A brief overview dealing with death in the Netherlands.
If someone close to you passes away in the Netherlands, this guide covers the key steps to follow. Always ensure you check with an undertaker or the municipality that you have covered all the official procedures you must follow.
How to proceed?
When someone passes away from natural causes, a doctor usually provides a death certificate. You have to notify the Municipality where the person lived as soon as possible about their death, generally the undertaker will take care of this for you but in case you need to do this yourself here is the process for reporting it. This has to be done within 6 days and can be easily done on the governmental website.
If you wish you can notify the municipality yourself of the death: Leiden Municipality / Leiderdorp Municipality / Voorschooten Municipality / Zoeterwoude Municipality
A useful tool for making funeral arrangements is the Uitvaart app. The app allows you to reserve rooms and access information about municipal cemeteries and their available facilities.
Required Documents
There are multiple documents required in order to report a death to the Municiplaity
The municipality gives you two documents, one is a extract from the Death Certificate for you to notify the various authorities about, the second document is to allow you to bury someone or cremate someone.
If you haven’t already you then can contact an Undertaker (uitvaartondernemers) to handle the body, if necessary they will notify the Municipality of the deceased’s death and carry out your wishes in terms of how you wish to conduct the funeral.
Often people speak with the undertakers before and make a plan, sometimes they may take out insurance with the undertaker to cover the costs of a funeral. Funeral costs in the Netherlands can start around €9,000 to €9,500 euros, depending on what services and arrangements you make. This can be discussed and decided with the Funeral directors.
Please note: In the Netherlands a person cannot be buried or cremated no earlier than 36 hours and no later than 6 days without special permission from the Mayor.
What are the legal aspects to take into account after registering a death in the Netherlands?
When a person passes away, it is important for the relatives to make an appointment with a notary/solicitor as soon as possible so that all legal aspects are covered within good time.
The notary, after checking the Central Register of Wills (Centraal Testamentenregister) and other population registers, issues a certificate of succession (verklaring van erfrecht) recording the names of the heirs. Once in possession of this certificate, you can access the deceased’s bank and/or giro accounts.
You also need to notify employers, insurance companies, mortgage companies, pension funds and so on.
The declaration of death duties and capital transfer tax must be dealt with within eight months of the death by the heirs/beneficiaries (or the executor of the will). An heir/beneficiary should realise that they are liable for the consequences of accepting the estate from the time of death. This means that the value of any stocks and shares as it was on the date of death will be taken to settle the death duties and capital transfer tax, even if the value has changed considerably by the time of payment.
It is also advisable to contact the Embassy or Consulate of the deceased; they will be able to inform you or help you in dealing with all the formalities.
In some cases, you have to deal with the law of both the Netherlands and the law of your home country, e.g. if you have possessions (a house, land, etc.) in your home country or a third country.
Funeral directors (uitvaartondernemers)
What do they do?
Usually, when someone dies they help the next of kin arrange all the official documentation and procedures that must be organised. Such as registering the death for you at the Municipality. They will also keep hold of the body until the funeral or cremation. Or you can have the body at home. They can discuss with you all the details that you would like for the funeral, such as flowers, coffin, where you want to buried or cremated, music, service etc.
Essential Information for Internationals in the Netherlands
- If you wish to send the remains of a family member home, here is what needs to be done.
- This is the process for when someone dies outside of the Netherlands.
- Information on assisted dying in the Netherlands.
- Information on euthanasia and assisted suicide.
