45:7-34. Definitions.
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3. As used in P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.):
(a)"Board" means the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey.
(b)"Embalming" means the disinfecting or preservation of a dead human body, entirely or in part by the use of chemical substances, fluids or gases in the body, or by introduction of the same into the body by vascular or hypodermic injection or by direct application into the organs or cavities.
(c)"Funeral directing" means
(1)the engaging in or conducting or holding one's self out as being engaged in or conducting the preparation (other than embalming) for burial or disposal and the direction or supervision of burial or disposal of dead human bodies;
(2)maintaining, using, or operating a mortuary; or
(3)in connection with one's name or mortuary using the words "mortician" or "funeral director" or "undertaker" or any other words or title of like import or signification.
"Funeral directing" also means the engaging in or making, or holding one's self out as being engaged in or making, funeral arrangements, including at need funeral arrangements or preneed funeral arrangements, or the offering or holding one's self out as offering the opportunity to purchase or enroll in a prepaid funeral agreement. As used in this definition, "funeral arrangements," "at need funeral arrangements," "preneed funeral arrangements" and "prepaid funeral agreement" shall have the same meaning as they are defined in section 1 of P.L.1993, c.147 (C.45:7-82).
(d)"Mortuary and embalming science" means embalming and funeral directing, as the same are herein defined.
(e)"Mortuary science" means funeral directing as the same is herein defined.
(f)"Practitioner of mortuary and embalming science" means a qualified person who practices or engages in mortuary and embalming science, as the same is herein defined and who
(1)shall be licensed under the provisions of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.) as a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science;
(2)holds a license as both an embalmer and a funeral director under the provisions of any prior law or laws of this State;
(3)holds a license as an embalmer under the provisions of any prior law or laws of this State and shall have been licensed as a funeral director; or
(4)holds a license as a funeral director under the provisions of any prior law or laws of this State and shall have been licensed as an embalmer.
(g)“Practitioner of mortuary science” means a person who practices or engages in funeral directing and is licensed pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-32 et seq.).
(h)"Mortuary" means any place or premises devoted to or used in the care and preparation for burial, disposition, or transportation of dead human bodies or any specifically designated location or address where any person or persons shall hold forth that he, she, or they are engaged in the practice of mortuary science, embalming or funeral directing, and shall mean and include any premises of any kind whatsoever in which mortuary science in any of its branches is practiced or in which more than five funerals may be conducted in any calendar year, except publicly owned buildings, places of worship, and meeting places of fraternal organizations.
(i)"Registered intern" means a person who is duly registered with the board and who is engaged in the State of New Jersey in learning to practice as a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science or as a practitioner of mortuary science under the personal instruction and supervision of a person duly licensed as a practitioner of mortuary and embalming science or as a practitioner of mortuary science, as appropriate, and who has an annual case volume as hereinafter provided in section 18 of P.L.1952, c.340 (C.45:7-49). A person seeking licensure as a practitioner of mortuary science may learn to practice as a registered intern in mortuary science from a licensed practitioner in mortuary and embalming science, provided that such training solely focuses on funeral directing.
(j)“Natural organic reduction” or “controlled supervised decomposition” means the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains into a soil-like product.
(k)“Natural organic reduction facility” means a secure structure, room, or other space within a registered mortuary or on registered mortuary property devoted to the process of natural organic reduction of a human body.
L.1952,c.340,s.3; amended 1960,c.184,s.2; 1993,c.147,s.14; 2025, c.52, s.2; 2025, c.143, s.1.