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Request death certificate

You need a death certificate if you want to prepare the funeral (e.g. burial, transfer), settle the estate or claim benefits from statutory or private insurance companies.

The death certificate contains

  • the first names and surnames of the deceased,
  • birth names, if applicable,
  • Place and date of birth,
  • birth names, if applicable,
  • Affiliation to a religious community, if the affiliation is evident from the register entry.
  • the last place of residence,
  • marital status,
  • the first names and surname of the spouse or civil partner at the time of death. This shall also apply if the other spouse or civil partner has previously died. This does not apply if the marriage was divorced or the civil partnership dissolved during the lifetime.
  • the place of death and
  • the date of death.

The certified printout from the death register shows the entries in the death register.

An International Death Certificate is a multilingual death certificate, so you do not need a translation for use abroad. It is valid in all states that have acceded to the Convention of 8 September 1976 on the Issuance of Multilingual Extracts from Civil Status Records. In the annex to the Convention you will find a list of the contracting states.

Prerequisite

  • You are 16 years old.
  • You belong to the following group of people:
    • Husband or wife, civil partner or partner of the deceased person
    • Parents, grandparents and great-grandparents as well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the deceased person
    • Brothers and sisters of the deceased person, if you can substantiate a legitimate interest
    • other persons who credibly demonstrate a legal interest, for example by means of a letter from the probate court

Responsible department

the registry office of the place of death

Procedure

You can apply for the certificate in person at the registry office of the place of death and pay the fee immediately.

A written application is also possible. Some registry offices offer that you can also order the certificates by fax, e-mail or telephone. In these cases, you must clarify with the registry office whether it will send you the certificate,

  • whether the certificate should be sent to you or whether you should collect it, and
  • how you can pay the fees.

Notice: Immediate issuance of the certificate is only possible if you present all the required documents.

Deadlines

none

Required documents

  • in case of personal appearance: identity card or passport
  • in case of representation: written power of attorney of the authorised person and identity card of the authorised person(s)
  • under certain circumstances: Information on the date of death
  • In addition, the following may be required
    • Proof of legal interest
    • Proof of legitimate interest (siblings)

Costs

  • Death certificate or certified printout from the death register: EUR 12.00 each
  • International death certificate: EUR 12.00 each

Copies of the death certificate as proof of the death are free of charge for

  • the health insurance fund
  • the statutory pension insurance and
  • the pension and social security office.

Miscellaneous

none

Appeal

You can lodge an appeal against a negative decision. You will find the responsible office in the instructions on appealing the decision.

Release note

13.10.2022; Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg