§ 3421. Funeral directing; requirements for license to practice. 1. In order to be licensed, an applicant for licensure shall pass a funeral directing examination prepared or approved by the department to determine his knowledge and fitness therefor, as required by this article. No person shall be permitted to enter funeral director school, apply for a funeral directing examination or apply for a funeral directing license without submitting to the department satisfactory evidence of good moral character. 2. Except as provided in subdivision three, the department shall admit to examination any applicant who pays a fee of forty dollars and submits evidence subscribed and affirmed as true under the penalties of perjury and satisfactory to the department that the applicant:

(a) is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States;

(b) has satisfactorily completed a course of collegiate level study in funeral service, the curriculum of which has been approved by the department, consisting of not less than ninety quarter credits or sixty semester credits in an institution or institutions approved by the department or an accrediting agency recognized by the department;

(c) has upon entering an approved institution as herein provided for the purpose of beginning his funeral service study, registered as a student with the department upon a form to be provided by the department, and has paid to the department a registration fee of fifty dollars. 3. Delay in registering as a student as herein required may be excused, in the discretion of the commissioner. 4. The department shall issue a license to practice funeral directing to an applicant for such license on the basis of the following procedures:

(a) who shall have successfully passed the examination as herein provided in subdivision one of this section, and

(b) who pays a fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars, and

(c) who, after having passed such examination, serves a one year period as a registered resident in a manner satisfactory to the department, and

(d) who, has passed a second examination after or during the serving of a one year period as a registered resident. The said examination shall be on the New York state laws, rules and regulations relating to funeral directing and shall be prepared or approved by the department of health.