Notification of a death
The death of a person must be reported to the registry office in whose area of responsibility he or she died no later than the third working day following the death.
Death outside an institution (hospital, retirement and nursing home, other facility):
The person
- who lived in the same household as the deceased,
- in whose home the death occurred,
and
- who was present at the time of death or is informed of the death from his or her own knowledge,
is obliged to report the death orally or in writing. The notification can also be made by a funeral home.
Deaths in an institution:
- The institution must notify the registry office of the death.
Which documents are required?
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate of the last marriage or civil partnership, if applicable, proof of dissolution
- Birth certificate of the deceased (possibly not necessary if the registration data of the birth result from a marriage or civil partnership certificate)
- Proof of last place of residence (e.g. identity card, simple population register information, rental agreement, electricity bill or comparable documents)
- medical certificate of death
Requirements
- If the death did not occur in a hospital, retirement and nursing home or other facility, the person
- who lived in the same household as the deceased,
- in whose home the death occurred, and
- who was present at the death or learned of the death,
obligation to report the death orally. The person can also entrust it to a funeral home.
- Funeral directors registered with a Chamber of Crafts, Industry or Commerce can make the notification in writing.
- Hospitals, retirement and nursing homes or other facilities must notify the death in writing.
Costs
Fee: free of charge
Process flow
- If the death did not occur in a hospital, retirement or nursing home or other facility,
- you need to contact a doctor and a funeral director
and
- report the death orally to the competent registry office or instruct the undertaker to report it.
- If the death occurred in hospital, you as a relative should contact a funeral director in consultation with the hospital staff.
- The doctor issues a death certificate and usually hands it over to the undertaker.
- If you have instructed the undertaker to make the report, he or she will prepare a written death notice (including all necessary documents) and hand it over to the registry office.
- If the death occurred in a hospital, retirement and nursing home or other facility, the institution will prepare the written death notification and send it to the registry office.
- The registry office checks the documents presented for authenticity and the information on the documents for completeness.
- The death may be recorded in the death register.
- If requested, the registry office will issue death certificates from the established register.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
A death must be reported no later than the third working day following the death.
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.
Competent authority
The responsibility lies with the registry office in whose area the person died.
Contact point
Responsible authorities
Standesamt
Timetable
Contact
- Haren (Ems):
- Birth Indication
- Acknowledgement of paternity
- Application for the issuance of a certificate of no impediment to marriage for German nationals, stateless persons, homeless foreigners or foreign refugees within the meaning of the Convention on the Status of Refugees with Habitual Residence in Germany
- Apply for a death certificate
- Apply for a marriage certificate
- Apply for an International Mortuary Passport
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate
- Applying for a civil partnership certificate for a civil partnership entered into abroad
- Birth certificate issuance
- Declaration of resignation from the church
- Declaration of the right to a name
- Establishment of a civil partnership Notarisation
- Marriage consummation with same-sex partner
- Notification of a death
- Register marriage