SECTION 235:10-3-5. Apprentice qualifications and registration

(a)   Qualifications. In order to register with the Board as an apprentice, each individual must meet all of the following conditions:

(1)   Age. The applicant must be seventeen (17) years of age.

(2)   Education. The applicant must be a high school graduate, or possess a Graduate Equivalent Diploma (G.E.D.).

(3)   Sound moral character. The applicant must be of sound moral character.

(A)   The Board may refuse registration to an individual who has been convicted of a felony, or a misdemeanor related to funeral services or pertaining to the custody, care or disposal of dead human remains, or unfair trade practices, or fraud.

(B)   Failure to reveal such conviction at the time of application will result in termination of registration by operation of law.

(b)   Registration. Each registration must be accomplished by completing an application form supplied by the Board office, accompanied by:

(1)   Documented proof. A diploma, transcript, G.E.D. Certificate, or other documented proof, acceptable to the Board, proving completion of high school requirements.

(2)   Affidavit. An employment affidavit form provided for the Board completed by the apprentice and the establishment at which he will be employed.

(3)   Fee. The required registration fee at the beginning of each year of apprenticeship.

(c)   Apprenticeship. After qualifying and being registered by the Board, the serving of the apprenticeship for purposes of being licensed shall require the following:

(1)   Employment. Employment at a licensed funeral establishment for a period of 12 months.

(A)   No part-time supervision. No apprentice may be supervised or trained by a part-time licensed funeral director or embalmer.

(B)   Place of service. The apprenticeship for licensing as a funeral director and embalmer may be served at the same time at a funeral service establishment, nothing shall prohibit an apprenticeship in embalming from being served at a commercial embalming establishment.

(2)   Reports. Apprentices must properly file reports in the format prescribed by the Board documenting their employment and completion of embalming and funeral directing experiences.

(A)   Due date. Each report is due the 1st and must be filed no later than the 10th day of the month it is due.

(B)   Postmark. The postmark for mailed reports or the Board's electronic mail date stamp for emailed reports shall determine the date of filing for the monthly reports and case reports.

(C)   Late reports. Reports received late shall not count toward the total number required for licensing.

(3)   Cancellation. An apprenticeship shall automatically be cancelled by the failure to file one quarterly report, unless an exception has been granted in writing by the Board.

(4)   Renewal. Subject to other provisions of this Subsection, an apprentice registration is valid only for 12 months. Apprenticeship registration may be renewed up to four times if such application is accompanied with an official transcript showing that such applicant is a graduate from or then an active student enrolled in an accredited school of mortuary science, and payment of the required fee.

(5)   Supervision. No apprentice shall perform the practice of embalming or the practice of funeral directing unless the apprentice is doing so under the personal supervision of a licensed embalmer or funeral director.

(6)   Assistance. An apprentice shall, under personal supervision, assist in the embalming of at least twenty-five (25) human remains and assist in the direction of at least twenty-five (25) funerals.

(d)   Practicum student requirements. Practicum students must be participating in a scheduled, supervised and accredited program for practicum students established by the accredited school of mortuary science. Practicum students must have a letter of agreement with the participating funeral service establishment where the practicum is to be conducted. No registration of practicum students is required by this Board.

[Source: Amended at 10 Ok Reg 993, eff 3-11-93; Amended at 11 Ok Reg 4429, eff 8-11-94; Amended at 14 Ok Reg 2891, eff 7-11-97; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 1095, eff 5-11-00; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 1918, eff 6-25-05; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 1883, eff 6-25-09; Amended at 30 Ok Reg 1745, eff 7-11-13; Amended at 35 Ok Reg 1214, eff 9-14-18]

Note

EDITOR’S NOTE: Effective 4-10-03, the Legislature disapproved subparagraphs (A) and (B) of (c)(6) of Section 235:10-3-5, as they had been amended on 5-11-00 and published in the 2001 Edition of the OAC [see House Joint Resolution 1015 (2003)]. The Section was later amended again by permanent action, effective 6-25-05.