Subdivision 1. License required. Except as provided in section 149A.01, subdivision 3, no person shall maintain, manage, or operate a place or premise devoted to or used in the holding, care, or preparation of a dead human body for final disposition, or any place used as the office or place of business for the provision of funeral services, without possessing a valid license to operate a funeral establishment issued by the commissioner of health.

Subd. 2. Requirements for funeral establishment. A funeral establishment licensed under this section must:

(1) comply with preparation and embalming room requirements as described in section 149A.92;

(2) contain office space for making arrangements; and

(3) comply with applicable local and state building codes, zoning laws, and ordinances.

Subd. 3. Application; procedure; documentation; initial inspection. An applicant for a license to operate a funeral establishment shall submit to the commissioner a completed application and the appropriate fees. A completed application includes:

(1) a completed application form, as provided by the commissioner;

(2) proof of business form and ownership; and

(3) proof of liability insurance coverage or other financial documentation, as determined by the commissioner, that demonstrates the applicant's ability to respond in damages for liability arising from the ownership, maintenance, management, or operation of a funeral establishment.

Upon receipt of the application and appropriate fee, the commissioner shall review and verify all information. Upon completion of the verification process and resolution of any deficiencies in the application information, the commissioner shall conduct an initial inspection of the premises to be licensed. After the inspection and resolution of any deficiencies found, and any reinspections as may be necessary, the commissioner shall make a determination, based on all the information available, to grant or deny licensure. If the commissioner's determination is to grant the license, the applicant shall be notified and the license shall issue and remain valid for a period prescribed on the license, but not to exceed one calendar year from the date of issuance of the license. If the commissioner's determination is to deny the license, the commissioner must notify the applicant, in writing, of the denial and provide the specific reason for denial.

Subd. 4. Nontransferability of license. A license to operate a funeral establishment is not assignable or transferable and shall not be valid for any person other than the one named. Each license issued to operate a funeral establishment is valid only for the location identified on the license. A 50 percent or more change in ownership or location of the funeral establishment automatically terminates the license. Separate licenses shall be required of two or more persons or other legal entities operating from the same location.

Subd. 5. Display of license. Each license to operate a funeral establishment must be conspicuously displayed in the funeral establishment at all times. Conspicuous display means in a location where a member of the general public within the funeral establishment will be able to observe and read the license.

Subd. 6. [Repealed, 2013 c 108 art 12 s 109]

Subd. 7. Period of licensure. All licenses to operate a funeral establishment issued by the commissioner are valid for a period of one calendar year beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30, regardless of the date of issuance. Fees shall not be prorated.

Subd. 8. Reporting changes in license information. Any change of license information must be reported to the commissioner, on forms provided by the commissioner, no later than 30 calendar days after the change occurs. Failure to report changes is grounds for disciplinary action.

Subd. 9. Application information. All information submitted to the commissioner by an applicant for a license to operate a funeral establishment is classified as licensing data under section 13.41, subdivision 5.

History: 1997 c 215 s 19; 2003 c 112 art 2 s 50; 2007 c 114 s 21,22; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 109; 2016 c 189 art 20 s 22