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The death of a person must be reported to the registry office in whose jurisdiction he or she died.

Notifiable

In the case of deaths in hospitals, old people's homes, nursing homes and other institutions, the obligation to notify is incumbent on the institution. Otherwise, the following persons are obliged to report a death in the following order:

1. any person who lived with the deceased in a domestic relationship,
2. the person in whose home the death occurred,
3. any other person who was present at the death or who is aware of the death from his or her own knowledge. (If a funeral home registered with a chamber of commerce or chamber of industry and commerce is entrusted with the notification, the funeral home may file the notification).

• You, an institution or the funeral home you have commissioned will report the death to the relevant registry office.
• If the death occurred in hospital, as a relative you contact a funeral director in consultation with the hospital staff.
• The doctor/hospital will issue a death certificate and usually give it to the mortician.
• If the death did not take place in a hospital, retirement or nursing home or other facility, you, as the obligated person, report the death verbally to the relevant registry office, submitting the necessary documents, or instruct the mortician to do so.
• If you have instructed the mortician to report the death, the mortician will prepare a written notification of death with your assistance, including all family-related information.
• He will compile the documents required for the notification and hand them over to the registry office. You must hand over all the necessary documents for this.
• The registry office will check the submitted documents for authenticity and the information on the documents for completeness.
• The death is recorded in the death register.
• If requested, the registry office will issue death certificates from the register.

If neither the clinic nor the mortician makes the notification, please contact the registry office in whose jurisdiction the death occurred.

If the death did not occur in a hospital, retirement or nursing home or other institution, you are listed in the following order as a person

• who lived with the deceased in the same household,
• in whose home the death occurred, or
• who was present at the death or is aware of the death from their own knowledge,

is obliged to report the death verbally.

You can also entrust a funeral home with the notification.

If you are a funeral director registered with a Chamber of Crafts or Chamber of Industry and Commerce and have been commissioned by one of the above-mentioned persons to report a death, you can also report the death in writing. If you are a hospital, retirement and nursing home or other institution where the death occurred, you are obliged to report the death to the registry office in writing.

When reporting a death, you will generally need

• the marriage or civil partnership certificate of the last marriage or civil partnership and, if applicable, proof of dissolution,
• the birth certificate,
• proof of the last place of residence (e.g. identity card, simple registration information, rental agreement, electricity bill or comparable documents) and
• a medical certificate confirming the death

of the deceased.

You may not need to submit the birth certificate if the registration details of the deceased's birth can be found on a marriage or civil partnership certificate. If necessary, please contact the relevant registry office for more information.

The registry office may request the submission of further documents if this is necessary.

A death must be reported to the competent registry office no later than the third working day following the death.

If you are obliged to notify the competent registry office of the death under the above-mentioned conditions, the registry office can impose a fine if you fail to do so. An objection to this is possible.

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Thuringian Ministry of the Interior, Municipal Affairs and Regional Development

28.05.2026