Minnesota Statutes Health (Ch. 144-159) § 149A.74. Funeral services provided without prior approval

Subdivision 1. Services provided without prior approval; deceptive acts or practices. In selling or offering to sell funeral goods or funeral services to the public, it is a deceptive act or practice for any funeral provider to embalm a dead human body unless state or local law or regulation requires embalming in the particular circumstances regardless of any funeral choice which might be made, or prior approval for embalming has been obtained from an individual legally authorized to make such a decision. In seeking approval to embalm, the funeral provider must disclose that embalming is not required by law except in certain circumstances; that a fee will be charged if a funeral is selected which requires embalming, such as a funeral with viewing; and that no embalming fee will be charged if the family selects a service which does not require embalming, such as direct alkaline hydrolysis, direct cremation, immediate burial, or, effective July 1, 2025, natural organic reduction.

Subd. 2. Services provided without prior approval; preventive requirement. To prevent unfair or deceptive acts or practices, funeral providers must include on the itemized statement of funeral goods or services, as described insection 149A.71, subdivision 2, paragraph (f), the statement “If you selected a funeral that may require embalming, such as a funeral with viewing, you may have to pay for embalming. You do not have to pay for embalming you did not approve if you selected arrangements such as direct alkaline hydrolysis, direct cremation, or immediate burial. If we charged for embalming, we will explain why below.”