Washington Administrative Code Title 98 - Licensing, Department of (Cemetery Board) (Repealed)
Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Title 98 – Licensing, Department of (Cemetery Board) (Repealed)
WAC Title 98 was a section of the Washington Administrative Code that dealt with the Cemetery Board, which was originally under the authority of the Department of Licensing.
Here’s a breakdown of what this title represented before it was repealed:
1. Purpose of Title 98
The Cemetery Board was responsible for regulating cemeteries and related businesses in Washington State.
It ensured that cemetery operations were conducted legally, ethically, and in compliance with consumer protection laws.
Rules under this title provided guidance for the licensing, management, and oversight of cemeteries.
2. Main Areas Covered by the Cemetery Board Rules
Although repealed now, Title 98 once contained rules on topics such as:
Licensing and Registration
Requirements for cemeteries to be licensed by the state.
Qualifications of applicants, including background checks, financial responsibility, and compliance with statutes.
Renewal and revocation of licenses if rules were not followed.
Cemetery Operations
Standards for the maintenance and care of cemetery grounds.
Recordkeeping requirements (burial records, maps, lot ownership, etc.).
Rules for disinterment, reinterment, and transfer of remains.
Consumer Protection
Regulations regarding the sale of cemetery plots and related services.
Oversight of contracts to ensure fair dealing with customers.
Rules about prearrangement trust funds, where money paid in advance for future burial services had to be kept in trust to protect consumers.
Disciplinary Authority
The Board had the power to investigate complaints against cemeteries or their operators.
They could issue fines, suspend, or revoke licenses for violations such as fraud, neglect, or misrepresentation.
3. Why It Was Repealed
Over time, Washington consolidated regulatory authority, and the Cemetery Board was dissolved.
Its functions were transferred mainly to the Department of Licensing (DOL) and later to the Funeral and Cemetery Board or integrated into statutes under Title 68 RCW (Revised Code of Washington – Cemeteries, Morgues, and Human Remains).
Because the rules were reorganized and rewritten under other titles, WAC Title 98 was repealed.
4. Current Situation
While WAC Title 98 no longer exists, regulation of cemeteries continues in Washington under newer frameworks.
Today, laws and rules about cemeteries, crematories, and funeral services are mainly found in:
RCW Title 68 (Cemeteries, Morgues, Human Remains).
WAC Title 308 (Department of Licensing rules).
✅ In summary:
WAC Title 98 used to govern the Cemetery Board under the Department of Licensing, covering licensing, cemetery operations, consumer protection, and enforcement. It was repealed when regulatory authority shifted, and its provisions were merged into other laws and rules under the Department of Licensing and RCW Title 68.
RELATED Blog
0 comments