§ 45:7-49 — Examination; qualifications of applicants; training and experience.

18. a. Every person desiring to enter into the practice of mortuary science or the practice of mortuary and embalming science, before being licensed by the board: (1) (a) in the case of an applicant for licensure as a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science, shall have passed an examination to be developed and administered by the board or an entity other than the board to determine the qualifications and fitness of the applicant. Such examination, the scope, character and content of which shall be determined by the board, shall be the same for all applicants at each examination, and shall include: anatomy; physiology; pathology; chemistry; disinfection; hygiene; sanitary science; microbiology; New Jersey law and rules governing the care, preservation, embalming, transportation, and burial, cremation or other disposal of dead human bodies; the applicable laws and rules governing vital statistics, preparation and transportation for burial, cremation or other disposal of dead human bodies, including those dead as a result of contagious and infectious diseases; the provisions of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) and of the rules and regulations adopted by the board; professional ethics; and such other subjects as the board may determine, by rule or regulation, to be necessary, proper or reasonably calculated to establish the qualifications and fitness of the applicant; or (b) in the case of an applicant for licensure as a practitioner of mortuary science, shall have passed an examination to be developed and administered by the board or an entity other than the board to determine the qualifications and fitness of the applicant. Such examination, the scope, character and content of which shall be determined by the board, shall be the same for all applicants at each examination, and shall include: New Jersey law and rules governing the burial, cremation or other disposal and care of dead human bodies; the applicable laws and rules governing vital statistics, preparation, and transportation for burial, cremation, or other disposal of dead human bodies, including those dead as a result of contagious and infectious diseases; the provisions of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) and the rules and regulations adopted by the board; professional ethics; and such other subjects as determined by the board, by rule or regulation, to be necessary, proper, or reasonably calculated to establish the qualifications and fitness of the applicant, but shall not include embalming. Nothing in P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto shall require a candidate for licensure to complete the National Board Exam or any successor examination thereof, administered by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. (c) An examination conducted by an entity other than the board shall be preapproved by the board and conducted by a recognized testing service to provide testing and grading in the field of funeral service arts, funeral service science, and the law portion of the examination as enumerated above. Such examinations shall be administered electronically or in writing and shall be held at least once in each year, and oftener if the board shall so determine by rule or regulation, at such times and places as may be fixed by the board. For an applicant for licensure as a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science, in addition to the examination herein provided for, the examination of each applicant shall include, wherever possible, an actual demonstration on a cadaver of the embalming proficiency and qualifications of the applicant. (2) Shall have completed two years of practical training and experience as a registered intern in regular, steady, bona fide full-time service of a grade and character satisfactory to the board, in the State of New Jersey, with a person duly licensed as a practitioner of mortuary science or a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science under P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) and whose annual case volume shall be equal to at least 25 cases, and in the case of an applicant for licensure to be a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science, shall have assisted in embalming at least 50 bodies; and shall have satisfactorily completed a minimum of two academic years of instruction in a college or university approved by the State Department of Education and one year of instruction in a program of funeral service education approved by the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey; except that a person who has satisfactorily completed three academic years of instruction in such a college or university and one year of instruction in such an approved program of funeral service education need only have completed one year of practical training and experience as a registered intern. Not more than one intern shall be registered at one time in one establishment, except that two interns may be permitted if there are two or more licensees in the same establishment. The board is authorized and empowered to prescribe rules and regulations establishing minimum courses of college or university instruction; to insure that each intern receives satisfactory and efficient training and experience which may provide for the periods that may be credited toward the required year of training and experience, the nature, character and extent of the services to be performed by the intern, for such practical and actual experience in mortuary science or in mortuary and embalming science and assisting in the same as it shall determine and for the making of such reports by the intern and by the licensee with whom the intern is registered as may be advisable and for such other qualifications in the applicant as may be reasonably calculated to insure and protect the public health, morals, safety and welfare; (3) Shall have, upon commencing the period of training and experience as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, registered as an intern with the board, upon a form to be provided by the board, and has paid to the board a registration fee of $50.00, and has received from the board a certificate as a registered intern; and (4) Shall have passed his or her 18th birthday. b. An applicant who meets the requirements of section 19 of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-50) shall be admitted to the examinations prescribed in paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section but a license to enter into the practice of mortuary science or the practice of mortuary and embalming science shall not be issued or granted to any such applicant by the board unless and until such applicant has completed the period of practical training and experience as a registered intern required by paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section. c. Any individual licensed as a practitioner of mortuary science prior to the enactment of P.L.2025, c.52 (C.45:7-32.1 et al.) shall be subject to the licensing requirements established pursuant to P.L.2025, c.52 (C.45:7-32.1 et al.) and shall be issued a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science license in subsequent renewals. L.1952, c.340, s.18; amended 1960, c.184, s.7; 2019, c.130; 2025, c.52, s.9.