Updated Michigan Mortuary Science Rules

The most pressing update to share is the introduction of continuing education requirements for all licensees. As a result of Public Act 265 of 2020, continuing education requirements were established, and the department was compelled to promulgate rules for implementation. Starting after the October 31, 2025, renewal period, licensees will be required to complete at least four hours of eligible continuing education courses during each license year - October 31 to October 31.

Rule 28a (R 339.18928a) outlines the two methods by which a licensee may obtain continuing education credit hours; 1 credit for every 50 minutes of continuous instruction for completing an approved program, seminar, inhouse course, workshop, professional or technical presentation, and 1 credit limit 1 per year, for physically attending a meeting of the Board of Examiners in Mortuary Science.

Rule 29 (R 339.18929) outlines the approved providers of continuing education. The rules preapprove continuing education programs, seminars, courses, workshops, professional or technical presentations, or activities that are approved by the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice (“The Academy”), provided by an American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) accredited program, or sponsored by a hospital or other licensed healthcare institution or government agency. The department reserves the right to determine a course provided by these methods is not approved for credit.

Furthermore, a provider that is not preapproved in the aforementioned ways, may seek approval from the department to offer a continuing education course for a 2-year period. Rule 29(2) (R 339.18929) outlines the application process for this. The department will maintain a list of these approved continuing education courses on the mortuary science website here.

Please note that it is the responsibility of licensees to maintain records and proof of completion of continuing education. The department will request these records from the licensee if they are selected for an audit (Rule 29a) (R 339.18929a).

While many licensees already routinely create case reports for decedents, the new rules make this an official requirement. Rule 32 (R 339.18932) outlines the requirement for a funeral establishment to create  a case report for all dead human bodies that enter their care, and to maintain this report for not less than 7 years. The new rule details what should be included in the case reports.

Rule 35 (R 339.18935) clarifies that a dead human body being transported to a crematory for cremation must be encased in a rigid container for cremation that is resistant to leakage or spillage, and accompanied by proper authorization according to the Estates and Protected Individuals Code (“EPIC”), MCL 700.3206, as well as a cremation permit endorsed by the country medical examiner.

Rule 23 (R 339.18923) changed the number of permitted renewals for a resident trainee license from 2 to 1. Appeal for additional renewals beyond that may be done through a petition to the board at scheduled meetings.

The new rules establish record retention timeframes throughout for the following:

• Documentation/proof of completion, certificates of completion of continuing education credits, 4 years (Rule 28) (R 339.18928).
• Course records for continuing education providers that are not preapproved, 4 years (Rule 29) (R 339. 18929).
• Case reports, 7 years (Rule 32) (R 339.18932).
• Documentation of positive identification of remains, 7 years (Rule 37) (R 339.18937).
• Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected, 7 years (Rule 42) (R 339.18942).

Rule 21 (R 339.18921) was amended for clarity and to comply with the changes resulting from Public Act 265 of 2020. The amendments to section 1806 of the Code state that an applicant must have “(b) Graduated from a 3-year course in mortuary science at a school, college, or university that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education as a specialized accrediting agency in funeral service or mortuary science.” The amended rule eliminates redundancy and now outlines that to obtain a mortuary science license, an applicant must have completed 90 semester hours with at least a 2.00 grade point average at an accredited college or university, including graduation from an accredited mortuary science program.

Rule 23 (R 339.18923) was amended to clarify that an individual shall not be issued more than 1 resident trainee license.

Rule 25 (R 339.18925) was amended to update the experience requirements and tasks to be completed by a resident trainee. Licensees and trainees are encouraged to review this updated rule.

Relicensure rules were moved to Rule 29d (R 339.18929d) and amended to require a lapsed license of 3+ years to pass a state jurisprudence examination with a 75% or more, and a lapsed license of 91 days to 3 years to complete 4 hours of continuing education credit prior to relicensure.

Both funeral establishment requirements in Rule 31 (R 339.18931) and care and storage requirements in Rule 32 (339.18932) were amended and updated to clarify existing requirements, and to formalize practices that are already widespread. Licensees and employees are encouraged to review these 2 rules in depth to learn more about the changes. 

Rule 41 (R 339.18941) was updated to encompass all forms of advertising.

Rule 43 (R 339.18943) was updated to clarify which licenses must be posted at a funeral establishment, and to clarify that a mortuary science licensee must carry their license either on their person or in the licensed funeral establishment, with a digital copy being acceptable.