When a death occurs, the death certificate is the first required document. It is issued by the doctor and allows for the initial organization of the funeral.

What is the purpose of the death certificate?

The death certificate is the document that officializes the death of a person. The doctor who confirms the death writes it at the place of death (at the hospital, on public roads, at home, etc.). This document is mandatory for the organization of the funeral to take place.

It should not be confused with the death record, which is established by the city hall of the place of death. The death record is based on the information contained in the death certificate.

What information is contained in a death certificate?

The french death certificate is divided into two distinct parts, an administrative part and a medical part. The purpose of these two parts is different.

> First part of the certificate: administrative

It includes the civil status information:

The first name and last name of the deceased
The estimated place, date, and time of death
The date of birth and gender of the deceased
The address of the deceased's residence
The municipality where the death occurred

As well as information necessary for the funeral, which can also be called "medical-legal obstacles":

Authorization to administer embalming and body donation to science
Indicates if it is necessary to search for the cause of death and, therefore, to transfer it to a forensic institute
Determines if it is necessary to proceed with immediate placement in a coffin. The main reasons for this requirement are health-related (infectious disease or late discovery of the body, for example)
Specifies if a battery-operated prosthesis is present and whether the doctor has removed it. It is mandatory to remove it, regardless of the type of funeral chosen

The french death certificate has 3 or 4 sections, depending on the version of the certificate. Each section is intended for a specific administration (city hall of the place of death, of the place of coffin closure, etc.).

> Second part of the certificate: medical

This part is anonymous, visible only to the doctor who confirms the death, and is intended for the French Regional Health Agency. This information is useful for public health reasons. It includes the causes of death.

Depending on the place of death, this document is given to the deceased's family or to the hospital where the death occurred or to the city hall of the place of death. This document must then be given to the selected funeral home so that they can obtain the various authorizations required for the organization of the funeral.