                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FUNERAL SERVICE INTERNS (§ 54.1-2817)

A person desiring to become a funeral service intern shall apply on a form
provided by the Board. The applicant shall attest that he holds a high school
diploma or its equivalent. The Board, in its discretion, may approve an
application to be a funeral service intern for an individual convicted of a
felony, if he has successfully fulfilled all conditions of sentencing, been
pardoned, or has had his civil rights restored. The Board shall not, however,
approve an application to be a funeral service intern for any person convicted
of embezzlement or of violating subsection B of § 18.2-126.
		The Board, in its discretion, may refuse to approve an application to be a
funeral service intern for an individual who has a criminal or disciplinary
proceeding pending against him in any jurisdiction in the United States.
		When the Board is satisfied as to the qualifications of an applicant, it shall
issue a certificate of internship. When a funeral service intern wishes to
receive in-service training from a person licensed for the practice of funeral
service, a request shall be submitted to the Board. If such permission is
granted and the funeral service intern later leaves the proctorship of the
licensee whose service has been entered, the licensee shall give the funeral
service intern an affidavit showing the length of time served with him. The
affidavit shall be filed with the Board and made a matter of record in that
office. Any funeral service intern seeking permission to continue in-service
training shall submit a request to the Board.
		A certificate of internship shall be renewable as prescribed by the Board. The
Board shall mail or send electronically at such time as it may prescribe by
regulation, to each registered funeral service intern at his last known address,
a notice that the renewal fee is due and that, if not paid by the prescribed
time, a penalty fee shall be due in addition to the renewal fee.
		The registration of any funeral service intern who is in the active military
service of the United States may, at the discretion of the Board, be held in
abeyance for the duration of his service. The Board may also waive the renewal
fees for such military personnel.
		All registered funeral service interns shall report to the Board on a schedule
prescribed by the Board upon forms provided by the Board, 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
funeral service establishment.
		Before such funeral service intern becomes eligible to be examined for the
practice of funeral service, evidence shall be presented along with an affidavit
from any licensee under whom the intern worked showing that the intern has
assisted in embalming at least 25 bodies and that the intern has assisted in
conducting at least 25 funerals. In all applications of funeral service interns
for licenses for the practice of funeral service, the eligibility of the
applicant shall be determined by the records filed with the Board. The
successful completion by any person of the internship shall not entitle him to
any privilege 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 Board may deny
an additional internship. A funeral service intern 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 Board. However, the
Board may waive such limitation for any person in the armed service of the
United States when application for the waiver is made in writing within six
months of leaving service or if the Board determines that enforcement of the
limitation will create an unreasonable hardship.
		The Board shall have power to suspend or revoke a certificate of internship
for violation of any provision of this chapter.
		No more than two funeral service interns shall be concurrently registered
under any one person licensed for the practice of funeral service, funeral
directing or embalming. Each sponsor for a registered funeral service intern
must be actively employed by or under contract with a funeral establishment.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 54-260.34 through 54-260.38; 1956, c. 220; 1970, c.
513, § 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.