmer in order to comply with Kansas requirements:
| Requirement | Board Fee / Charge |
|---|---|
| 1. Certificate of Preregistration and Placement (form provided) when enrolling in mortuary school. Pre-registration allows students to work in a Kansas preparation room under the direct personal supervision of a Kansas licensed embalmer while serving practicum during mortuary school education. It is necessary to register with the board and pay the $100 student embalmer registration fee (see #3 below) following completion of practicum courses if you wish to continue working in a Kansas preparation room. Pre-registration is not valid before or following completion of the mortuary school practicum program. | No Fee |
| 2. High School Transcript--to accompany pre-registration papers | No Fee |
| 3. Certificate of Registration as a Student Embalmer - As has been explained with #1 above it is necessary to register with the board following completion of practicum if you wish to continue working in a Kansas preparation room under the direct personal supervision of a Kansas licensed embalmer prior to serving an apprenticeship. This is important if you are immediately unsuccessful in passing the embalmer examination. Registration is valid for a maximum of two years and is required when serving an embalmer apprenticeship. | $100.00 |
| 4. Final college transcript--indicating a minimum of an Associated in Arts degree in mortuary science. Please note that the transcript must state that a degree has been earned. | No Fee |
| 5. Passing the national embalmer examination. Be sure and have the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards mail the Kansas Board a copy of your examination results. See #3 above in regards to the ability to work in a Kansas preparation room under the direct personal supervision of a licensed Kansas embalmer in the time frame following completion of the practicum program until passing the national examination. Both sections of the NBE must be passed before the embalming apprenticeship can begin. | Fee paid to the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards |
| 6. Completion of Embalming Apprentice Application following passing the national embalmer examination (Note: Apprentice time does not begin until the day the application is received by the Board office.) The embalming apprenticeship must be completed within two-years of passing the national examination or it will be necessary to retake the examination in order to begin re-serving the apprenticeship from the beginning. | No Fee |
| 7. Once the Embalming Apprentice Application has been submitted to the board, the apprentice embalmer and supervising licensed embalmer will receive a "Packet" containing reports to be completed each quarter. | No Fee |
| 8. Quarterly Progress Reports from the apprentice embalmer and licensee to be filed with the board. | No Fee |
| 9. Certificate of Practical Training--(must be completed and returned before licensure with the board) (form will be provided at the end of the apprenticeship.) | No Fee |
| 10. Application for Embalmer's License. | No Fee |
| 11. Successful Apprentice Interview for licensure with the Board and completion of one (1) year apprenticeship, and payment of an initial license fee. | No Fee |
| 12. Licensure | Pro-Rated Fee--currently $168 for a two year renewal. |
Assistant funeral director licensure (which is the funeral director apprenticeship program) may run concurrently with the embalmer apprenticeship, but you must apply on a separate assistant funeral director application with payment of a required fee. It is not automatic at the time you register as a student embalmer. Current assistant funeral director applications are $150.00 (application fee) and $180.00 (renewal depending on your surname) for a two year renewal (maximum total $330.00). Remaining assistant funeral director renewal monies will be credited towards your funeral director license. The $150 application fee will not be credited toward the funeral director license. Apprentices do not take the written assistant funeral director examination - as the written funeral director examination will be administered at the end of the funeral directing apprenticeship.
Note: Please note that the pre-registration and placement applications should be submitted to our agency prior to serving a college practicum. You must be pre-registered in order to work in a Kansas preparation room while attending mortuary school. Anyone serving a mortuary school practicum at a Kansas funeral home must pre-register in order to work in the preparation room. You must register with the board prior to taking the national examination. During the time after graduating from mortuary school and up until Passing the national examination you must be registered with the board in order to work in a Kansas preparation room under the personal supervision of a Kansas licensed embalmer and is required while you are serving an embalmer apprenticeship.
All pre-registered and registered students can only work under the Direct Personal Supervision of a licensed embalmer while in the preparation room. Kansas embalming apprenticeships served outside the state of Kansas can be served under a licensed Kansas embalmer or a licensed embalmer from that particular state. Example: If you are working in Missouri, it is possible to also serve your Kansas embalming apprenticeship under a licensed Missouri embalmer--providing you and your supervising licensee are appropriately registered/licensed in Missouri. Please note that when serving a Kansas apprenticeship in another state, you must file the appropriate paperwork with that state also. Once you have submitted the pre-registration/placement application, you will be issued a pre-registration certificate. This certificate should be obtained prior to serving your practicum at a Kansas funeral home while enrolled at mortuary school. Any questions should be directed to:
Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts
700 SW Jackson St., Suite #904
Topeka, Kansas 66603-3733
Telephone: (785) 296-3980
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Financial Aid
Scholarship applications for Kansas residents that have already attended mortuary college for one year can be obtained through:
Kansas Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association (KFDA)
1200 S. Kansas Avenue
P.O. Box 1904
Topeka, Kansas 66601-1904
Phone: (785) 232-7789
Fax: (785) 232-7791
kfda@kfda.kscoxmail.com
Scholarship applications must be filed with the KFDA by no later than September 30th each year. All applicants must be pre-registered with the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts. Scholarships will be granted during the month of October. For more information on KFDA scholarships, see the KFDA website.
Related Board and Programs
A listing of all State Funeral Regulatory Boards provided by The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB).
A listing of accredited college and university programs can be found on the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) website.