Registering a death in the Netherlands
Would you like to report the death of a loved one or someone else? Usually the funeral director will declare the death, but you can also do this yourself. This should be done at the municipality where your loved one died.
When you go to the municipality to register a death, you will need to bring the death statement (verklaring van overlijden) with you. This will be given to you by the doctor who confirmed the death. The death statement is made up of 2 parts: the A-verklaring where the death is officially declared and the B-verklaring which states the cause of death.
After a death has been registered, the Registrar of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (ambtenaar van de burgerlijke stand) issues the death certificate (Akte van overlijden). The personal details of the deceased appear on the certificate, as well as the name of the informant. It is possible to obtain an excerpt of the certificate.
After issuing the death certificate, the municipality amends the information held on the deceased in the Personal Records Database (Basisregistratie Personen – BRP).
The municipality also issues a document in which it gives permission for the funeral: either the authorisation for burial (verlof tot begraven) or the authorisation for cremation (verlof tot cremeren).
Did the deceased indicate that they wanted to donate their body to science? Then you will be issued a authorisation for dissection (verlof tot ontleding).
You must register a death within 6 working days, and always before the funeral.
This is how it works for you
Here is some information from your municipality.
Notification of death
If someone dies, the municipality must be officially informed within six working days. The funeral director can register the death, but also a family member or a friend. You arrange it at the town hall.
What to bring
- your valid ID death certificate, drawn up by the attending physician or the municipal coroner
- statement about the cause of death for Statistics Netherlands (B envelope), issued by the attending physician
- if you want it updated: the marriage booklet
- in case of unnatural cause of death: declaration of no objection to burial or cremation, issued by the public prosecutor
- if a postponement of burial or cremation is necessary: statement of no objection, issued by a doctor
- if the deceased wishes to make themselves available to science: request to the mayor to issue permission for dissection.
Declaration by surviving dependants
You can register a death yourself. You do this in the municipality where your loved one died. Make an appointment with the municipality for this.
Online registration by funeral directors
Entrepreneurs can submit a declaration online with a form. You need eHerkenning for this.
Official copy of the death certificate: € 15,70
After the notification
You will receive an extract from the death register from the municipality and written permission for the burial or cremation of the deceased.
Questions about this topic?
Contact the Municipality of Heerenveen
Visiting address
Crackstraat 2
8441ES Heerenveen
| Monday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Tuesday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Thursday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Friday | 08:30-16:00 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |