Overview
With a mandate to ensure Ontario consumers are being served by competent and professional licensees, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario sets and imposes training standards and mobility requirements aimed at delivering optimal outcomes.
(As we complete work on our information technology system, our response times may exceed our usual practice. Thank you for your patience.)
For funeral and transfer service, the Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 establishes the following classes of licences:
Personal Licence Classes
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Can enter into prepaid and at-need contracts for funeral and transfer services and supplies, embalm, and arrange and direct funeral rites and ceremonies on behalf of funeral establishment operators. Can also enter into prepaid and at-need contracts for transfer services and supplies on behalf of transfer service operators.
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Can enter into prepaid and at-need contracts for funeral and transfer services and supplies, and arrange and direct funeral rites and ceremonies on behalf of funeral establishment operators. Can also enter into prepaid and at-need contracts for transfer services on behalf of transfer service operators. Cannot provide embalming services.
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Can enter into prepaid and at-need contracts for transfer services and supplies on behalf of funeral establishment and transfer service operators. Can also enter into prepaid contracts for funeral services and supplies on behalf of funeral establishment operators. Contact with deceased human remains is limited to transporting the body, placing the body in a casket and removing personal effects. Cannot arrange, co-ordinate, conduct, participate in or be present at a visitation, funeral, or other rite or ceremony at which human remains are present, except for the purpose of scattering human remains.
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Can enter into prepaid contracts for funeral services and supplies on behalf of funeral establishment operators. Can also enter into prepaid contracts for transfer services and supplies on behalf of transfer service operators. Cannot enter into at-need contracts for funeral or transfer services and supplies.
Business Licence Classes
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Can offer embalming services, full funeral services, removal of pacemakers or implants. Will make available an inexpensive transfer service.
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Can temporarily place human remains so persons may attend and pay their respects, such as a visitation or funeral. Cannot offer embalming services, transfer services, or removal of pacemakers or implants.
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With this type of licence you may operate a transfer service that also sells a limited preparation of deceased bodies. A Funeral Director – Class 1 must manage the day-to-day operations of this service.
Under this licence you may care for or prepare a deceased human body by washing it, applying a disinfectant externally, setting its features and placing it into a casket. However, you may not offer arterial embalming.
This licence also permits you to transfer a human body from the place of death to a holding room, visitation, ceremony or cremation and then to a cemetery or crematorium. It does not permit you to arrange, coordinate, conduct or participate in a visitation, funeral or any other ceremony where human remains (including cremated remains) are present.
This licence also permits you to sell caskets and arrange the scattering of cremated remains.
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Those licensed as a transfer service prior to July 1, 2012 will automatically receive a Transfer Service Operator – Class 2 licence.
With this licence you may only have contact with a deceased human body to remove personal belongings and place it into a casket. You are then permitted to transfer the body from the place of death to a holding room and then to the place of final disposition. You may also sell caskets and arrange the scattering of cremated remains.
This licence does not permit you to arrange, coordinate, conduct or participate in a visitation, funeral or any other ceremony where human remains (including cremated remains) are present.Transfer Service Operator – Class 2 (Restricted)
Can sell and provide the same services as a Transfer Service Operator – Class 2 above, but the operator is restricted to serving only the members of its religious organization.
Personal Licensing
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In Ontario all aspiring funeral professionals who have completed the education requirements set by the Registrar, must pass licensing examinations for the specified licence class prior to applying for licensure.
Providing the foundation for all education initiatives, licensing examination questions are based on the competencies identified in the Funeral Sector Professional Competency Profiles – Second Edition.
The Licensing and Jurisprudence Exams Candidate Guide offers an overview of the examination process, defines the application requirements, and provides answers to frequently asked questions.
To support further preparation, a review of relevant legislation is also encouraged:
Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA)
Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002, Ontario Regulation 30/11
Regulation 184/12 under the FBCSA (Care and Maintenance Exemptions and Miscellaneous Charges)
Regulation 306/16 under the FBCSA (Code of Ethics)
For Entry to Practice Examination inquiries, such as upcoming exam dates and eligibility requirements, please contact Ext. 206 or email: info@thebao.ca.
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Entry-to-Practice Examinations will be held on the following dates:
- December 12, 2023 (Toronto)
- January 16, 2024
- February 13, 2024
- March 19, 2024
- April 16, 2024
- May 14, 2024
Each sitting can accommodate a limited number of people.
Should you wish to register for one of these dates, please complete the following three items and fax (647-748-2645) or email to Licensing and Education Officer Erica.Keess@TheBAO.ca at least 10 days prior to the proposed/listed examination date:
- Application for Examination PDF
- Credit card Payment Authorization Form PDF – We will accept payment by cheque, but credit card is greatly preferred, as our office is currently closed and mail is not picked up every day.
- Indicate your preferred date(s). List up to three in order of preference. Spots will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.
A confirmation email will be sent to you once you have been registered, indicating which date you are registered to write.
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Personal licence renewal is an annual requirement that must be completed online by the individual licence holder between November 1st and December 31st.
To renewal your personal licence, please access the Member Login page.
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The Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) is pleased to announce that bereavement sector licensees who have achieved fifty (50) years of continuous licensure in good standing can now apply for Emeritus Status. Emeritus Status will be granted by the BAO beginning January 2017, and eligible licensees are welcome to apply at any time.
Advantages for obtaining Emeritus Status
- There is no cost to apply for Emeritus Status.
- You are no longer required to pay annual licence renewal fees. Emeritus status continues indefinitely, unless a breach of conditions is reported or discovered during establishment inspection.
- Not required to complete annual AIM (Continuing Education) program.
- You will receive a letter from the Registrar and a certificate of Emeritus status.
- You will continue to receive BAO communications.
With Emeritus Status, an individual acknowledges that they will not
- Operate or manage a funeral establishment or transfer service.
- Offer or sell funeral or transfer services and supplies – at need or prepaid.
Application
To apply for Emeritus Status, eligible licensees should submit a completed Application for Emeritus Status form to the BAO by mail, fax, or email: info@thebao.ca
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The process for achieving licensure in any of the four personal licence classes is consistent throughout and requires completion of the following steps:
- Funeral Service Education requirements (online or in person, depending upon licence class specifications)
- Internship competencies
- Licensing examinations
- Application for a personal licence
An individual must fulfill all requirements for each step prior to being eligible to move forward.
To learn more about Funeral Service Education requirements and Internship competencies, visit the BAO’s Education & Training page.
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Applicants Currently Licensed in Another Canadian Province
If you are a funeral professional licensed in good standing in a Canadian province outside of Ontario, you may be eligible to apply for a personal licence in Ontario under the Agreement on Internal Trade.
To have your credentials assessed please submit the following items to the Bereavement Authority of Ontario:
Confirmation that you hold a personal licence in good standing
Details related to your personal licence including:
- the date the licence was first issued,
- the date the current licence was issued,
- the date the licence expires,
- the licence number and
- any conditions or restrictions, or suspensions on the licence
Prior to a personal licence being issued, the candidate must:
- Successfully pass the Ontario Jurisprudence Examination
- Submit a personal licence application
- Provide a Police Records Check dated inside the last 12 months
Applicants Currently Licensed Outside of Canada
If you are a funeral professional licensed in good standing in a jurisdiction outside of Canada, you may be eligible to apply for a personal licence in Ontario.
United States
To have your credentials assessed as a funeral director licensed in good standing in a jurisdiction in the United States, please submit the following items to the Bereavement Authority of Ontario:
Confirmation that you hold a personal licence in good standing
Details related to your personal licence including:
- the date the licence was first issued,
- the date the current licence was issued,
- the date the licence expires
- the licence number and
- any conditions or restrictions, or suspensions on the licence
Proof that you have successfully completed a program accredited by the American Board of Funeral Services Education (ABFSE)
Proof that you have successfully completed the National Board Examination (from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards)
Prior to a personal licence being issued, the candidate must:
- Successfully pass the Ontario Jurisprudence Examination
- Submit a personal licence application
- Provide a Police Records Check dated inside the last 12 months
Other Countries
For applicants licensed in another country, consideration will be given to the applicant’s training and experience on an individual basis. Please contact the Bereavement Authority of Ontario to discuss your specific circumstances.
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Business Licensing
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The decision to open or purchase an existing business can be both exciting and overwhelming; the good news is the Bereavement Authority of Ontario is here to help.
The Funeral, Burial and Cremation Services Act, 2002 (FBCSA) states that the mission of the Bereavement Authority of Ontario is to “regulate the provision of funeral services and transfer services in accordance with the ‘Act’ in order that the public interest may be served and protected”. To fulfill this mandate, the Bereavement Authority of Ontario is responsible for ensuring Ontario funeral establishments and transfer services are licensed in accordance with the Act.
As a result, all individuals with an interest in opening a new business or purchasing an existing business must comply with all requirements for licensure. For more information please contact the Bereavement Authority of Ontario office.
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Business licence renewal is an annual requirement that must be completed between November 1st and December 31st.
To assist Funeral Establishment and Transfer Service (FE & TS) managers in calculating their renewal fee for the 2024 licensing year, we have created a handy calculator for you, below. Remember, your upcoming renewal is due by December 31, 2023. Any renewals that are postmarked, faxed or emailed after December 31, 2023 will be subject to a late fee of $244.47.
Download the Excel calculator here: FE & TS renewal fee calculator Microsoft Excel file