0 € (bei Hausarzt evtl. Kosten), Ab ca. 2.000 € (stark variierend), 14 € (weitere 7,50 €); 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 Dortmund – 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 NRW, burial must take place within 10 days.

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

📄 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 Dortmund↗

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 Dortmund registry office within 3 working days.

📄 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)

💡 Tips

Registry office Dortmund: Friedensplatz 5, 44122 Dortmund
Funeral director usually handles this for you
Order at least 5-10 death certificates
Certificate is free for pension insurance

Registry office Dortmund↗

Step 4

Inform pension insurance

🚨

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

The German Pension Insurance Westfalen must be informed of the death.

📄 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
Orphan's pension for children under 27 (in education)

Contact pension insurance↗

Step 5

Cancel contracts & memberships

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

⚠️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

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 Dortmund district court (probate court).

⚠️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

District Court Dortmund: Gerichtsstr. 22, 44135 Dortmund
With a will, certificate often not needed
Costs: 0.5% of estate value
Rejection of inheritance: 6 weeks deadline

District Court Dortmund↗

Death in the Family in Dortmund

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