70.58.240 - Duties of funeral directors.

Duties of funeral directors.

Each funeral director or person having the right to control the disposition of the human remains under RCW 68.50.160 shall obtain a certificate of death, sign or electronically approve and file the certificate with the local registrar, and secure a burial-transit permit, prior to any permanent disposition of the human remains. He or she shall obtain the personal and statistical particulars required, from the person best qualified to supply them. He or she shall present the certificate to the attending physician or in case the death occurred without any medical attendance, to the proper official for certification for the medical certificate of the cause of death and other particulars necessary to complete the record. He or she shall supply the information required relative to the date and place of disposition and he or she shall sign or electronically approve and present the completed certificate to the local registrar, for the issuance of a burial-transit permit. He or she shall deliver the burial permit to the sexton, or person in charge of the place of burial, before interring the human remains; or shall attach the transit permit to the box containing the corpse, when shipped by any transportation company, and the permit shall accompany the corpse to its destination.

[2009 c 231 § 5; 2005 c 365 § 158; 1961 ex.s. c 5 § 17; 1915 c 180 § 6; 1907 c 83 § 8; RRS § 6025.]