§ 130A-388. Medical examiner's permission necessary before embalming, burial and cremation. - North Carolina Statutes

§130A‑388.  Medical examiner's permission necessary before embalming,burial and cremation.

(a)        No person knowingor having reason to know that a death may be under the jurisdiction of themedical examiner pursuant to G.S. 130A‑383 or 130A‑384, shall embalm,bury or cremate the body without the permission of the medical examiner.

(b)        A dead body shallnot be cremated or buried at sea unless a medical examiner certifies that hehas inquired into the cause and the manner of death and has the opinion that nofurther examination is necessary. This subsection shall not apply to deathsoccurring less than 24 hours after birth or to deaths of patients resultingonly from natural disease and occurring in a licensed hospital unless the deathfalls within the jurisdiction of the medical examiner under G.S. 130A‑383 or 130A‑384. The Commission is authorized to adopt rules creatingadditional exceptions to this subsection. For making this certification, themedical examiner shall be entitled to a fee in an amount determined reasonableand appropriate by the Secretary, not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), to bepaid by the applicant. (1955, c. 972, s. 1; 1957, c. 1357, s. 1; 1963, c.492, s. 4; 1967, c. 1154, s. 1; 1971, c. 444, s. 7; 1973, c. 873, s. 7; 1983,c. 891, s. 2.)