Mo. Rev. Stat. § 333.042 — MO Code / Chapter 333 / Section 333.042
333.042 Funeral directors license, requirements — limited license only for ...
Status: in_force

333.042. Funeral directors license, requirements — limited license only for cremation — waiver of licensure, when — definitions. — 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, an applicant for a funeral director license not entitled to a license under section 333.051 or 324.009 shall make application for an initial license to practice funeral directing and shall furnish evidence to establish to the satisfaction of the board that he or she:

(1) Is eighteen years of age or older;

(2) Possesses a high school diploma, a general equivalency diploma, or equivalent thereof, as determined, at its discretion, by the board; and

(3) Has either:

(a) Completed a funeral service education program accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, any successor organization, or other accrediting entity as approved by the board and received passing scores on the National Board Examination-Arts and the Missouri law examination. The board may accept, in lieu of a passing score on the National Board Examination-Arts, a passing score on an administration of the Missouri arts examination that occurred before the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards ended all administrations of the Missouri arts examination on January 1, 2023; or

(b) Made application for a funeral director provisional license and successfully either:

a. Within twenty-four months of receipt of the provisional license:

(i) Completed a twelve-month qualifying funeral director apprentice program as determined by the board during which the applicant arranged and conducted ten funeral services. Such program shall be under the personal supervision of a funeral director licensed under this chapter and in a Missouri funeral establishment licensed for the care and preparation for burial and transportation of the human dead in this state; and

(ii) Received passing scores on the National Board Examination-Arts and the Missouri law examination. The board may accept, in lieu of a passing score on the National Board Examination-Arts, a passing score on an administration of the Missouri arts examination that occurred before the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards ended all administrations of the Missouri arts examination on January 1, 2023; or

b. Within thirty-six months of receipt of the provisional license:

(i) Completed an eighteen-month qualifying funeral director apprentice program as determined by the board during which the applicant arranged and conducted twenty-five funeral services. Such program shall be under the personal supervision of a funeral director licensed under this chapter and in a Missouri funeral establishment licensed for the care and preparation for burial and transportation of the human dead in this state; and

(ii) Received a passing score on the Missouri law examination.

2. Any person holding a provisional license shall be eligible, upon written request to the board, to sit for the National Board Examination-Arts and the Missouri law examination at any time during the period in which his or her provisional license is effective.

3. Any licensed funeral director who has not previously sat for the National Board Examination-Arts may, at his or her election and upon written request to the board, sit for the examination.

4. A person may apply for a limited license to work only in a funeral establishment licensed for cremation. A person holding a limited funeral director license may perform duties related to cremation. To qualify for a limited funeral director license, an applicant shall be eighteen years of age or older and shall make application with the board, pay applicable fees, and successfully complete the Missouri law examination. Completion of a qualifying funeral director apprentice program shall not be required to obtain a limited funeral director license.

5. The board shall, at its discretion and upon written request, waive individual funeral director licensure requirements for up to six months if there is an absence of a funeral director in charge due to the death or disability of the licensed funeral director and there is no other licensed funeral director available to discharge the director's duties. A waiver under this subsection shall allow the spouse, next of kin, personal representative, or conservator of the absent director to conduct business until a licensed funeral director can be obtained or business arrangements are made to close or sell the establishment. The waiver shall not allow for any services to be provided for which formal funeral service education is required.

6. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1) "Personal supervision" , supervision in which the licensed funeral director shall be physically present during any arrangement conferences and present for the first five funeral services conducted by the apprentice. The supervising licensed funeral director shall not be required to be present when the apprentice performs any other functions relating to the practice of funeral directing but shall be available within one hour for consultation;

(2) "Qualifying funeral director apprentice program" , a program that meets the minimum hour requirements for funeral directing tasks as set by the board and in which the supervising funeral director has attested that the apprentice has obtained the minimal required skills to practice funeral directing.

(L. 1993 S.B. 27, A.L. 1998 S.B. 854, A.L. 2001 H.B. 48, A.L. 2011 H.B. 265 merged with S.B. 325, A.L. 2018 S.B. 840, A.L. 2025 S.B. 150)