All the documents, in order — a 10-step guide
The list below covers the standard sequence for a death that occurred in Romania. Steps marked with (we handle) can be delegated to us with a power of attorney.
- Step 1 — Medical death certificate (certificat medical constatator al decesului): issued by the attending doctor, hospital, ambulance service, or forensic medicine. Without it, no subsequent step is possible. If the death is violent or unexplained, forensic autopsy is mandatory and the certificate is issued after examination — this can take 1-5 days.
- Step 2 — Deceased's identity documents: national ID or passport. Brought to Civil Registry for the death registration. (we handle — we collect from family or hospital)
- Step 3 — Death registration at Civil Registry (Starea Civila): done at the local authority of the place of death, within 3 days (including the day of death). The registrar enters the death in the civil status register.
- Step 4 — Death certificate (certificat de deces): issued by Civil Registry at the time of registration, free of charge. This is the primary legal document for all subsequent procedures. Duplicates are free at ANY town hall in Romania, per Government Decision HG 255/2024 — you do not need to return to the issuing town hall.
- Step 5 — Sanitary clearance (adeverinta sanitara de inhumare sau incinerare): issued by the Public Health Authority (DSP) or, in most cases, handled directly by the funeral company. Small administrative fee, paid by us and included in the package. (we handle)
- Step 6 — Funeral aid application at CNPP (Casa Nationala de Pensii Publice): for insured or retired persons, we submit the assignment file to CNPP. Transfer within 2-3 business days. Details on the full process are on our funeral allowance page. (we handle entirely)
- Step 7 — Cancellation of deceased's documents: family submits the ID to the issuing authority. Passport is cancelled at the passport office. We advise which offices to contact.
- Step 8 — Multilingual death extract (extras multilingv): an official extract of the death record in multiple EU languages, issued by Civil Registry. It has the same legal force as the death certificate for use in other EU countries. This is the key document for diaspora families dealing with foreign administrations. (we handle on request)
- Step 9 — Anexa 24: a document issued by the last-domicile town hall, confirming the deceased's last registered address. Required for the CNPP funeral aid file and for certain succession procedures. (we handle)
- Step 10 — Notary appointment for succession (succesiunea): the notary opens the succession file, inventories the estate, and issues the succession certificate. The family must appear in person or authorize a representative by power of attorney. We prepare the document file and schedule the appointment.
Deadlines and costs at a glance
| Document | Deadline | Cost to family | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical death certificate | Issued at time of death / after autopsy | Free | Doctor or hospital |
| Death registration | Within 3 days of death | Free | Civil Registry (we can act by proxy) |
| Death certificate | Issued at registration | Free | Civil Registry |
| Duplicate death certificate | Any time, at any town hall (HG 255/2024) | Free | Any town hall |
| Multilingual death extract | Any time, same day | Free | Civil Registry (we handle on request) |
| Sanitary clearance | Before burial or cremation | Small fee — we cover it | DSP / funeral company |
| Mortuary passport (repatriation) | Before transport abroad | Included in repatriation service | We handle |
| Anexa 24 | As needed for CNPP / notary | Free | Last-domicile town hall (we handle) |
| CNPP funeral aid assignment | Within 12 months of death | Free | We handle entirely |
| Notary succession | No statutory deadline, but advisable within 1 year | Notary fees per grid | Notary (we schedule and prepare) |
The multilingual extract — key for diaspora families
The multilingual death extract (extras multilingv de pe actul de deces) is an EU-standard document that lists all death record data in multiple EU languages on a single form. It does not require a separate translation or apostille to be used in another EU member state.
This is the document to request if you need to notify a foreign employer, pension fund, insurance company, or bank of the death. We obtain it on your behalf on the same day as the death registration, or at any later point from the Civil Registry.
For non-EU countries (USA, Canada, UK, Australia), a legalized translation and apostille on the standard death certificate may still be required. We coordinate both.
Romanian Law 102/2014 on funeral servicesBenefits and entitlements after a death
Beyond the paperwork, the family may be entitled to several benefits. The state funeral allowance (9,192 RON in 2026 for insured or retired persons) is obtained by rights assignment — the family does not advance money. The surviving spouse and minor children may be entitled to a survivor's pension from CNPP. For the complete eligibility rules, see our 2026 funeral allowance guide.
We help with the funeral aid file at CNPP and guide the family on the survivor's pension application and on recovering any uncollected pension months.