(1) Authorization to remove and transport a body from place of death must be made by a physician, physician designee, advanced practice registered nurse, coroner, or mortician per 50-15-405, MCA.

(2) Once removal is authorized, only a coroner, mortician, or nonlicensed personnel under the supervision of the mortician-in-charge may transport the body.

(3) The body must be transported:

(a) to a mortuary;

(b) to a coroner's morgue; or

(c) directly to a crematory or cemetery in cases in which direct cremation or burial is legally permissible and authorized.

(4) These rules do not apply to transportation, custody, preparation, funeral arrangements, or disposition carried out individually by an authorizing agent, subject to such agent's compliance with all applicable state and local laws and regulations, including, but not limited to:

(a) Department of Public Health and Human Services laws and regulations on infectious disease and vital statistics, including the filing of death certificates; and

(b) Department of Labor and Industry laws and regulations regarding proper identification of the remains, health and safety requirements, and the execution of appropriate disclosures and authorizations.

(5) An authorizing agent, as defined in 37-19-101, MCA, can only delegate the activities set forth in (4) to a mortician employed by a mortuary.