Funeral Director License Requirements
All 50 States, Verified

The total cost to obtain a funeral director license ranges from $440 in Arkansas to $840 in Alaska, with an average of $541. This includes application fees, national board examination fees, and initial licensing fees, but does not include establishment license fees or education costs.

Most states require passing the National Board Examination (NBE), which consists of two sections: NBE-Arts and NBE-Sciences. Additionally, almost all states require a separate state-specific jurisprudence examination covering local laws and regulations. The NBE is administered by The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB) and requires a 75% passing score on each section.

Continuing education requirements vary significantly by state. 2 states require no continuing education hours, while other states require between 5 and 24 hours, with an average of 11 hours per renewal period. The renewal periods themselves vary from annual to triennial depending on the state.

0 states offer some form of reciprocity or endorsement for out-of-state funeral directors. Most states that accept transfers require proof of an active license in good standing, passage of the National Board Examination, and often a state-specific jurisprudence examination. However, there is no interstate compact for funeral directors, so each state has its own requirements.

Most states require N/A from an ABFSE (American Board of Funeral Service Education) accredited program. Additionally, nearly all states require completing an apprenticeship of one to two years under the supervision of a licensed funeral director at a licensed funeral establishment.

The licensing process typically takes 3-4 years total, including completing an associate's degree in mortuary science (2-3 years), passing the required examinations, and completing a supervised apprenticeship (1-2 years depending on the state). The apprenticeship usually occurs after completing the educational requirements.

Currently, 51 out of 51 jurisdictions require funeral director licensing. Colorado recently transitioned from no licensing requirement to mandatory licensing by January 2027, making it one of the most recent states to implement funeral director licensure requirements.