(A) A person desiring to become an apprentice funeral director or embalmer shall apply to the board on forms provided by the board. The applicant must be at least eighteen years of age, shall take the oath contained on the application form, and shall submit a fee established by the board in regulation. If the board is satisfied as to the qualifications of an applicant, the board shall issue a certificate of apprenticeship. If an apprentice wishes to engage in an apprenticeship with a person licensed as a funeral director or embalmer, a request must be submitted to the board. If permission is granted and the apprentice leaves the apprenticeship of the licensee in whose service the apprentice has been engaged, the licensee shall give the apprentice an affidavit showing the length of time served. The affidavit must be filed with the board. If the apprentice subsequently desires to continue the apprenticeship, the apprentice must apply to the board as provided for in this subsection.

(B) A certificate of apprenticeship must be signed by the apprentice, the licensee, and the manager of the establishment in which the apprenticeship is to be served and is renewable twenty-four months after registration for twelve months, by payment of a renewal fee established by the board in regulation. A certificate may not be renewed more than three times. The registration of an apprentice who is actually engaged in the military service may be held in abeyance for the duration of service, and the apprentice may be relieved of the payment of renewal fees and penalties.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 40-19-240

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Apprentice: means a person who is preparing to become licensed for the practice of embalming and funeral directing under the supervision and instruction of a person licensed for the practice in this State and who is registered with the board pursuant to § 40-19-120. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Board: means the South Carolina State Board of Funeral Service. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Embalmer: means a person licensed by the board to disinfect and preserve or attempt to disinfect and preserve the dead human body, entirely or in part, by the use of application of chemicals, fluids, or gases, externally or internally, or both, by their introduction into the body by vascular or hypodermic injections, by direct application into the organs or cavities, or by other method and includes the restoration or attempted restoration of the appearance of the dead human body. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Embalming: means the disinfection of the dead human body by replacing certain body fluids with preserving and disinfecting chemicals. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • funeral: means a period following death in which there are religious services or other rites or ceremonies with the body of the deceased present. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Funeral director: means a person licensed by the board to engage for hire or profit in the profession of arranging, directing, or supervising funerals. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Manager: means a licensed funeral director who has been licensed in this State for at least one year, who is a full-time regular employee, and who is responsible for and has the binding authority from the owner for the day-to-day management of funeral establishments or crematories including compliance with all applicable laws governed by this chapter and Chapters 7 and 8, Title 32. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Practice of funeral service: means :

    (a) engaging in providing shelter, care, and custody of the human dead;

    (b) the practice of preparing the human dead by embalming or other methods for burial or other disposition;

    (c) arranging for the transportation of the human dead;

    (d) making arrangements at or before the time of death, financial or otherwise, including arrangements for cremation, for providing these services, or the sale of funeral merchandise, whether for present or future use; provided, that no funeral director, embalmer, funeral company, cemetery, or related entity shall charge a fee for the assignment to the funeral director, embalmer, funeral company, cemetery, or related entity of an insurance policy providing burial expenses, excluding preneed contracts as provided in § 32-7-35; and

    (e) engaging in the practice or performing any functions of funeral directing or embalming as presently recognized by persons engaged in these functions. See South Carolina Code 40-19-20

(C) An apprentice quarterly shall report to the board on forms provided by the board indicating the work which has been completed during the preceding three months. The report must be certified by the licensee under whom the apprentice has served.

(D) Before an apprentice is eligible to receive a license for the practice of funeral service, evidence required by this chapter must be submitted to the board showing that the apprentice has completed successfully the educational requirements set forth in § 40-19-230. Affidavits also must be submitted from the licensees under whom the apprentice worked showing that as an apprentice embalmer the apprentice has assisted in the embalming of at least fifty bodies or that as an apprentice funeral director the apprentice has assisted in conducting at least fifty funerals, during apprenticeship. Eligibility for licensure is determined by the board based upon the reports filed with the board pursuant to subsection (C).

(E) Only two apprentices at a time are permitted to register under any one person licensed as a funeral director or embalmer. Each sponsor for a registered apprentice must be actively connected with a funeral establishment.

  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 19 Contents