News

New rules require crematories that are not part of a licensed funeral home operation to obtain a Crematory Establishment permit from the Board. The rules go into effect on May 11, 2018. Application forms are now available on this site. To read the rules, click Crematory Rules and Regulations and scroll down to Section 13.0.

Objective and Function

The primary objective of the Delaware Board of Funeral Services is to protect the public from unsafe practices and practices which tend to reduce competition or fix prices for services. The Board must also maintain standards of professional competence and service delivery. To meet these objectives, the Board

• develops standards for professional competency
• promulgates rules and regulations
• adjudicates complaints against professionals and, when necessary, imposes disciplinary sanctions.

The Board issues licenses to funeral directors, interns, funeral establishments and crematory establishments. It also issues funeral director limited licenses to Maryland- or Pennsylvania-licensed funeral directors.

The Board’s statutory authority is in 24 Del. C., Chapter 31.

Meetings

The Board meets at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of January, March, May, July, September, and November. All meetings are open to the general public and are held in the Cannon Building, 861 Silver Lake Boulevard, in Dover.

To ensure that business (such as a license application) is on the agenda for the Board to consider at its next meeting, submit all documentation to the Board office no later than 4:30 PM ten full working days before the meeting date.