451.065 - Unlawful to require remains to be embalmed or otherwise prepared before disposition; exceptions; penalty. - Nevada Statutes

451.065  Unlawful to require remains to be embalmed or otherwise prepared before disposition; exceptions; penalty.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 3, no crematory, funeral home, cemetery or other place that accepts human remains for disposition may require the remains to be embalmed or otherwise prepared before their disposition by cremation, interment or otherwise, or before their removal from or into any registration district.

      2.  The State Board of Health may require embalming or other preparations if necessary to protect the public.

      3.  If embalming is not required by the State Board of Health pursuant to subsection 2, the Nevada State Funeral Board may authorize the embalming of a body if it determines that it is necessary to preserve the body and the crematory, funeral home, cemetery or other place that accepts human remains for disposition:

      (a) Has held the body for at least 72 hours;

      (b) Is unable to notify a member of the family or other authorized person to obtain approval to embalm the body; and

      (c) Has no reason to believe that the family or other authorized person does not wish to have the body embalmed.

      4.  Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

      (Added to NRS by 1973, 192; A 1977, 361; 1993, 2606; 1997, 2580; 2003, 1279)