Registered transporter refers to a license given for individuals to transport the deceased from the place of death, to hospitals, morgues, and burials. Often, states require the transporter of bodies to be licensed with the state and go through training programs, but many states give an exception for family members or friends transporting the body. Regardless of registration status, the person transporting the body still must receive a burial transit permit for the specific body being transported and follow the guidelines set by statute.
States often require registration of transporters to ensure transportation guidelines are followed. Licensing requirements can include classes and training programs (see this set of rules in Maryland for an example of transporter registration requirements). While requirements vary greatly by state, there are typically strict requirements for the containers a body must be transported in, how the body is to be covered, whether embalming is required, the documentation required for transporting, and heightened requirements for transporting bodies with communicable diseases.
[Last updated in September of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]