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Facility Licensing

The Board has published several documents designed to help facilities understand the facility licensing process. We encourage potential licensees to review these documents prior to contacting the Board because they answer many of the common questions that Board Staff regularly receive. Once you've read them- we'd love to hear from you and answer any additional questions that you may have!
The information included below is only an overview of the licensing requirements. Read all applications thoroughly and complete them fully prior to submission. If you have any questions about the licensing process, please reach out to our licensing specialist.

Information Applicable to All Facility License Types:

  • When a person, firm, partnership or corporation applies to the Board for a facility license, the name on the application must identify the primary activity of the facility. This name must be the registered name with the Board and must also be used as the advertised name of the facility.
  • Each branch of a licensee's facility is a separate establishment and must be licensed separately.
  • All facilities will undergo an inspection prior to licensure, including changes in ownership.
  • All license applications shall specify the real and true names of the person(s) who own or have an interest in the business proposed for licensure, including percentages of ownership and corporate information. Applications must also specify the names of all principals. If the principal is a corporation, the application shall include the names of all principals of that corporation. If a is owned by more than one level of ownership, the Applicant Facility Owner Information Sheet needs to be completed and submitted for each level of ownership above level 1.
  • Principal means a person who has controlling authority over the licensed facility, including but not limited to: (a) Managers or other persons who have decision-making authority and whose primary duties include control over the operation of the licensed facility; (b) Officers or directors who have some degree of responsibility for the operation of the licensed facility; (c) General Partners, limited and joint ventures; (d) Sole proprietors; (e) Stockholders holding a majority of outstanding shares of stock; and (f) Members of a Limited Liability Company. All principals must undergo a background check performed by Board staff.

 

​Alternative disposition is a Board authorized method of final disposition of human remains other than burial, entombment, burial at sea, cremation or removal from the state. Dissolution or alkaline hydrolysis and Natural Organic Reduction are the only alternative form of final disposition approved by the Board by rule. Alkaline hydrolysis is a final disposition process involving dissolution of human remains by placing the remains in a dissolution chamber containing water and chemical solution including potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, or a combination of both, and introducing heat to break down the remains until bone fragments that may be pulverized and liquid remain. In no event shall an alternative disposition facility be operated without the appropriate license to operate. Natural Organic Reduction is the controlled and contained accelerated conversion of human remains to soil

To apply for an initial facility license, submit Initial Application for Authority to Operate. Additionally, you must submit a background information questionnaire for any principals of the facility that do not currently hold an individual license with the Board.

The initial application fee is $270​ (includes first principal) + $90 for each additional principal. ​

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​A funeral establishment is a place customarily used for the care, preparation or viewing of dead human bodies before the bodies undergo final disposition, or before the bodies are transported out of the State of Oregon. A funeral establishment must: (a) Be licensed by the State Mortuary and Cemetery Board under ORS 692.146; (b) Be operated by a funeral service practitioner; (c) Have on the premises embalming facilities or holding room facilities meeting requirements established by the board; and (d) Have access to hospital or mortuary refrigeration.

If the funeral establishment is conducting preneed sales of funeral goods and services funded by trusts, it must be registered with the Department of Consumer and Business Services and comply with the provisions of ORS 97.923 to 97.949.

To apply for an initial facility license, submit an Initial Application for Authority to Operate. To apply to change the ownership of an existing facility, submit an Application for Change of Ownership. Additionally, you must submit a background information questionnaire for any principals of the facility that do not currently hold an individual license with the Board.

The initial application fee is $270​ (includes first principal) + $90 for each additional principal. ​

​Only operating cemeteries need to be licensed. Operating means a cemetery that: (a) Performs interments; (b) Has fiduciary responsibility for endowment care, general care or special care funds; or (c) Has outstanding preneed service contracts for unperformed services. In no event shall a cemetery be operated without the appropriate license to operate.

It is recommended that you review the Guidelines for Oregon Cemeteries prior to applying for a license.

To apply for an initial cemetery facility license, submit a Cemetery Licensing / Registration Questionnaire first. Board staff may use this to determine if the cemetery is operating and needs to be licensed. 

If the cemetery needs to be licensed, then the cemetery applicant will need to submit an Initial Application for Authority to Operate. To apply to change the ownership of an existing facility, submit an Application for Change of Ownership. Additionally, you must submit a background information questionnaire for any principals of the facility that do not currently hold an individual license with the Board.

The fee for initial licensure is $270 (includes first principal) plus $90 for each additional principal. Please note- If a cemetery performs fewer than 10 interments per year, the fee is reduced to $150 regardless of the total number of principals. 

A Certificate of Removal Registration allows funeral service practitioners employed by a funeral establishment licensed in a contiguous state to remove human remains from Oregon before submitting a death certificate. In order to qualify, a funeral establishment must be located in a neighboring state with removal laws substantially similar to Oregon's. The applicant must provide a reference to those removal laws that are substantially similar to Oregon's with this application, or this application will be returned as incomplete.

To apply for an initial certificate, submit Application for Oregon Certificate of Removal Registration.

The fee is $54. As long as the funeral establishment remains licensed in the state it is located in, there is no need to renew the registration. If ownership changes, the new ownership is required to submit a new application.​

​A crematorium is a structure containing a retort for the reduction of bodies of deceased persons to cremated remains.

A person may not operate a crematorium unless the crematorium meets the requirements of ORS 692.275. Members of the public cannot enter into contracts for services with a crematory, only licensed funeral establishments and immediate disposition companies can.

To apply for an initial facility license, submit an Initial Application for Authority to Operate. To apply to change the ownership of an existing facility, submit  Application for Change of Ownership  Additionally, you must submit a background information questionnaire for any principals of the facility that do not currently hold an individual license with the Board.

The initial application fee is $270​ (includes first principal) + $90 for each additional principal. ​


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Immediate disposition means a direct method of disposition of dead human remains by way of immediate burial or immediate cremation. Immediate disposition company means any business, other than a licensed funeral establishment, where a licensed funeral service practitioner operates the business of immediate disposition and where business records are kept.

A person may not operate an immediate disposition company unless the immediate disposition company meets the necessary requirements. An immediate disposition company must: (a) Be licensed at a fixed location under ORS 692.146; and (b) Be operated by a licensed funeral service practitioner.

An Immediate Disposition Company shall only: (a) Arrange for immediate burials and immediate cremations without public viewing, visitation or ceremony with the human remains present, except for a graveside service; and (b) If minimum preparation of a human remains is requested by the family, for purposes of having an "identification viewing," the immediate disposition company shall refer the family to a licensed funeral establishment to provide those services.

If the immediate disposition company is conducting preneed sales of funeral goods and services funded by trusts, it must be registered with the Department of Consumer and Business Services and comply with the provisions of ORS 97.923 to 97.949.​

To apply for an initial facility license, submit an Initial Application for Authority to Operate​. To apply to change the ownership of an existing facility, submit an Application for Change of Ownership. Additionally, you must submit a background information questionnaire for any principals of the facility that do not currently hold an individual license with the Board.

The initial application fee is $270​ (includes first principal) + $90 for each additional principal.