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Tennessee Funeral Service — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

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Embalmer

Individual authorization to practice embalming; separate from funeral director licensure.

Licensing authority: Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers · Application information

Initial licensure by examination
Application
Completed prescribed application, required supporting documents and $200 application plus $375 individual license fee; applications incomplete after 90 days are closed.
Apprenticeship
At least one year of supervised apprenticeship as a bona fide paid employee working at least 32 hours weekly under a licensed embalmer, with timely quarterly reports.
Character
Good moral character; two signed and dated recommendation letters from a licensed funeral director and/or embalmer. A disclosed felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude requires an explanation and official disposition documents.
Citizenship
United States citizen or an eligible individual under 8 U.S.C. 1622(b); the current Board rule also requires government-issued photo identification showing date of birth and address.
Communicable disease protection
Protection against communicable diseases through immunization or education.
Education
ABFSE-accredited mortuary science program of at least 60 semester hours, 90 quarter hours or equivalent, documented by an official transcript and associate degree. Public Chapter 161 (2019) replaced the former Associate of Arts restriction; the Board rule and page still use Associate of Arts, which is retained as the lower-ranked instruction.
Lrr score age
The completed licensing application and all supporting documents must be filed within one year after successfully completing LRR. This is score validity, not examination-version expiration.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old.
Other board approved testing
The rule also allows another approved testing agency; no further identifiable currently offered examination is specified by these official state sources.
Passing scores
75 or higher for the national examination and LRR.
Repeat examination
At least 30 days between unsuccessful attempts.
School completion
High-school graduation or the recognized high-school equivalency credential, documented by an official transcript or diploma.
Late renewal within the Board stated 90 day period
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Renew online through CORE; biennial renewal fee is $375.
Continuing education
Ten Board-approved hours during the licensing period, including five hours in person or a qualifying interactive virtual program; no carryover and no repeat of the same course in consecutive renewal periods. One set of ten hours covers both individual licenses; the first licensing period is exempt under Rule 0660-10-.03(4).
Expiration
No practice while the license is invalid; current Board instructions allow renewal within 90 days after expiration, with a $250 late fee.
Record retention
Keep supporting continuing-education documentation for three years after submission; Board extensions and correction of disallowed hours are governed by Chapter 0660-10.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Renewal following release from qualifying military activation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Activation
National guard or reserve member called to active duty whose license expired during activation; provide supporting activation documentation.
Continuing education
May be excused when military circumstances prevented obtaining credits and a waiver is requested, or when the licensed occupation was performed as military duties and sufficient documentation is provided.
Fees
No late fees or other penalties; ordinary renewal requirements otherwise apply.
Time window
Renewal eligibility lasts six months after release from active duty.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reciprocity using five years of licensure and employment
Tennessee Funeral Service Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR)
Broader general rule
The controlling specific statutory reciprocity provision limits the examination to laws and rules. General Rule 0660-02-.01(3) states: All applicants shall successfully pass, prior to the issuance of a license, either the Tennessee State Board Exam (SBE) or National Board Exam (NBE). All applicants shall also pass, prior to the issuance of a license, the Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR), given by a testing agency approved by the Board. There shall be a minimum thirty (30) day waiting period between unsuccessful exam attempts for each examination.
Existing license
Valid funeral director or embalmer license issued by another state or provincial authority; provide certification of that prior examination and license. Another jurisdiction examination is applicant evidence, not a Tennessee-route exam leaf.
Fee
$575 reciprocal-license application fee.
Lrr score age
File the completed application and all supporting documents within one year after passing LRR.
Passing score
75 or higher on the Board law-and-rule examination.
Qualification basis
Only education and/or apprenticeship deficiencies under (b)(6) or (7) may be replaced; the applicant must have been licensed in good standing and employed in the profession for five years, while meeting the remaining minimum qualifications.
Renewal
Part 6 continuing education requirements apply; approved out-of-state courses may be used.
Residence
Nonresident of Tennessee when licensed and examined by the other state or provincial authority.
Statutory source edition
The final 2010 legislative text is pinned together with the official enactment history. The current consolidated code and PC1018 PDF endpoint were unobtainable; the statutory reading applied here is expressly that dated text.
Reciprocity meeting minimum qualifications
Tennessee Funeral Service Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR)
Broader general rule
The controlling specific statutory reciprocity provision limits the examination to laws and rules. General Rule 0660-02-.01(3) states: All applicants shall successfully pass, prior to the issuance of a license, either the Tennessee State Board Exam (SBE) or National Board Exam (NBE). All applicants shall also pass, prior to the issuance of a license, the Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR), given by a testing agency approved by the Board. There shall be a minimum thirty (30) day waiting period between unsuccessful exam attempts for each examination.
Existing license
Valid funeral director or embalmer license issued by another state or provincial authority; provide certification of that prior examination and license. Another jurisdiction examination is applicant evidence, not a Tennessee-route exam leaf.
Fee
$575 reciprocal-license application fee.
Lrr score age
File the completed application and all supporting documents within one year after passing LRR.
Passing score
75 or higher on the Board law-and-rule examination.
Qualification basis
Meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of 62-5-305(b)(1)-(7) for funeral directors or 62-5-307(b)(1)-(7) for embalmers.
Renewal
Part 6 continuing education requirements apply; approved out-of-state courses may be used.
Residence
Nonresident of Tennessee when licensed and examined by the other state or provincial authority.
Statutory source edition
The final 2010 legislative text is pinned together with the official enactment history. The current consolidated code and PC1018 PDF endpoint were unobtainable; the statutory reading applied here is expressly that dated text.
Biennial renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Renew online through CORE; biennial renewal fee is $375.
Continuing education
Ten Board-approved hours during the licensing period, including five hours in person or a qualifying interactive virtual program; no carryover and no repeat of the same course in consecutive renewal periods. One set of ten hours covers both individual licenses; the first licensing period is exempt under Rule 0660-10-.03(4).
Record retention
Keep supporting continuing-education documentation for three years after submission; Board extensions and correction of disallowed hours are governed by Chapter 0660-10.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Funeral Director

Individual authorization to practice funeral directing; separate from embalmer licensure.

Licensing authority: Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers · Application information

Initial licensure by examination
Application
Completed prescribed application, required supporting documents and $200 application plus $375 individual license fee; applications incomplete after 90 days are closed.
Apprenticeship
T.C.A. 62-5-305(b)(7) requires two years supervised apprenticeship, but permits an ABFSE-accredited associate degree or the qualifying program of study to substitute for one year. The Board page describes one year; Rule 0660-05-.01(1)(f) describes two years, at least 32 paid hours weekly, with timely quarterly reports. The statutory education substitution is retained.
Character
Good moral character; two signed and dated recommendation letters from a licensed funeral director and/or embalmer. A disclosed felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude requires an explanation and official disposition documents.
Citizenship
United States citizen or an eligible individual under 8 U.S.C. 1622(b); the current Board rule also requires government-issued photo identification showing date of birth and address.
Communicable disease protection
Protection against communicable diseases through immunization or education.
Education
ABFSE-accredited funeral service education: at least 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours or equivalent, shown by an official transcript.
Lrr score age
The completed licensing application and all supporting documents must be filed within one year after successfully completing LRR. This is score validity, not examination-version expiration.
Minimum age
At least 18 years old.
Other board approved testing
The rule also allows another approved testing agency; no further identifiable currently offered examination is specified by these official state sources.
Passing scores
75 or higher for the national examination and LRR.
Repeat examination
At least 30 days between unsuccessful attempts.
School completion
High-school graduation or the recognized high-school equivalency credential, documented by an official transcript or diploma.
Late renewal within the Board stated 90 day period
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Renew online through CORE; biennial renewal fee is $375.
Continuing education
Ten Board-approved hours during the licensing period, including five hours in person or a qualifying interactive virtual program; no carryover and no repeat of the same course in consecutive renewal periods. One set of ten hours covers both individual licenses; the first licensing period is exempt under Rule 0660-10-.03(4).
Expiration
No practice while the license is invalid; current Board instructions allow renewal within 90 days after expiration, with a $250 late fee.
Record retention
Keep supporting continuing-education documentation for three years after submission; Board extensions and correction of disallowed hours are governed by Chapter 0660-10.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Renewal following release from qualifying military activation
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Activation
National guard or reserve member called to active duty whose license expired during activation; provide supporting activation documentation.
Continuing education
May be excused when military circumstances prevented obtaining credits and a waiver is requested, or when the licensed occupation was performed as military duties and sufficient documentation is provided.
Fees
No late fees or other penalties; ordinary renewal requirements otherwise apply.
Time window
Renewal eligibility lasts six months after release from active duty.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reciprocity using five years of licensure and employment
Tennessee Funeral Service Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR)
Broader general rule
The controlling specific statutory reciprocity provision limits the examination to laws and rules. General Rule 0660-02-.01(3) states: All applicants shall successfully pass, prior to the issuance of a license, either the Tennessee State Board Exam (SBE) or National Board Exam (NBE). All applicants shall also pass, prior to the issuance of a license, the Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR), given by a testing agency approved by the Board. There shall be a minimum thirty (30) day waiting period between unsuccessful exam attempts for each examination.
Existing license
Valid funeral director or embalmer license issued by another state or provincial authority; provide certification of that prior examination and license. Another jurisdiction examination is applicant evidence, not a Tennessee-route exam leaf.
Fee
$575 reciprocal-license application fee.
Lrr score age
File the completed application and all supporting documents within one year after passing LRR.
Passing score
75 or higher on the Board law-and-rule examination.
Qualification basis
Only education and/or apprenticeship deficiencies under (b)(6) or (7) may be replaced; the applicant must have been licensed in good standing and employed in the profession for five years, while meeting the remaining minimum qualifications.
Renewal
Part 6 continuing education requirements apply; approved out-of-state courses may be used.
Residence
Nonresident of Tennessee when licensed and examined by the other state or provincial authority.
Statutory source edition
The final 2010 legislative text is pinned together with the official enactment history. The current consolidated code and PC1018 PDF endpoint were unobtainable; the statutory reading applied here is expressly that dated text.
Reciprocity meeting minimum qualifications
Tennessee Funeral Service Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR)
Broader general rule
The controlling specific statutory reciprocity provision limits the examination to laws and rules. General Rule 0660-02-.01(3) states: All applicants shall successfully pass, prior to the issuance of a license, either the Tennessee State Board Exam (SBE) or National Board Exam (NBE). All applicants shall also pass, prior to the issuance of a license, the Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR), given by a testing agency approved by the Board. There shall be a minimum thirty (30) day waiting period between unsuccessful exam attempts for each examination.
Existing license
Valid funeral director or embalmer license issued by another state or provincial authority; provide certification of that prior examination and license. Another jurisdiction examination is applicant evidence, not a Tennessee-route exam leaf.
Fee
$575 reciprocal-license application fee.
Lrr score age
File the completed application and all supporting documents within one year after passing LRR.
Passing score
75 or higher on the Board law-and-rule examination.
Qualification basis
Meet or exceed the minimum qualifications of 62-5-305(b)(1)-(7) for funeral directors or 62-5-307(b)(1)-(7) for embalmers.
Renewal
Part 6 continuing education requirements apply; approved out-of-state courses may be used.
Residence
Nonresident of Tennessee when licensed and examined by the other state or provincial authority.
Statutory source edition
The final 2010 legislative text is pinned together with the official enactment history. The current consolidated code and PC1018 PDF endpoint were unobtainable; the statutory reading applied here is expressly that dated text.
Biennial renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Renew online through CORE; biennial renewal fee is $375.
Continuing education
Ten Board-approved hours during the licensing period, including five hours in person or a qualifying interactive virtual program; no carryover and no repeat of the same course in consecutive renewal periods. One set of ten hours covers both individual licenses; the first licensing period is exempt under Rule 0660-10-.03(4).
Record retention
Keep supporting continuing-education documentation for three years after submission; Board extensions and correction of disallowed hours are governed by Chapter 0660-10.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

National Board Exam Sciences

Provider
The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (The Conference); computer-based exam administered by Pearson at Pearson Professional Centers
Format
Computer-based multiple-choice examination, administered, paid for, scheduled and scored separately from the NBE-Arts section; a basic calculator is built into the exam software
Exam questions
170 multiple-choice questions: 150 scored and 20 non-scored pretest questions
Time limit
170 minutes for the exam (the appointment also includes a 3-minute non-disclosure agreement, a 3-minute release-of-results screen and a 7-minute tutorial)
Passing score
Scaled score of 75 (pass/fail)
Exam fee
$285 per section
Examination outline
  • I. Embalming (62 of 150 scored items; 41% of the NBE-Sciences blueprint) (41%)
  • II. Restorative Art (34 of 150 scored items; 23% of the NBE-Sciences blueprint) (23%)
  • III. Other Preparation of the Deceased (28 of 150 scored items; 19% of the NBE-Sciences blueprint) (19%)
  • IV. Funeral Service Sciences (26 of 150 scored items; 17% of the NBE-Sciences blueprint) (17%)
Examination sources

Tennessee Funeral Service Laws, Rules, and Regulations Examination (LRR)

Provider
The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards; Pearson VUE delivery
Format
Computer-based examination
Exam questions
50 scored questions and 10 pretest questions
Time limit
1 hour
Passing score
75
Exam fee
$155
Practice scope

Inferred from the examination name; the authority has not published an examination outline.

  • Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 5 — Funeral Directors and Embalmers
  • Chapter 0660-01 — General Provisions
  • Chapter 0660-04 — Apprentices
  • Chapter 0660-05 — Funeral Directors and Embalmers
  • Chapter 0660-06 — Funeral Establishments
  • Chapter 0660-07 — Rules of Procedure for Hearing Contested Cases
  • Chapter 0660-08 — Civil Penalties
  • Chapter 0660-09 — Requirements for a Crematory
  • Chapter 0660-10 — Continuing Education
  • Chapter 0660-11 — Standards of Service and Practice
  • Chapter 0660-12 — Removal Service
Examination sources

National Board Exam Arts

Provider
The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (The Conference); computer-based exam administered by Pearson at Pearson Professional Centers
Format
Computer-based multiple-choice examination, administered, paid for, scheduled and scored separately from the NBE-Sciences section; a basic calculator is built into the exam software
Exam questions
170 multiple-choice questions: 150 scored and 20 non-scored pretest questions
Time limit
170 minutes for the exam (the appointment also includes a 3-minute non-disclosure agreement, a 3-minute release-of-results screen and a 7-minute tutorial)
Passing score
Scaled score of 75 (pass/fail)
Exam fee
$285 per section
Examination outline
  • I. Funeral Arranging and Directing (51 of 150 scored items; 34% of the NBE-Arts blueprint) (34%)
  • II. Funeral Service Marketing/Merchandising (21 of 150 scored items; 14% of the NBE-Arts blueprint) (14%)
  • III. Funeral Service Counseling (19 of 150 scored items; 13% of the NBE-Arts blueprint) (13%)
  • IV. Legal and Regulatory Compliance (35 of 150 scored items; 23% of the NBE-Arts blueprint) (23%)
  • V. Cemetery/Crematory/Other Dispositions (24 of 150 scored items; 16% of the NBE-Arts blueprint) (16%)
Examination sources