Minnesota State Mortician Practice Exam

When can you obtain a disposition permit?

1. When a death certificate is issued

2. When a fact of death record has been completed and filed

3. When the body is embalmed

4. When burial arrangements are made

The correct answer is: When a fact of death record has been completed and filed

A disposition permit is an official document that authorizes the burial, cremation, or other forms of disposition of a deceased individual. This permit is essential to ensure that the body is handled according to legal and health regulations. Obtaining a disposition permit is contingent upon the completion and filing of a fact of death record, which requires specific information about the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the death. This record serves as a foundation for the issuance of a death certificate. The fact of death record typically includes details such as the date, time, place of death, and the identification of the deceased, which local authorities need to issue the permit. If the death certificate is issued or burial arrangements are made, those are significant steps in the process but do not directly result in obtaining a disposition permit without first having completed the necessary paperwork like the fact of death record. Additionally, embalming is a separate service undertaken for preservation and does not in itself lead to a disposition permit. Understanding the sequence of these events clarifies why the completion and filing of a fact of death record is the correct answer for when one can obtain a disposition permit. It is a crucial legal requirement that must be fulfilled before proceeding with the actual disposition of the body.