0 € (bei Hausarzt evtl. Kosten), Ab ca. 2.500 € (stark variierend), 12 € pro Urkunde (für Rente kostenlos), 0 €, 0 €, Abhängig vom Nachlasswert (0,5%)

What happens if I miss the deadline?

Ohne Totenschein kann keine Bestattung stattfinden.

Death in family in Berlin – Fristen & Checkliste

Step 1

Call doctor & death certificate

🚨

Frist: Immediately · Without a death certificate, no burial can take place.

A doctor must certify the death and issue the death certificate. For expected death, call the family doctor, otherwise call emergency services (112).

📄 Required Documents

ID of deceased(Required)

Original – will be collected and invalidated by registry office

Health insurance card(Optional)

If available – was with deceased, facilitates billing

💡 Tips

Family doctor: often free for patients
Emergency services (112): for unexpected death
Medical on-call service: 116 117
Death certificate needed for registry office

Medical on-call service↗

Step 2

Hire funeral home

🚨

Frist: Within 36 hours · In Berlin, burial must take place within 8 days (cremation: 10 days).

A funeral home takes care of the transfer and helps with all formalities. Compare offers – prices vary greatly!

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

Issued by doctor – original is submitted to registry office

ID of deceased(Required)

Original – will be collected and invalidated by registry office

Birth certificate(Required)

Request from registry office of deceased's birthplace (approx. €12)

Marriage certificate(Optional)

For widow's pension – from registry office where married (approx. €12)

💡 Tips

Funeral director usually handles all official matters
Get at least 2-3 quotes
Check funeral insurance
Social burial possible with low income

Find funeral home in Berlin↗

Step 3

Register death at registry office

🚨

Frist: 3 working days · Without a death certificate, no contracts can be terminated or accounts closed.

The death must be reported to the registry office of the place of death within 3 working days. Berlin has several registry offices in the districts.

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

Issued by doctor – original is submitted to registry office

ID of deceased(Required)

Original – will be collected and invalidated by registry office

Birth certificate(Required)

Request from registry office of deceased's birthplace (approx. €12)

Marriage certificate (if married)(Optional)

If married – from registry office where married (approx. €12)

Divorce decree (if divorced)(Optional)

If divorced – final decree from family court

💡 Tips

Funeral director usually handles this for you
Order at least 5-10 death certificates
Certificate is free for pension insurance
Online appointment booking via service.berlin.de

Registry Office Berlin - Death Certificate↗

Step 4

Inform pension insurance

🚨

Frist: As soon as possible · Overpaid pension must be repaid! Report quickly.

The German Pension Insurance must be informed of the death. There may be entitlement to widow's/widower's pension or orphan's pension.

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

From registry office – original or certified copy

Pension decision of deceased(Optional)

If available – was in the deceased's documents

Marriage certificate(Optional)

For widow's pension – from registry office where married (approx. €12)

💡 Tips

Free hotline: 0800 1000 4800
Death quarter: 3 months full pension for survivors
Widow's pension: 55% or 60% of pension
DRV Berlin-Brandenburg: Knobelsdorffstr. 92, 14057 Berlin

Contact pension insurance↗

Step 5

Cancel contracts & memberships

All ongoing contracts of the deceased must be cancelled: rent, insurance, phone, subscriptions, memberships.

⚠️Contracts continue and cost money until cancelled!

⏰ Within 4 weeks💰 0 €

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate (copy sufficient)(Required)

From registry office – copy is sufficient for most cancellations

Power of attorney or certificate of inheritance(Optional)

Needed for some contracts – certificate of inheritance from probate court (District Court Cologne)

💡 Tips

Create checklist: electricity, gas, phone, internet, insurance
Inform bank about death (account will be blocked)
Have life insurance paid out
Rental contract: special termination right for heirs

Consumer advice – cancel contracts↗

Step 6

Apply for certificate of inheritance

The certificate of inheritance proves you are an heir. It is applied for at the probate court. In Berlin, the Schöneberg District Court handles all inheritance matters.

⚠️Without a certificate of inheritance, you cannot access accounts or real estate of the deceased.

⏰ As needed💰 Abhängig vom Nachlasswert (0,5%)

📄 Required Documents

Death certificate(Required)

From registry office – original or certified copy

Will (if available)(Optional)

If available – was with deceased, notary, or district court (Central Register of Wills)

Family register(Optional)

If available – contains all family certificates, was with deceased

ID card(Required)

Your own valid ID – for identity verification at court

💡 Tips

Schöneberg District Court: Grunewaldstr. 66-67, 10823 Berlin
Central jurisdiction for all of Berlin
With a will, certificate often not needed
Rejection of inheritance: 6 weeks deadline

Schöneberg District Court↗

Death in the Family in Berlin

Call doctor & death certificate

📄 Required Documents

Hire funeral home

📄 Required Documents

Register death at registry office

📄 Required Documents

Inform pension insurance

📄 Required Documents

Cancel contracts & memberships

📄 Required Documents

Apply for certificate of inheritance

📄 Required Documents

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

🔗 Related Topics