Registration of a burial
Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Schleswig-Holstein (Linie6Plus)
Service Description
If you wish to bury a deceased person, you can apply for a burial.
If a death has occurred, you as a relative are obliged to bury the deceased person. In addition to other burial options, you can also register a burial.
In a burial, the human body is placed in a coffin in a grave. The dug grave is then later covered with earth. Burials are carried out by funeral directors (morticians).
You must choose a cemetery that is approved for burial. Upon request, the use of a coffin can be waived.
Teaser
If you wish to bury a deceased person, you can apply for a burial.
Process flow
- The death of your loved one has been confirmed (post-mortem examination).
- The body is transferred in a coffin to a mortuary.
- You instruct a funeral home to carry out the burial.
As a rule, the funeral home takes over and commissions all further steps.
- You receive the death certificate from the doctor.
- You submit the death certificate to the relevant registry office to obtain the death certificate.
Who should I contact?
Please contact:
- A doctor to carry out the post-mortem examination and issue a death certificate.
- To obtain a death certificate, contact the relevant registry office.
- For the burial, contact the cemetery administration of the place where the burial is to take place.
- For the transfer from the place of death or discovery to the cemetery or crematorium to a funeral home.
Requirements
- One of your relatives has died.
- The death was determined during a post-mortem examination.
Which documents are required?
- Death certificate or notification of death (burial certificate) from the registry office
- Identity card and birth or marriage certificate of the deceased person
- In the case of miscarriages, a medical certificate (date, circumstances of the miscarriage, name and address of the mother) must be submitted if a burial is desired.
- In the case of stillbirths (weighing at least 500 grams), proof of the birth must be provided in the form of a registry office certificate prior to burial if a burial is desired.
What are the fees?
Type of costs: variable
The amount of the costs depends on the type and manner of burial. You should therefore enquire about the costs from the funeral home you have commissioned and the cemetery operator.
You must expect further ongoing costs depending on the location and size of the grave, the resting period, the duration of the right of use and other details (e.g. grave maintenance). The respective cemetery administration determines this in its statutes.
What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?
- You may only have the deceased person buried 48 hours after death.
- You must have the deceased person buried within 9 days of the death.
- The municipality may specify a different burial period if a post-mortem has been ordered.
Legal basis
Weiterführende Informationen
- There is no necropsy for miscarriages (before the 24th week of pregnancy under 500 grams).
- In the case of miscarriages and stillbirths, you are not obliged to bury your child. However, this can be registered at the request of one of the parents.
- If you as a relative are unable to cover the costs of the funeral, the funeral will be arranged by the responsible local regulatory authority and you and any other relatives will be jointly and severally liable for the costs incurred.
- If you as a relative or the heirs of the deceased person are not in a position to pay for the funeral, you can submit an application to the relevant social welfare office so that the costs can be covered.
Author
The text was automatically translated based on the German content.




