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Declaration of Death
Verified 28 April 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
What applies to you ?
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In image
A guide to taking action after the death of a relative
Death in hospital or nursing home
General case
A doctor records the death and issues the death certificate.
Violent death
In case of violent death (e.g. accidental death, suicide), the police or national gendarmerie should be alerted.
Funerals can only take place after obtaining judicial authorization, called record for burial.
It shall be drawn up by a judicial police officer, on the order of the public prosecutor.
Who shall I contact
The institution must be responsible for the declaration of death.
The institution must report the death within 24 hours.
Following the declaration of death, the City Hall establishes a death certificate.
Death at home
General case
A doctor records the death and issues the death certificate.
Violent death
In case of violent death (for example, accidental death, suicide), you should alert the police or the national gendarmerie.
Funerals can only take place after obtaining judicial authorization, called record for burial.
It shall be drawn up by a judicial police officer, on the order of the public prosecutor.
Who shall I contact
Any person of age can declare death, preferably a relative. For example, a parent or person with vital statistics information.
Please note
if a funeral director declares the death (cost set by the contract), the funeral director must present a mandate.
To declare a death, you must go to the municipality of the municipality where the death occurred, regardless of the nationality of the deceased.
You must present yourself with the following documents:
- Your ID
- If possible, the death certificate issued by the doctor, police station, or gendarmerie
- Any document concerning the identity of the deceased (family record, identity document or birth certificate for example)
Following the declaration of death, the City Hall establishes a death certificate.
Death must be certain and established by examination of the body of the deceased.
In case of disappearance, you must go through a judicial declaration of death.
Who shall I contact
There's no reporting time.
You should do this as soon as possible to then perform the other death-related procedures.
Deaths on public roads
General case
A doctor records the death and issues the death certificate.
Violent death
In case of violent death (for example, accidental death, suicide), you should alert the police or the national gendarmerie.
Funerals can only take place after obtaining judicial authorization, called record for burial.
It shall be drawn up by a judicial police officer, on the order of the public prosecutor.
Who shall I contact
After a doctor's report, any adult can declare the death, preferably a relative. For example, a parent or person with vital statistics information.
However, if the cause of death is suspicious, the police forces take care of the declaration of death.
FYI
specific rules apply in certain cases, for example at sea.
General case
To declare a death, you must go to the municipality of the municipality where the death occurred, regardless of the nationality of the deceased.
You must present yourself with the following documents:
- Your ID
- If possible, the death certificate issued by the doctor, police station, or gendarmerie
- Any document concerning the identity of the deceased (family record, identity document or birth certificate for example)
Suspicious death
The police officer shall transmit the information to the registrar of the place where the person died.
He writes the death certificate and informs the registrar of the residence of the deceased.
Following the declaration of death, the City Hall establishes a death certificate.
Death must be certain and established by examination of the body of the deceased.
In case of disappearance, you must go through a judicial declaration of death.
Who shall I contact
There's no reporting time.
You should do this as soon as possible to then perform the other death-related procedures.
- Civil Code: Articles 78 to 92Death certificate
- General code for local and regional authorities: Articles R2213-15 to R2213-20Post-death operations
- General Instruction on Civil Status (Igrec) of 11 May 1999 - AnnexParagraph 423
FAQ
- Information site on the cemeteries of FranceMinistry of Economy
