NFDA CREMATION CERTIFICATION
March 9, 2026
Edgar H. Wilson Convention Center
Macon, GA
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
NFDA’s Cremation Certification Program helps protect you, your business, and grieving families.
Cremation litigation is on the rise, and protecting your firm through cremation due diligence practices has never been more important. A quality cremation certification program is a must-have for everyone offering cremation to the families they serve. Whether you currently own or operate a crematory, are thinking of opening one, or want to evaluate a third-party crematory, cremation certification training is necessary for your success.
The recognized certification standard for funeral service professionals, NFDA’s Cremation Certification Program covers best practices for safe, proper and ethical crematory operations, excellence in service to cremation families, and much more.
During this day-long workshop, you will engage in a highly interactive atmosphere and activities designed to help you not only protect your funeral home, but also learn how you can even better serve families that choose cremation.
The Cremation Certification Program manual alone is worth its weight in gold so keep it close by and get ready to reference it often. This handy guide contains critical, up-to-date information you need to perform your job well including:
- Principles of Combustion and Incineration
- Basics of Cremator Operations and Maintenance
- Cremation and Disposition Authorizations
- Cremation Procedures and Process
- Shipping Cremated Remains
- Cremation Safety, Compliance and Liability
- Public Relations Issues
- And more!
Discover what thousands of your funeral service colleagues already know and make plans to attend the NFDA Cremation Certification Program.
It is the individual participant's responsibility before registering for any NFDA course or event to verify that it is currently approved for CE in the state/province in which the individual is licensed. Attendees will earn upon successful completion of the program the designation of Certified Cremation Operator, (CCO). The Cremation Certification Program is approved for up to 7 CE hours for
in-person and virtual courses by APFSP and most state licensing boards.
Timothy Copeland, NFDA Trainer - Cremation Services
Tim Copeland brings more than 35 years of experience in funeral service and cremation. He is a licensed funeral director, post-secondary educator, end-of-life care provider, and funeral service consultant, and holds a Master of Science in Thanatology from Marian University.
As a former funeral home owner, college instructor, and a certified practitioner of Dignity Therapy, his work has focused on education, ethics, and compassionate care. Over the past year and a half, he has worked closely with Mike Nicodemus in developing and writing the curriculum he will be presenting — a nationally delivered program based on that collaboration and grounded in practical application for today’s funeral professionals.
