South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 57 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, LICENSING AND REGULATION-SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE
Article 3 - LICENSING PROVISIONS
Section 57-06.1 - Apprenticeship Requirements

(1) An apprentice embalmer or funeral director must serve an apprenticeship of not less than twenty-four (24) months. Apprentice embalmers and funeral directors must be full-time employees as defined in this chapter; working under the direct supervision of a funeral director for funeral director apprentices or embalmer for embalmer apprentices who is licensed in South Carolina.

(2) During the course of the apprenticeship, an apprentice must submit reports of his or her funeral activities, indicating the actual number of funerals that he or she has assisted with and in what preparation he or she assisted with. All apprentices must report to the Board quarterly upon the forms provided by or approved by the board indicating all work completed during the reporting period.

(3) The apprentice must report quarterly, regardless of whether or not there has been any activity during the quarter. March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 are the quarter end dates for reporting purposes. Quarterly reports must be submitted to the office of the Board Administrator no later than thirty (30) days after the quarter's end. April 30, July 30, October 30 and January 30 are the due dates for the quarterly reports. It is the sole responsibility of the apprentice to ensure that quarterly reports are received in the office of the Board Administrator. Quarterly reports not received on time may not be accepted for credit toward completion of the apprenticeship. In no case shall an apprentice be permitted to complete his or her apprenticeship unless the reporting requirement is met.

(4) The apprentice embalmer or funeral director must conduct all embalming and funeral direction activities under the supervision of the designated supervising licensee as approved by the Board. When the apprentice is assisting with funeral directing activities or embalming activities, the supervisor must be present.

(5) If the apprentice leaves the supervision of the licensee in whose service he or she has been engaged, the supervisor shall give the apprentice an affidavit showing the length of time served toward completion of the apprenticeship. The apprentice must request and obtain permission from the Board to change supervisors by completing a new application and receiving approval to change supervisors from the Board.

(6) To complete his or her apprenticeship, an apprentice embalmer or funeral director must assist in the embalming of at least fifty (50) cases for an apprentice embalmer or assist the funeral director in at least fifty (50) funerals for an apprentice funeral director. The apprentice embalmer or apprentice funeral director must document all embalming and funeral cases that he or she assists in during the apprenticeship period. Of the fifty (50) cases required, at least twenty-five (25) cases must include a series of tasks as specified by the Board and enumerated in the quarterly report form.

(7) A certificate of apprenticeship is renewable twenty-four (24) months after registration for an additional twelve (12) months. A certificate of apprenticeship may not be renewed more than three (3) times.

(8) If an apprentice does not become licensed as a funeral director or embalmer within five (5) years of completing his or her apprenticeship, the Board may require the applicant to complete all or part of the apprenticeship period.

(9) If an apprentice embalmer or funeral director does not complete his or her apprenticeship within five (5) years from the date of application, the Board may require the applicant to complete all or part of the apprenticeship period.

(10) An apprentice may serve under one preceptor per license type.