Embalmer Endorsement Licensure Information
Complete the peach colored application and return it to the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts office by the filing deadline along with the $350.00 fee. A copy of your national examination results must be sent directly to the Board by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB.) Please call the conference to arrange for this service as I believe there may be a fee charged by the ICFSEB to do so. This information is also due by the appropriate filing deadline.
You must complete the top portion of the light green colored application before forwarding it to the state board you are currently licensed with. Before sending this application to your current state board of licensure, you should contact them to see if they charge a fee to complete the remaining part of the application. That state board should then complete the application and mail it directly to the Kansas State Board–by the appropriate filing deadline.
You will receive a letter shortly after the filing deadline notifying you of your appointment time to interview with the board. When interviewing with the board, you will be asked why you are applying for Kansas licensure and any other questions the board deems necessary to determine if you meet the qualifications for licensure. Following a successful interview with the board, you will be granted a license. An embalmer endorsement license will be granted following payment of an initial licensure fee.
Initial licensure fees are based on the first letter of your surname (last name.) Example: If your last name is Smith and the S’s renew on July 31st–say 12 months from being granted licensure, then your initial licensure fee would owe 50% of the full two-year licensure period. On July 31st, you would owe the full two-year renewal fee. You will be given an initial license fee bill to sign and pay after licensure has been granted.
While an embalmer endorsement license does not have any educational requirements, it does require passing of the national examination, licensure for a minimum of five years, a minimum of five consecutive years of embalming and no adverse action taken against any license by any state board in which licensure has been held. All of this information will be verified. All applicants must have read and understand related Kansas laws, rules, regulations and statutes relating to funeral service and will have to verify such to the Board.
Information regarding the requirements for all Kansas licenses can be found on our State of Kansas Individual License Requirements information document. Please note that a separate/different application and fee is required for Reciprocal Embalmer and/or Funeral Director Licenses. Information on assistant funeral director licensure can also be found on the State of Kansas Individual License Requirements information document.
When meeting/interviewing with the board, you can expect questions from the Board relating to the license in which you are applying. Board members will have a copy of your applications when you meet with them, and they will want to verify that you meet the qualifications of Kansas licensure. Interviews are generally scheduled for ten minute intervals.
Applying for licensure can often be confusing. I encourage you to call our office if you have any questions regarding the process or if we can be of assistance. The filing deadline is the 15th of the month prior to a scheduled board meeting is to allow time to verify all documents, make copies and provide them to board members for their review prior to the board meeting.
Another good source of information is our web site, located at:
Everything from our rulebook (which costs $5.00 if purchased through our office but can be printed for free from our web site), licensure requirements . . . to the tentative agenda and minutes for board meetings can be found on the web site.
On behalf of the Board’s administrative staff (Administrative Specialist Mary Kirkham, Funeral Home-Crematory Inspector Francis Mills and myself), I wish you the best of luck in applying for Kansas licensure.
Sincerely,
Mack Smith, Executive Secretary
Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts
REVISED: Tuesday, January 3, 2006