Article 18 defines a funeral establishment as a place of business used in the care and preparation for burial or transportation of a dead human body, or a place where a person represents that the person is engaged in the profession of undertaking or the practice of mortuary science.

Whenever there is a change of ownership or entity of a funeral home, or a funeral establishment relocates, or a new funeral home is established, an application for a funeral establishment license must be filed with the Board of Examiners in Mortuary Science. A funeral establishment may be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or sole proprietorship operating under an assumed name. If a funeral establishment is a corporation, the president of the corporation, all officers actively involved in the day to day operation of the establishment, and all directors of the corporation are required to hold a Michigan mortuary science license.

Each licensed funeral establishment is required to have a manager who is employed by the establishment on a full-time basis and is available at all times for funeral-related purposes. The manager must be a mortuary science licensee who resides within a one hour drive of the funeral home. A mortuary science licensee shall not manage more than one funeral establishment.

Applications for a funeral establishment license should be submitted approximately 30 days prior to the planned opening of the establishment. An inspection of the funeral home will be conducted prior to approval of the license application.

If there is a change of manager of the funeral establishment or if the funeral establishment wishes to change its name, a Change of Manager/Name application needs to be submitted to the department.