North Carolina sets permits and licensing paths for workers and businesses

A business must get a Board permit to transport or remove human remains. This applies to a business transporting or removing human remains. The business must keep at least one worker with an individual permit, display its business permit in each vehicle, and carry professional liability insurance of at least $500,000. The act generally took effect October 1, 2026.

The Board may issue North Carolina occupational licenses to eligible applicants licensed in neighboring states. This applies to eligible applicants who establish North Carolina residence and hold a current license in their profession from Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia. Applicants must meet requirements that include at least one year of licensure, good standing, demonstrated competency, and payment of fees. Several professions are excluded, including health care practitioners, attorneys, and insurance workers. This section took effect when the act became law. The exclusion for insurance workers applies retroactively to applications submitted on or after October 1, 2025.

A person performing cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, or another authorized method of reducing human remains must follow the listed safeguards. These requirements apply to licensed reduction providers handling human remains. A signed authorization from an authorized person is required before reduction. Deaths under the medical examiner's jurisdiction and potentially hazardous devices are subject to additional rules. The act generally took effect October 1, 2026.