The Bachelor of Mortuary Science (BMS) is the standard academic credential for licensed funeral service professionals in the United States. BMS graduates must pass the ABFSE National Board Examination (NBE) and their state's funeral service licensing exam before practicing. Both exams test embalming science, restorative art, funeral home management, cremation procedures, infectious disease control, and applicable state and federal law.
Use this free BMS practice test PDF to study for the ABFSE NBE and state licensing exams offline. The questions cover every major domain in the mortuary science licensing curriculum. Download using the button below, print, and work through all questions before checking the answer key.
Arterial embalming is the primary embalming procedure. It involves injecting a preservative solution (typically formaldehyde-based arterial fluid diluted with water) through an artery — most commonly the right common carotid — while draining blood from a corresponding vein. The concentration of the injection solution (index, dilution, and volume) is adjusted based on the body's condition, cause of death, and time since death. NBE candidates must know injection sites, rate of flow, pressure settings, and how to address embalming complications such as jaundice, edema, and decomposition.
Cavity embalming follows arterial embalming. The trocar is inserted through the abdomen to aspirate gas and liquid from the thoracic and abdominal cavities, followed by injection of cavity fluid. Candidates should know trocar guide points for reaching major organs and understand when re-aspiration and re-injection of cavity fluid is indicated.
OSHA formaldehyde standard (29 CFR 1910.1048) is high-weight content on both the NBE Sciences division and state licensing exams. Candidates must know the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 0.75 ppm as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA), the short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 2 ppm over a 15-minute period, and required engineering controls (local exhaust ventilation, HVAC), PPE (gloves, gown, eye protection, respirator when engineering controls are insufficient), and medical surveillance requirements.
Restorative art covers cosmetic and physical reconstruction of a body for viewing. NBE candidates are tested on facial tissue reconstruction using wax modeling, suturing techniques (bridge, worm, inversion, and mattress sutures for different wound types), and the use of cosmetics to achieve a natural appearance — including color theory for correcting discolorations caused by decomposition, trauma, or embalming chemicals. Candidates should understand the differences between surface restoration and internal restoration and know when each approach is appropriate.
The FTC Funeral Rule (16 CFR Part 453) is the primary federal consumer protection regulation governing funeral homes. It requires that funeral homes provide a General Price List (GPL) to any person who inquires in person about funeral arrangements — before any discussion of services or merchandise. The GPL must itemize all services and merchandise offered, and funeral homes cannot require consumers to purchase package deals. Candidates must also know disclosure requirements for casket and outer burial container price lists and the telephone price disclosure rule.
Funeral home management exam content also covers business operations, staff supervision, consumer grievance handling, and preneed funeral arrangement regulations. Preneed arrangements — in which consumers pay in advance for funeral services — are governed by individual state law and vary significantly in licensing, escrow, and trust requirements.
Cremation exam questions cover authorization requirements (who has the legal right to authorize cremation and what forms are required), container requirements (the container must be rigid, combustible, and leak-resistant — no metal handles or attachments unless specifically approved by the crematory), the cremation process itself (temperatures of 1,400–1,800°F, duration of approximately 2–3 hours), processing of cremated remains (reduction of bone fragments, final weight typically 3–9 lbs), and return of cremated remains in a proper container. Candidates must also know the waiting periods and identity verification steps required before cremation can proceed.
The OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) applies directly to mortuary science professionals. Candidates must know the exposure control plan requirements, required PPE (gloves, gown, face shield or mask and eye protection, shoe covers), the hepatitis B vaccination requirement for at-risk employees, post-exposure procedures, and recordkeeping requirements. Universal precautions treat all human remains as potentially infectious — this principle governs all embalming and preparation work.
Funeral directors are responsible for completing death certificates accurately and filing them with the appropriate registrar within required timeframes. Candidates must know the required fields on a death certificate, who is qualified to certify cause of death, and how to handle corrections. Grief counseling basics — including Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) and Worden's tasks of mourning — appear on the NBE Arts division and in state funeral directing exams.
Print the PDF and simulate exam conditions by timing yourself and avoiding reference materials during your first pass. The ABFSE NBE is divided into an Arts division and a Sciences division — after completing the practice test, score your answers separately for each domain area to identify where you need the most review before exam day.
Pay particular attention to OSHA standards (formaldehyde and bloodborne pathogens), FTC Funeral Rule requirements, and embalming case analysis questions — these areas generate the most errors among first-time NBE candidates. If your score on any single domain falls below 70%, plan at least one additional targeted study session on that domain before re-testing.