Department of Financial Services

Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services

What is the purpose of the division?

The Department of Financial Services' Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services protects death care industry consumers purchasing preneed burial rights as well as those purchasing funeral and burial merchandise or services. It also oversees licensed establishments, facilities, and cemetery grounds by conducting annual inspections.

What services are provided by the division?

The division oversees licensed establishments, facilities, and cemetery grounds by conducting annual inspections and has established qualifications for professions and occupations in the death care industry. These professions and occupations include but are not limited to funeral directing, embalming, preneed sales and monument sales. The division also ensures death care professionals maintain their qualifications through continuing education courses and licensure renewal and ensures effective discipline for those licensees who have violated the law.

What types of licenses are offered?

State law provides for several licenses for death care businesses and professionals, including embalmers, funeral directors, funeral homes, and cemeteries. Individuals may obtain forms and other licensing information from the division's website.

How effective is the division in performing its functions?

The division currently regulates 9,760 death care industry licensees of various types. The division has the authority to conduct investigations, financial examinations, and inspections of applicants and licensees. For Fiscal Year 2019-20 the division cited 107 entities for disciplinary action. Consumers may access current lists entities under disciplinary action through the website.

Updates

The 2021 Florida Legislature enacted Chapter 2021-113, Laws of Florida, which includes the following.

  • Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. The law amends the membership and composition requirements of the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services.
  • Unlicensed Funeral Activity. The law prohibits specific unlicensed funeral activity and increases penalties for such activity.
  • Sale of Merchandise. The law allows cemetery companies to sell certain merchandise for use within a cemetery.
  • Intern Licensing. The law allows funeral director interns and combination funeral director and embalming interns, meeting certain educational requirements, to continue acting as such while their application for full licensure is pending.

How are these activities funded?

Fiscal Year: 2021-22
Fund Salary Rate/ Position General Revenue Trust Funds
SALARY RATE
1,278,694
POSITIONS
25.00
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
1,900,253
OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
67,239
EXPENSES
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
351,327
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
ELECTRONIC COMMERCE FEES FOR COLLECTION OF REVENUE
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
39,100
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
CONTRACTED SERVICES
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
121,549
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
8,700
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
RISK MANAGEMENT INSURANCE
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
14,682
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
LEASE OR LEASE-PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
4,162
SPECIAL CATEGORIES
TRANSFER TO DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES - HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES PURCHASED PER STATEWIDE CONTRACT
FROM REGULATORY TRUST FUND
10,697
TOTAL
0
2,517,709

Where can I find related OPPAGA reports?

A complete list of related OPPAGA reports is available on our website.

Where can I get more information?

Websites of Interest
American Board of Funeral Service Education
Cremation Association of North America
Florida Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards
National Funeral Directors Association

Performance Information


Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

What are the applicable statutes?

Chapter 497, Florida Statutes.

Whom do I contact for help?

Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services, 850-413-3039 (main number), 1-800-323-2627 (toll-free)

Website