Florida Statutes
Part III - Funeral Directing, Embalming, and Related Services (Ss. 497.365-497.393)
497.386 - Storage, preservation, and transportation of human remains.


(1) A person may not store or maintain human remains at any establishment or facility except an establishment or facility licensed under this chapter or a health care facility, medical examiner’s facility, morgue, or cemetery holding facility.
(2) A dead human body may not be held in any place or in transit over 24 hours after death or pending final disposition unless the body is maintained under refrigeration at a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below or is embalmed or otherwise preserved in a manner approved by the licensing authority in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(3) A dead human body transported by common carrier or any agency or individual authorized to carry dead human bodies must be placed in a carrying container adequate to prevent the seepage of fluids and escape of offensive odors. A dead human body may be transported only when accompanied by a properly completed burial-transit permit issued in accordance with the provisions of chapter 382.
(4) The licensing authority shall establish by rule the minimal standards of acceptable and prevailing practices for the handling and storing of dead human bodies, provided that all human remains transported or stored must be completely covered and at all times treated with dignity and respect.
(5) A person who violates any provision of this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
History.—s. 10, ch. 98-298; s. 91, ch. 2004-301.
Note.—Former s. 470.0315.

Structure Florida Statutes

Florida Statutes

Title XXXIII - Regulation of Trade, Commerce, Investments, and Solicitations

Chapter 497 - Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services

Part III - Funeral Directing, Embalming, and Related Services (Ss. 497.365-497.393)

497.365 - Licensure; inactive and delinquent status.

497.366 - Licensure; renewal and cancellation notices.

497.368 - Embalmers; licensure as an embalmer by examination; provisional license.

497.369 - Embalmers; licensure as an embalmer by endorsement; licensure of a temporary embalmer.

497.370 - Embalmers; licensure of an embalmer intern.

497.371 - Embalmers; establishment of embalmer apprentice program.

497.372 - Funeral directing; conduct constituting practice of funeral directing.

497.373 - Funeral directing; licensure as a funeral director by examination; provisional license.

497.374 - Funeral directing; licensure as a funeral director by endorsement; licensure of a temporary funeral director.

497.375 - Funeral directing; licensure of a funeral director intern.

497.376 - License as funeral director and embalmer permitted.

497.377 - Combination funeral director and embalmer internships.

497.378 - Renewal of funeral director and embalmer licenses.

497.379 - Inactive status.

497.380 - Funeral establishment; licensure; display of license.

497.381 - Solicitation of goods or services.

497.382 - Reports of cases embalmed and bodies handled.

497.383 - Additional rights of legally authorized persons.

497.384 - Disinterment; transportation; authorization and notification.

497.385 - Removal services; refrigeration facilities; centralized embalming facilities.

497.386 - Storage, preservation, and transportation of human remains.

497.387 - Unlawful to remove or embalm body without consent of proper official when crime is suspected.

497.389 - Funeral establishments; cash advance accounts; escrow refund accounts.

497.390 - Reciprocity.

497.391 - Exceptions.

497.392 - Branch chapels.

497.393 - Licensure; military-issued credentials for licensure.