Municipality of Rotterdam: registering a death

You may need the following additional documents in some cases:

• If the person died of unnatural causes: Verklaring van niet-natuurlijk overlijden (declaration of unnatural death) from a coroner and a Verklaring van geen bezwaar tegen begraven of cremeren (declaration of no-objection to the funeral or cremation) from the officier van justitie (public prosecutor.
• If the funeral or cremation needs to be postponed, a Verklaring van geen bezwaar (declaration of no-objection) from a medical practitioner.
• If the deceased’s wishes were to donate their body for scientific research: their will.
• If the deceased is to be transported outside the Netherlands (not including Germany), a medical statement/certificate.
• If the deceased’s wishes were to be buried or cremated within 36 hours or after 6 working days, a request with a Verklaring van geen bezwaar (declaration of no-objection) from the Gemeentelijke Gezondheidsdienst – GGD (Municipal Health Service). This must be done within 36 hours, together with a declaration from the public prosecutor.
• If the deceased person is not registered in the Netherlands or their Burgerservicenummer – BSN (citizen service number) is not known, a valid identity document of the deceased person.
• If the date of death is not known (if the body was discovered), a proces-verbaal (official report) from the police.

Declaration by surviving dependants

You can register the death yourself. You must do this in the municipality where your loved one died. Please call our municipal service number 14 010. When you call from abroad, call +31 10 267 16 25.

Online registration by funeral directors

You can also ask the funeral home to register the death for you. Funeral homes who are located in the Netherlands can register deaths online.

Registering a death and permission for burial or cremation are free of charge.

For more information, visit our website: Aangifte van overlijden door nabestaanden.

• As a surviving dependant, you receive the extract from the  death certificate and the verlof tot begraven of cremeren (permission for burial or cremation) immediately.
• Funeral homes should receive the extract and any other documents on the same working day or, at the latest, the next working day.