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What the law says in the Netherlands

8 rules

Registering the death at the gemeente

The death is registered at the gemeente where it happened, by a relative or by the funeral company on the family’s behalf. You need the doctor’s death certificate. The gemeente then gives the death record (akte van overlijden) and the free burial permit (verlof tot begraven); there can be no burial without them. Ondernemersplein, Aangifte en akte van overlijden; Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 1, art. 19f and 19h; Wet op de lijkbezorging, art. 11 and 12

The municipal coroner, the prosecutor and autopsy

If the doctor cannot confirm a natural death, a municipal coroner (gemeentelijke lijkschouwer) examines the body and, if needed, reports to the public prosecutor. The body may then not be moved without the prosecutor’s permission, and burial waits for a statement of no objection. Outside a criminal investigation, an autopsy needs the consent of the deceased or the family. Wet op de lijkbezorging, art. 3, 7, 12, 72, 73 and 76

Burial permit, timing and repatriation

Burial takes place no earlier than 36 hours after the death and no later than the 6th working day; weekends and public holidays do not count. To bury sooner for religious reasons, the funeral company asks the gemeente where the person died; permission needs the mayor and the public prosecutor. To bury later, ask the mayor. Wet op de lijkbezorging, art. 16 and 17; Rijksoverheid, Welke regels gelden er bij begraven en cremeren?; Ondernemersplein, Aangifte en akte van overlijden

Burial permit, timing and repatriation

To bury abroad, you need a laissez-passer for the body (lijkenpas) from the gemeente where the person died. Türkiye is a party to the Strasbourg Agreement, whose coffin rules then apply; Morocco is not on the list of Strasbourg countries given by the Walloon government, and for a country outside the Agreement Dutch rules require a watertight coffin and the consulate sets its own conditions, so call it early. Ondernemersplein, Stoffelijk overschot vervoeren; Besluit op de lijkbezorging, art. 11 and 12; Wallonie, S’informer sur le rapatriement d’une dépouille mortelle (list of Strasbourg Agreement states)

Burial and graves

Dutch law allows burial without a coffin if the body is in another biodegradable cover suited to burial, such as a shroud; ask the cemetery first. A private grave right is given for an indefinite term or at least 10 years, and a fixed term is renewed if you ask within the 2 years before it ends. Some municipal cemeteries, such as Utrecht’s, have Islamic sections; ask your gemeente. Besluit op de lijkbezorging, art. 3 and 4; Wet op de lijkbezorging, art. 28; Gemeente Utrecht, Islamitisch begraven

The notaris and the estate

Without a will, a husband, wife or registered partner inherits the estate by default. A child left out of a will can claim a reserved share in money (half of their share without a will); the claim must be made within 5 years of the death, even if payment waits until the surviving spouse dies. A notaris makes the certificate of inheritance (verklaring van erfrecht) that banks may ask for. A will is valid only if made with a notaris. Rijksoverheid, Wat kan ik vastleggen in mijn testament?; Kan ik mijn echtgenoot en kinderen onterven?; Wat is een verklaring van erfrecht?; Notaris.nl, Onterfd

Small estates

There is no national small-estate rule that we could confirm. Each bank decides when it needs a certificate of inheritance, so ask the bank first. Before paying the deceased’s bills, ask a notaris about accepting the estate beneficially, so that you do not take on its debts. Rijksoverheid, Verklaring van erfrecht; Erfenis aanvaarden of weigeren

Death payments and help with costs

If the deceased received AOW, Anw or a disability benefit, the partner (or else children under 18, or else someone in the same home) may qualify for a one-off payment of one month’s gross benefit; check with the SVB or UWV. If no one arranges the funeral, the mayor does and the gemeente pays. It can reclaim the cost from the estate and, only if that is not enough, from relatives legally bound to support the deceased. Rijksoverheid, overlijdensuitkering; Nederland Wereldwijd, AOW overlijden doorgeven; Wet op de lijkbezorging, art. 21 and 22

From official sources, checked October 2026. Laws change; your funeral company and a notaris can confirm them.

Where you are

The Netherlands has one national law for registering a death, burial and estates, and this guide describes it. Each municipality (gemeente) runs its own cemeteries and sets its own grave types and fees, so ask your gemeente or funeral company what its cemeteries offer.

The steps

1. 1

   Have the death confirmed

   In the first hour · 0 of 4

   A doctor has to examine the body and confirm the death as soon as possible. If they are sure the death was natural, they write the death certificate (verklaring van overlijden). You need it to register the death and get the burial permit.

   • In a hospital or care home, ask the staff to confirm the death
   • At home, call the family doctor (huisarts)
   • If the death may not be natural, such as an accident or a suicide, call 112
   • Tell the staff early that the family needs a quick burial for religious reasons
2. and

   Close the eyes, cover the body, make duʿā

   In the first hour · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 4

   Gently and without hurry. Those present can do this while the calls are made.

   • Close the eyes and the mouth
   • Straighten the arms and legs
   • Cover the body with a clean sheet
   • Pray for them, and say only good
3. 2

   Call a Muslim funeral company

   In the first few hours · 0 of 4

   In the Netherlands the Muslim funeral company (uitvaartondernemer) handles the whole funeral: it collects the body, arranges the washing and the shroud, the paperwork, and the flight home if the family wants burial abroad. Not every mosque has a washing room, the expertise or transport, so call the funeral company, not the mosque. If the deceased paid into a funeral fund or funeral insurance, call that first: it sends its own funeral company.

   • If the deceased paid into a funeral fund or funeral insurance, call it before anything else
   • Otherwise call a Muslim funeral company
   • Tell them where the body is and who the next of kin is
   • Agree a time for the ghusl and the janazah prayer with them and the mosque
4. 3

   Ask whether the prosecutor is involvedPaperwork

   If the death was sudden or violent · 0 of 4

   If the municipal coroner cannot confirm a natural death, they report it to the public prosecutor (officier van justitie). Then the body may not be moved without the prosecutor’s permission, and the burial waits until the prosecutor gives a statement of no objection.

   • Ask the police or the coroner whether the prosecutor is involved
   • Ask the prosecutor’s office, early, to release the body quickly for religious reasons
   • Ask whether an autopsy (sectie) is planned
   • Ask the funeral company to collect the statement of no objection (verklaring van geen bezwaar) for the gemeente
5. 4

   Register the death at the gemeentePaperwork

   Before the burial · 0 of 3

   The death is registered (aangifte van overlijden) at the municipality (gemeente) where it happened. A relative can do it, or the funeral company can do it for you. You then get the death record (akte van overlijden) and the free burial permit (verlof tot begraven). There can be no burial without both.

   • Take the doctor’s death certificate and your own ID
   • Or let the funeral company register it: many do this online
   • Check how your gemeente works: some ask relatives to come in person
6. 5

   Choose the funeral company and the gravePaperwork

   Within the first day · 0 of 4

   You are free to choose the funeral company (uitvaartondernemer). It collects the body, arranges the washing place and handles most of the paperwork. Dutch law allows burial without a coffin, in another cover such as a shroud.

   • Ask the funeral company where the ghusl can be done
   • Ask the cemetery whether it accepts burial in a shroud only
   • Ask the gemeente which Islamic sections and grave types its cemeteries have
   • Ask for a private grave (particulier graf) for an indefinite term if you want the grave to stay
7. and

   Wash and shroud the body

   Within the first day · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 2

   Done by trained Muslims of the same sex, or by the spouse. The funeral service usually provides the cloth.

   • Confirm who will wash
   • Confirm the kafan is ready

   How the washing and shroud are done

8. 6

   The janazah prayer and the burial

   As soon as possible · 0 of 3

   The prayer is often held after one of the daily prayers, and the burial follows straight after.

   • Tell family and community the time of the prayer
   • Confirm the grave in an Islamic section or Muslim cemetery
   • Plan the burial for at least 36 hours after the death, or ask early for permission to bury sooner

   How to pray the janazah prayer

9. and

   If the burial will be abroadPaperwork

   Before the coffin is closed · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 4

   Many families bury their dead in another country, for example in Morocco or Türkiye. Ask the funeral company which papers it arranges and which the family must get. The estate usually pays, or the family if there is no money in it, unless a fund or insurance covers it. Ask the funeral company what it costs and who signs before you agree.

   • Tell the funeral company early that the burial will be abroad
   • Call the consulate of the country early: it sets its own documents and conditions
   • Call any mosque funeral fund or insurer before arranging anything yourself
   • Check that the airline and the destination country will accept the body
10. 7

    Get copies of the death recordPaperwork

    In the first week · 0 of 2

    Banks, insurers and pension funds may want an extract from the death record (uittreksel uit de akte van overlijden).

    • Ask the gemeente where the death happened for extracts
    • Ask each organisation whether it needs one
11. 8

    Pay the funeral costs and list every debt

    In the first weeks · 0 of 4

    The funeral is paid from the estate first, then the debts. Nothing is inherited until both are settled.

    • Pay the funeral costs from the estate
    • List loans, bills and money owed to family
    • Ask a scholar about any unpaid zakat
    • Before paying other bills, ask a notaris whether to accept the estate (beneficiair aanvaarden)
12. and

    Find the will, and claim the death paymentPaperwork

    In the first weeks · at the same time as the step above · 0 of 3

    A notaris, a public legal officer, holds every Dutch will and usually settles the estate. If the deceased lived in the Netherlands, the state pension office (SVB) is told of the death automatically; check with any other benefit office.

    • Ask the Central Register of Wills (Centraal Testamentenregister) whether there is a will, and which notaris holds it
    • If the deceased had AOW, Anw or a disability benefit, check the one-off death payment (overlijdensuitkering)
    • Secure the house and car, and keep the phone line active for sign-in codes
13. 9

    Settle and divide the estatePaperwork

    In the months after · 0 of 4

    Without a will, a husband or wife inherits the estate by default under Dutch law. Dividing by the Islamic shares therefore needs a will or the heirs to agree. Ask a notaris early how this can be done.

    • Ask the bank whether it needs a certificate of inheritance (verklaring van erfrecht)
    • See a notaris for the certificate and for any home or land
    • Pay any bequest, up to one third, to people who are not heirs
    • Divide the rest by the fixed shares

    See how the estate divides

14. 10

    Look after the family

    Four months and ten days · 0 of 3

    A woman keeps the prescribed mourning (iḥdād: setting aside adornment and perfume) for no more than three days for any death, except for her husband: then four months and ten days, the length of her ʿiddah, or until she gives birth if she is pregnant.

    • Bring food and help with the household
    • Help the widow with errands and appointments
    • Make duʿā for the one who has died

    What to say and do when you visit

15. 11

    Write your own Islamic will

    For those left behind · 0 of 3

    Without a valid will, Dutch law decides who inherits, not the fixed shares: a husband or wife takes the whole estate first. An Islamic will in the Netherlands is an ordinary Dutch will, made with a notaris, that directs the estate by the shares as far as the law allows.

    • Make the will with a notaris: a will you write yourself is not valid in the Netherlands
    • Take the Islamic shares to the notaris
    • Ask the notaris how the children’s reserved share affects the Islamic shares

    Work out the Islamic shares to take to a notaris

Settling things after the funeral? Keep track of every task, and who is doing it. Sharing the steps with family? Make a family checklist you send as a link.

General guidance, not a fatwa or legal advice. Dutch law on registering a death, burial and estates is national, but each municipality runs its own cemeteries and sets its own grave types and fees; your funeral company and a notaris can confirm them. All sources

Last reviewed October 2026. Something wrong? Tell us