Procedures to follow in case of a death in France

Unfortunately, you have just lost a loved one. A certain number of mandatory steps will be necessary. Here is the exhaustive list, sorted chronologically. Please be aware that Advitam is here to help you with all of these steps.

Steps to take immediately after the death

Have the death confirmed

When the death occurs in a hospital, clinic, care facility, or nursing home, it is the doctor in charge or from the facility who confirms the death and signs the medical certificate of death.

If the death occurs at home, it is the doctor called to confirm the death who is responsible for establishing this certificate.

If the death occurred in a public place or on a public road, or under circumstances requiring the intervention of the police or gendarmerie, the certificate is established at the location where the deceased was transported (hospital, funeral home, forensic institute).

Report the death

The death must be reported within 24 working hours following the death, at the civil registry office of the city hall where the death occurred. Advitam handles this process. However, if you wish to do it yourself, bring the deceased's family record book (or failing that, any other identification document) and the medical certificate confirming the death.

Coffining and closing the casket

The casket can only be closed after authorization from the mayor, either from the place of death or the place where the deceased was placed if they were transported before being placed in the casket.

Urgent steps to take

Notify the employer within 48 hours after the death if the deceased was still working

They will proceed with the termination of the employment contract, settling the last salary and any compensation due. Check if the company has taken out a group death insurance policy, granting either funeral expenses or a pension to beneficiaries.

Check if the deceased has taken out a funeral contract

The deceased may have taken out a "funeral contract". Notify the contract holder immediately. Also notify any financing organizations that may be involved in funeral expenses. For more information on financial assistance for funerals, check out our guide on this topic.

Decisions to make

Religious or civil funeral ceremony

Each family has the option to organize a ceremony in accordance with their secular or religious beliefs and those of the deceased. Families who wish to have a religious celebration must contact the representatives of the religious community directly or through Advitam.

For families who wish to have a civil ceremony without any religious connotation, Advitam advises and organizes the tribute they wish to pay to their deceased loved one with them.

It is possible to organize a personalized farewell with readings, the playing of chosen music, or the projection of photos or videos...

This tribute to the deceased can be held in various places:

• a cultural building

• the cemetery where the burial takes place

• the funeral home's dedicated room, the crematorium's ceremony room, or a community room provided by the city hall for families

Use of a funeral home

Often very expensive, funeral homes have presentation rooms to accommodate the deceased in the days leading up to the coffining. These rooms offer families and friends the opportunity to keep a vigil for their deceased loved one and gather in an adapted and customizable setting. Funeral homes are equipped to provide embalming services.

Using a funeral home is mandatory in case of a death outside an establishment with a mortuary and if the deceased is not to be kept at home. Apart from these two cases, it is not recommended to use a funeral home due to their high prices.

Embalming (thanatopraxy)

Performed by qualified professionals, these treatments are carried out a few hours after death. They help delay the body's post-mortem changes.

Embalming may be mandatory in some cases, such as repatriation to certain foreign countries, for example.

Choose the type of burial

The choice between burial and cremation is now very flexible. The decision must be made quickly. The burial or cremation must take place at the earliest 24 hours after the death and within 14 days following the death.

If the deceased has not specified their wishes in advance, the decision can be made by any person who, by a stable and permanent link, appears to be the best interpreter of the deceased's wishes.

A detailed guide on the different types of burials is also available.

In the case of a burial

It is mandatory to affix an engraved plaque indicating the deceased's last name (patronymic and marital), first name, and years of birth and death on the coffin.

The burial of the deceased in a municipal cemetery is possible in the following cases (Article L. 2223-3 of the french General Code of Local Authorities):

• for people who died in the municipality, regardless of their place of residence

• for people who lived in the municipality, even if they died in another municipality

• for people not living in the municipality but who have a family grave there,

• for French citizens living abroad without a family grave in the municipality and who are registered on the municipality's electoral roll.

In the case of a cremation

Cremation requires authorization, granted by the mayor of the municipality where the death occurred or, if the deceased was transported, by the mayor of the place of coffining. A specific guide on cremation in France is available, as well as another on the legal possibilities for the deceased's ashes.

Steps to take after the funeral

To settle the estate and assert your rights, many organizations need to be contacted. We provide you with a table listing, by priority, the steps to take after the funeral. Please note that Advitam assists you with all of these steps.

Advitam offers you a free tool to carry out all these procedures.