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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>82142</law_id><section_number>54.1-2817</section_number><catch_line>Funeral service interns</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-2806</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="3">Licensure of the Practice of Funeral Service, Funeral Directors and Embalmers</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>A person desiring to become a <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> shall apply on a form provided by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. The applicant shall attest that he holds a high school diploma or its equivalent. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, in its discretion, may approve an application to be a <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> for an individual convicted of a <span class="dictionary">felony</span>, if he has successfully fulfilled all conditions of sentencing, been pardoned, or has had his civil rights restored. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall not, however, approve an application to be a <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> for any person convicted of <span class="dictionary">embezzlement</span> or of violating subsection B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Violation of sepulture; defilement of a dead human body; penalties" href="/18.2-126/">18.2-126</a>.
		The <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, in its discretion, may refuse to approve an application to be a <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> for an individual who has a criminal or disciplinary proceeding pending against him in any <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in the United States.
		When the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> is satisfied as to the qualifications of an applicant, it shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a certificate of internship. When a <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> wishes to receive in-service training from a person licensed for the practice of funeral service, a request shall be submitted to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. If such permission is granted and the <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> later leaves the proctorship of the licensee whose service has been entered, the licensee shall give the <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> showing the length of time served with him. The <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> shall be filed with the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and made a matter of record in that office. Any <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> seeking permission to continue in-service training shall submit a request to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>.
		A certificate of internship shall be renewable as prescribed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall mail or send electronically at such time as it may prescribe by regulation, to each registered <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> at his last known address, a notice that the renewal fee is due and that, if not paid by the prescribed time, a <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> fee shall be due in addition to the renewal fee.
		The registration of any <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> who is in the active military service of the United States may, at the discretion of the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, be held in abeyance for the duration of his service. The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may also <span class="dictionary">waive</span> the renewal fees for such military personnel.
		All registered <span class="dictionary">funeral service interns</span> shall report to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> on a schedule prescribed by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> upon forms provided by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, showing the work which has been completed during the preceding period of internship. The data contained in the report shall be certified as correct by the person licensed for the practice of funeral service under whom he has served during this period and by the person licensed for the practice of funeral service owning or managing the <span class="dictionary">funeral service establishment</span>.
		Before such <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> becomes eligible to be examined for the practice of funeral service, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> shall be presented along with an <span class="dictionary">affidavit</span> from any licensee under whom the intern worked showing that the intern has assisted in <span class="dictionary">embalming</span> at least 25 bodies and that the intern has assisted in conducting at least 25 funerals. In all applications of <span class="dictionary">funeral service interns</span> for licenses for the practice of funeral service, the eligibility of the applicant shall be determined by the records filed with the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. The successful completion by any person of the internship shall not entitle him to any <span class="dictionary">privilege</span> except to be examined for such license.
		Credit shall not be allowed for any period of internship that has been completed more than three years prior to application for license or more than five years prior to examination for license. If all requirements for licensure are not completed within five years of initial application, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may deny an additional internship. A <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> may continue to practice for up to 90 days from the completion of his internship or until he has taken and received the results of all examinations required by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. However, the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> may <span class="dictionary">waive</span> such limitation for any person in the armed service of the United States when application for the <span class="dictionary">waiver</span> is made in writing within six months of leaving service or if the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> determines that enforcement of the limitation will create an unreasonable hardship.
		The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> shall have power to suspend or revoke a certificate of internship for violation of any provision of this chapter.
		No more than two <span class="dictionary">funeral service interns</span> shall be concurrently registered under any one person licensed for the practice of funeral service, <span class="dictionary">funeral directing</span> or <span class="dictionary">embalming</span>. Each sponsor for a registered <span class="dictionary">funeral service intern</span> must be actively employed by or under <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with a funeral establishment.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 54-260.34 through 54-260.38; 1956, c. 220; 1970, c. 513, &#xA7; 54-260.72; 1972, c. 797; 1973, c. 296; 1974, c. 157; 1978, c. 849; 1981, c. 258; 1986, c. 43; 1988, c. 765; 2005, c. 477; 2006, c. 56; 2018, c. 101.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
