When someone dies

When someone dies, there are a few things to arrange first: medical confirmation, registration of the death and the funeral. Inheritance and contracts need separate attention, but you do not have to solve everything at once. You can ask someone you trust to help keep track of contacts and dates.

First: medical help and confirmation

If the person may still need urgent medical help, seek emergency help. Otherwise, contact a doctor for an examination and a Todesbescheinigung or Leichenschauschein. In a hospital or care facility, ask the staff what has already been arranged. Follow police instructions if the death is unexplained or under investigation. The medical document is different from the civil death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) issued after registration.

Gather identity and family documents, any funeral wishes and contact details for close relatives. Keep documents and keys secure and note who has them. A funeral director can help with formalities; confirm the tasks and charges in writing before arranging their services.

Report the death to the correct Standesamt

Under section 28 PStG, a death in Germany must be reported no later than the third Werktag following the death to the Standesamt for the place where it occurred. Do not wait for the funeral or contact only the deceased’s home town. Section 29 prioritises a person who lived with the deceased, then the person in whose home the death occurred, then another person present or with direct knowledge; the later category is obliged only if the earlier one is absent or prevented.

For a death in a hospital, care home or other covered facility, the institution’s reporting duty applies. Where an official investigation takes place, registration uses the competent authority’s written notification. Confirm with the institution, office or authorised funeral director who is submitting it and what remains for you to supply.

Ask the responsible Standesamt which documents it needs and what the certificates cost. Common evidence includes identity documents, the medical certificate, birth and marriage records, and proof of divorce or widowhood where relevant. Foreign records may need translation or authentication; see Documents and translations before ordering services. Ask for the number and type of death certificates needed for each purpose. Berlin’s linked checklist is a local example; fees can differ elsewhere.

Funeral arrangements and costs

Ask the municipality and funeral director about the applicable Land funeral law, responsible relatives, burial/cremation timing, cemetery requirements and any transport abroad. Religious wishes, repatriation documents and consular involvement should be clarified before travel is arranged; there is no single nationwide timetable or document set for these routes.

Get an itemised quotation showing the funeral director’s services separately from cemetery and other third-party charges. If paying necessary funeral costs is unreasonable for the legally responsible person, ask the Sozialamt promptly about section 74 SGB XII and the evidence needed. Approval is individual; do not assume every requested service or repatriation cost is covered. Disclaiming an inheritance does not automatically remove a separate funeral or contractual cost obligation.

Estate and debts: a separate urgent decision

Deliver any private original will promptly to the Nachlassgericht once you know of the death; section 2259 requires this. Do not distribute the estate or conceal a will. Ask the probate court about the competent office, evidence and appointments, and obtain legal advice if assets, debts, children or foreign connections make the decision unclear.

Under German law, the inheritance can include liability for estate debts. A disclaimer, Erbausschlagung, normally has a six-week period beginning when you know the inheritance has fallen to you and the basis of your appointment. If appointed by a will or inheritance contract, the period does not start before the probate court communicates that disposition. It is six months if the deceased’s last residence was only abroad or you are abroad when the period starts. Do not count automatically from the death date or assume every foreign link creates six months.

The declaration must be recorded by the probate court or made in publicly certified form, ordinarily through a notary. An ordinary letter, email or consultation booking is insufficient. Arrange timely valid receipt with the responsible court; ask about the statutory option at your own residence court. Acceptance or expiry of the disclaimer period can bar an ordinary disclaimer. Get advice before acts that could indicate acceptance, applying for an inheritance certificate or disposing of assets. Ask separately about minor children and who would inherit after your disclaimer; your choice does not automatically cover them. Cross-border applicable law must also be checked. See Wills and inheritance.

Notifications and support

Make a list of the employer, health and pension insurers, benefit offices, bank, landlord and contract providers. Ask each what evidence or authority they need and whether a deadline applies. Keep copies, correspondence and receipts. Do not use the deceased’s login or assume their death cancels all joint obligations. Ask the pension provider how to apply for any survivor benefits; payment does not necessarily start automatically.