Report a death
Reporting a death to the registry office—usually handled by the funeral home—is a prerequisite for the burial and the issuance of a death certificate.
Wo wohnen Sie?
Damit wir Report a death mit dem zuständigen Standesamt in Ihrer Stadt anzeigen können.
Oder Großstadt wählen:
Sie werden zur geführten Suche weitergeleitet – mit Kontaktdaten, Termin und nächsten Schritten für Report a death.
Quick answer
- 1
Documents you need
Death Certificate · Family Register or Birth Certificate
- 2
Responsible authority
The authority of your main residence
- 3
How to do it
In person or by post at the office
- 4
Costs
10–15 € je Urkunde, Trauung ab ca. 50 € – je nach Gemeinde
How to proceed
- 1
Obtain a death certificate
Issued by the attending physician or emergency physician.
- 2
Notify the Registry Office
The death must be reported no later than the third business day following the death, usually by the funeral home.
- 3
Obtain a death certificate
Required for inheritance matters, insurance, and pension offices.
Responsible authority
The authority of your main place of residence is responsible.Find authority →
The essentials before applying
Who is eligible?
Relatives or the funeral home that has been hired.
Income limit
Processing time
Nationwide: approx. 1 day
Success rate
approx. 99.5 % (estimate)
Most common mistakes
- •The doctor's death certificate is missing
- •Family register not presented
Common reasons for rejection
Alternatives
- Check related services in the application assistant
- Use social counselling before applying
If rejected
Read the decision carefully: often submitting missing documents or reapplying helps more than an objection.
Related services
Questions & Answers
How many death certificates should you order?▼
It is recommended that you prepare multiple copies (usually 5–10), as banks, insurance companies, and government agencies each require their own copy.
Freshness & source
- Maintenance
- Continuously reviewed & updated
- Source
- Bundesportal (verwaltung.bund.de)
- Data quality
- 91 %