---
title: O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50. Application for funeral service apprenticeship; period of apprenticeship.
collection: code
id: 43-18-50
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-18-50
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-18-50.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-18-50/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t43-ch1-32-(v30)-2022-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=921d056f_0#page=644
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PROFESSIONS AND BUSINESSES / FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND ESTABLISHMENTS, EMBALMERS, AND CREMATORIES / FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND ESTABLISHMENTS, EMBALMERS, AND CREMATORIES / LICENSES FOR FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 43-18-50. Application for funeral service apprenticeship; period of apprenticeship.

(a) Every person desiring to serve as an apprentice shall make application as a funeral service apprentice to the board upon a form provided by the board. The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and have either graduated from high school or have a state approved high school equivalency (HSE) certificate. The apprenticeship shall be served at an approved establishment and under the direct supervision of a funeral director, embalmer, or both. The application must be verified by oath of applicant and be accompanied by a fee to be established by the board. The application shall be submitted to the board and may be accepted or rejected by a majority of the board.

(b) An apprenticeship shall be approved for a specific establishment and under a specific supervising funeral director, embalmer, or both. Any change in establishment or supervising funeral director, embalmer, or both shall terminate that apprenticeship and shall require submission of a new application.

(c) The total period of apprenticeship shall be 3,120 hours and must be served in a minimum of 18 months, but the minimum period shall be in addition to the time required to graduate from a college of funeral service or other college pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 43-18-41. An apprentice shall be authorized to earn apprenticeship hours in an amount to be determined by the board while attending a postgraduate school or a program at an accredited college of funeral service or other college approved by the board.

## History

Code 1981, § 43-18-50, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1372, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43; Ga. L. 1998, p. 1322, § 2; Ga. L. 2012, p. 625, § 5/HB 933; Ga. L. 2022, p. 168, § 10(6)/SB 397.

The 2022 amendment, effective July 1, 2022, substituted “state approved high school equivalency (HSE)” for “general educational development” in the second sentence in subsection (a).

## Cross References

High-demand Career Initiatives Program, § 20-4-150 et seq.