Section 2: Funeral operations

The external funeral service is a public service mission comprising: 1° The transport of bodies before and after placing in the coffin; 2° The organisation of funerals; 3° The conservation care defined in article L. 2223-19-1; 4° The supply of covers, coffins and their interior and exterior accessories, as well as cinerary urns; 5° Paragraph deleted 6° The management and use of funeral chambers; 7° The supply of hearses and…

The purpose of the conservation care mentioned in 3° of article L. 2223-19, or thanatopraxy care, is to delay thanatomorphosis and the deterioration of the body, by draining the liquids and gases it contains and injecting a biocidal product.

The national regulations governing funeral undertakers are established by decree in the Council of State after receiving the opinion of the National Council for Funeral Operations. They define the procedures for informing families and the obligations of the régies and companies or associations authorised to provide the services listed in Article L. 2223-19. These regulations determine: 1° The conditions under which information is provided to families, in particular the information…

In compliance with the national funeral regulations, the town council may adopt municipal funeral regulations which must be complied with by the funeral directors and the authorised undertakers or associations.

The estimates provided by the régies and authorised companies or associations must comply with model estimates established by order of the minister responsible for local authorities. These estimates, updated every three years, must be filed by the authorised régies, companies and associations in each department where they have their registered office or a secondary establishment, with the communes where these are located, as well as with those with more than…

The régies, companies or associations and each of their establishments which, whether or not under their brand name, usually provide families with the services listed in article L. 2223-19 or define this provision or organise funerals must be authorised for this purpose in accordance with the procedures and duration laid down by decree in the Conseil d’Etat. To grant this authorisation, the representative of the State in the département shall…

No person may hold the position of de jure or de facto director or manager of an agency, company, association or establishment benefiting from or applying for the authorisation provided for in article L. 2223-23: 1° If they have been convicted by a final judgment of a suspended or unsuspended prison sentence, listed in bulletin no. 2 of the criminal record, for a crime or one of the following offences:…

I.- The authorisation provided for in article L. 2223-23 may be suspended for a maximum period of one year or withdrawn, after formal notice, by the representative of the State in the département where the acts were observed, for the following reasons: 1° Non-compliance with the provisions of this code to which the régies, companies or associations authorised in accordance with article L. 2223-23; 2° Repealed 3° Non-exercise of the…

Agents who carry out their duties in direct contact with families or who personally participate in the conclusion or execution of one of the funeral services provided for by 2°, 3°, 6° and 8° of article L. 2223-19 must hold a national diploma, without prejudice to the provisions of l’article L. 2223-45. A decree lays down the conditions under which these diplomas are awarded, the conditions under which training organisations…

The equipment provided as part of the public funeral service by the licensed undertakers and undertakers or associations must be set up with a view to both religious funerals of any faith and funerals of a non-denominational nature. .