* The law (Title 31) has always said that the local county registrar issues disposition permits.

* The regulation change as of 11.14.17 clarifies the requirement that a local registrar issues a disposition permit only when the cause of death has been certified by the physician OR the county coroner/ME has given their permission to do so.

* A disposition permit is required for 3 situations: cremation, donation, and transit across state lines. We don’t want a local county registrar issuing a permit for a cremation, donation, or shipping a body out of state if the coroner is involved and hasn’t given permission or if the funeral home has not secured the cause of death from either the attending physician in a hospital or the decedent’s personal physician.

* A funeral director can get a disposition permit from a local registrar IF 1) cause of death has been certified by the physician, or 2) the county coroner/medical examiner has given approval.

* This change protects the decedent and the decedent’s family from a hasty or rushed cremation or transit across state lines if the coroner has not completed their work. It also stops the local registrar from being culpable in the situation of giving funeral homes advanced disposition permits for their use.

To view the Vital Records webinar that took place on 12/13/17 go to:

dph.georgia.gov/directors-governance

Click on the Training Materials tab

Click on the funeral homes tab

Click on the Webinars tab

Or you can Click Here