South Carolina H 5665: Funeral director and embalmer apprentices

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5665 Text of Previous Version (May. 06, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5665

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-19-20, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL 
DIRECTORS, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF "APPRENTICE"; AND BY AMENDING 
SECTION 40-19-240, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR APPRENTICES AND 
APPRENTICESHIPS, SO AS TO REMOVE PROVISIONS THAT RESTRICT THE ABILITY OF 
APPRENTICES TO TRAIN IN MULTIPLE ESTABLISHMENTS SERVED BY THE LICENSEE IN WHOSE 
SERVICE THE APPRENTICE IS ENGAGED.

Whereas, the practice 
of embalming and funeral directing has evolved, with licensed embalmers and 
licensed funeral directors often serving multiple funeral establishments in 
various locations; and

Whereas, current 
apprenticeship laws limit the ability of an apprentice to train under licensed 
embalmers and funeral directors who service multiple locations, thereby 
inhibiting the apprentice from gaining sufficient practical experience; and

Whereas, when licensed 
embalmers and funeral directors serve multiple funeral establishments, an apprentice 
must be permitted to continue training under their supervision at such 
establishments in order to gain the full benefit of his apprenticeship. Now, 
therefore,

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 40-19-20(3) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (3) "Apprentice" means a person who is 
preparing to become licensed for the practice of embalming andor 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 Section 40-19-120.

SECTION 2. Section 40-19-240 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
40-19-240. (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, and the licensee, and the manager of the establishment in which with whom 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.

 (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 embalming or 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 Section 
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.

 (F) An apprentice may perform duties 
within one or more licensed funeral establishments under the supervision of the 
licensee un