<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>76263</law_id><section_number>54.1-2800</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>32.1-263</reference><reference>32.1-286</reference><reference>38.2-4021</reference><reference>46.2-380</reference><reference>54.1-2312.1</reference><reference>54.1-2807.03</reference><reference>54.1-2818.5</reference><reference>54.1-2820</reference><reference>64.2-2023</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="28">Funeral Services</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Advertisement</span>&#x201D; means any information disseminated or placed before the public.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">At-need</span>&#x201D; means at the time of death or while death is imminent.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Board</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of <span class="dictionary">Funeral Directors</span> and <span class="dictionary">Embalmers</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Cremate</span>&#x201D; means to reduce a dead human body to ashes and bone fragments by the action of fire.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Cremator</span>&#x201D; means a person or establishment that owns or operates a <span class="dictionary">crematory</span> or <span class="dictionary">crematorium</span> or <span class="dictionary">cremates</span> dead human bodies.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Crematory</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">crematorium</span>&#x201D; means a facility containing a furnace for cremation of dead human bodies.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Declinable preneed funeral guarantee fee</span>&#x201D; means an optional and declinable fee agreed to by a <span class="dictionary">preneed funeral contract</span> purchaser, if offered by a seller, for which the cost of the preneed supplies and services as described in the <span class="dictionary">preneed funeral contract</span> shall be guaranteed. A <span class="dictionary">declinable preneed funeral guarantee fee</span>, when offered by a seller (i) shall not exceed 25 percent of the guaranteed preneed supplies and services included in the funeral contract price, (ii) shall be refundable if the purchaser terminates the contract within 30 days of execution, (iii) shall not be considered a finance fee, and (iv) shall be listed on the general price list in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Itemized statement and general price list of funeral expenses to be furnished" href="/54.1-2812/">54.1-2812</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Embalmer</span>&#x201D; means any person engaged in the practice of <span class="dictionary">embalming</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Embalming</span>&#x201D; means the process of chemically treating the dead human body by arterial injection and cavity treatment or, when necessary, hypodermic tissue injection to reduce the presence and growth of microorganisms to temporarily retard organic decomposition.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Funeral directing</span>&#x201D; means the for-profit profession of directing or supervising funerals, preparing human dead for burial by means other than <span class="dictionary">embalming</span>, or making arrangements for funeral services or the financing of funeral services.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Funeral director</span>&#x201D; means any person engaged in the practice of <span class="dictionary">funeral directing</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Funeral service establishment</span>&#x201D; means any main establishment, branch, or chapel that is permanently affixed to the real estate and for which a certificate of occupancy has been issued by the local building official where any part of the profession of <span class="dictionary">funeral directing</span>, the <span class="dictionary">practice of funeral services</span>, or the act of <span class="dictionary">embalming</span> is performed.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Funeral service intern</span>&#x201D; means a person who is preparing to be licensed for the <span class="dictionary">practice of funeral services</span> under the direct supervision of a practitioner licensed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Funeral service licensee</span>&#x201D; means a person who is licensed in the <span class="dictionary">practice of funeral services</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">In-person communication</span>&#x201D; means face-to-face communication and telephonic communication.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Next of kin</span>&#x201D; means any of the following persons, regardless of the relationship to the decedent: any person designated to make arrangements for the <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the decedent&#x2019;s remains upon his death pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Person to make arrangements for funeral and disposition of remains" href="/54.1-2825/">54.1-2825</a>, the legal spouse, child aged 18 years or older, parent of a decedent aged 18 years or older, custodial parent or noncustodial parent of a decedent younger than 18 years of age, siblings over 18 years of age, guardian of <span class="dictionary">minor</span> child, guardian of <span class="dictionary">minor</span> siblings, maternal grandparents, paternal grandparents, maternal siblings over 18 years of age and paternal siblings over 18 years of age, or any other relative in the descending <span class="dictionary">order</span> of blood relationship.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Practice of funeral services</span>&#x201D; means engaging in the care and <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> of the human dead, the preparation of the human dead for the funeral service, burial or cremation, the making of arrangements for the funeral service or for the financing of the funeral service and the selling or making of financial arrangements for the sale of funeral supplies to the public.
		&#x201C;Preneed&#x201D; means at any time other than <span class="dictionary">at-need</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Preneed funeral contract</span>&#x201D; means any agreement where payment is made by the consumer prior to the receipt of services or supplies contracted for, which <span class="dictionary">evidences</span> arrangements prior to death for (i) the providing of funeral services or (ii) the sale of funeral supplies. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Preneed funeral contract</span>&#x201D; does not include <span class="dictionary">transportation protection agreements</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Preneed funeral planning</span>&#x201D; means the making of arrangements prior to death for (i) the providing of funeral services or (ii) the sale of funeral supplies.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Solicitation</span>&#x201D; means initiating contact with consumers with the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> of influencing their selection of a funeral plan or funeral service provider.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Transportation protection agreement</span>&#x201D; means an agreement that provides for the coordination and arranging of all professional services related to transportation of human remains or cremated remains beyond the distance stated in the <span class="dictionary">preneed funeral contract</span>.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 54-260.1; 1956, c. 220; 1972, c. 797, &#xA7; 54-260.67; 1988, c. 765; 1989, c. 684; 1991, c. 539; 1997, c. 116; 1998, cc. 718, 867; 2003, c. 505; 2006, c. 56; 2015, cc. 534, 670; 2024, cc. 247, 598; 2025, c. 511.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
