Requesting a death certificate

Last updated more than 5 years ago

A death certificate is a legal record of civil status. It is an authenticated document, signed by the person declaring the death and by the civil registrar. A death certificate is established when a person dies.

The copy or extract of a death certificate is a reproduction in full or in part of the details indicated on the death certificate.

A copy or an extract of this certificate is often necessary for carrying out certain administrative procedures such as:

Who is concerned

A relative of the deceased can request a death certificate.

Costs

The issue of the certificate is subject to the payment of a tax. This chancellery tax must be paid to the communal administration.

How to proceed

Submitting the application

When a person dies, the death must be declared to the communal administration in the commune where the death occurred. For this reason, only the commune in question is able to issue a copy of the death certificate.  

Depending on the commune, in order to obtain a copy or an extract of the death certificate, applicants have the possibility to submit their application:

  • in person: to the civil registrar’s office, upon presentation of a valid ID card;
  • electronically: by submitting an application online;
  • by post;
  • by phone (during the opening hours of the communal administration).

The office of the civil registrar establishes the death certificate on the basis of the report issued by the doctor (formal declaration of death). The civil registrar drafts the death certificate based on the declaration, if possible, by one of the deceased person’s close relatives or neighbours or, if the person did not die at home, by the person in whose home the death occurred.

In the case of applications submitted online, by post or telephone, the documents will be sent by post to the address indicated in the application.

Supporting documents

To obtain the death certificate issued by the civil registrar, the applicant must provide:

  • the deceased's family record book, if such a book exists; or
  • failing that, the deceased's marriage certificate; or
  • for a deceased single person: the birth certificate of the deceased.  

Information included

The death certificate includes all the mandatory information for a civil status certificate (year, date and time of issue; first name(s) and name of the civil registrar; first name(s), names and domiciles of all named persons), as well as the following:

  • the name(s) and first name(s), date and place of birth, gender and domicile of the deceased;
  • if the deceased was married, widowed or divorced, the spouse’s name, first name(s) and gender;
  • the date, time and place of death;
  • the given name(s), age and domicile of the person declaring the death and, if that person is a relative, the degree of relationship between them and the deceased.

The same document also contains the names, first names and domicile of the deceased's parents and their dates and places of birth. The death is also recorded as a marginal entry in the deceased’s birth certificate.

When a child dies before its birth was declared to the civil registrar, the latter draws up both a birth certificate and a death certificate upon presentation of a medical certificate specifying the dates and times of birth and death.

If the child was stillborn, the civil registrar draws up a stillbirth certificate. This document is recorded with the date of the event in the death registers and states:

  • the date, time and place of delivery;
  • the child’s gender;
  • the name and first name(s) chosen for the child, if the parents so desire;
  • the names, first names, gender and domicile of the parents, and the places and dates of their birth, if known.

Forms / Online services

Demander un acte de décès

Les informations qui vous concernent recueillies sur ce formulaire font l’objet d’un traitement par l’administration concernée afin de mener à bien votre demande.

Ces informations sont conservées pour la durée nécessaire par l’administration à la réalisation de la finalité du traitement

Les destinataires de vos données sont les administrations compétentes dans le cadre du traitement de votre demande. Veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée par votre demande pour connaître les destinataires des données figurant sur ce formulaire. Conformément au règlement (UE) 2016/679 relatif à la protection des personnes physiques à l'égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, vous bénéficiez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et le cas échéant d’effacement des informations vous concernant. Vous disposez également du droit de retirer votre consentement à tout moment.

En outre et excepté le cas où le traitement de vos données présente un caractère obligatoire, vous pouvez, pour des motifs légitimes, vous y opposer.

Si vous souhaitez exercer ces droits et/ou obtenir communication de vos informations, veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée suivant les coordonnées indiquées dans le formulaire. Vous avez également la possibilité d’introduire une réclamation auprès de la Commission nationale pour la protection des données ayant son siège à 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

En poursuivant votre démarche, vous acceptez que vos données personnelles soient traitées dans le cadre de votre demande.

Eine Sterbeurkunde beantragen

Ihre in diesem Formular erfassten personenbezogenen Informationen werden von der zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörde verarbeitet, um Ihren Antrag erfolgreich abzuschließen.

Diese Informationen werden von der Behörde für den zur Verarbeitung erforderlichen Zeitraum gespeichert.

Die Empfänger Ihrer Daten sind die im Rahmen Ihres Antrags zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörden. Um die Empfänger der in diesem Formular erfassten Daten zu erfahren, wenden Sie sich bitte an die für Ihren Antrag zuständige Behörde.

Gemäß der Verordnung (EU) 2016/679 zum Schutz natürlicher Personen bei der Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten und zum freien Datenverkehr haben Sie das Recht auf Zugang, Berichtigung und gegebenenfalls Löschung Ihrer personenbezogenen Informationen. Sie haben zudem das Recht, Ihre erteilte Einwilligung jederzeit zu widerrufen.

Weiterhin können Sie, außer in Fällen, in denen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten verpflichtend ist, Widerspruch einlegen, wenn dieser rechtmäßig begründet ist.

Wenn Sie diese Rechte ausüben und/oder Einsicht in Ihre Informationen nehmen möchten, können Sie sich unter den im Formular angegebenen Kontaktdaten an die zuständige Verwaltungsbehörde wenden. Sie haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, bei der Nationalen Kommission für den Datenschutz Beschwerde einzulegen (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux).

Wenn Sie Ihren Vorgang fortsetzen, akzeptieren Sie damit, dass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihres Antrags verarbeitet werden.

Requesting a death certificate

To complete your application, the information about you collected from this form needs to be processed by the public administration concerned.

That information is kept by the administration in question for as long as it is required to achieve the purpose of the processing operation(s).

Your data will be shared with other public administrations that are necessary for the processing of your application. For details on which departments will have access to the data on this form, please contact the public administration you are filing your application with.

Under the terms of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, you have the right to access, rectify or, where applicable, remove any information relating to you. You are also entitled to withdraw your consent at any time.

Additionally, unless the processing of your personal data is compulsory, you may, with legitimate reasons, oppose the processing of such data.

If you wish to exercise these rights and/or obtain a record of the information held about you, please contact the administration in question using the contact details provided on the form. You are also entitled to file a claim with the National Commission for Data Protection (Commission nationale pour la protection des données), headquartered at 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

By submitting your application, you agree that your personal data may be processed as part of the application process.

Who to contact

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