How long does it take to get the death certificate?

Usually the same day or the next, once the documents are complete (the medical certificate and the deceased's ID). The registration deadline is 3 days from the death. We can collect the certificate for you with a simple power of attorney.

Can you collect the documents instead of me?

Yes. With a simple power of attorney, we handle the Civil Registry, pick up the death certificate, and arrange translations and the apostille, so the family doesn't queue at offices.

What if my relative died abroad?

The foreign death certificate must be transcribed into the Romanian registry, usually with an apostille and a legalized translation. We coordinate all of it from Romania, in parallel with repatriation, while you're still abroad.

Does the death certificate cost anything?

Issuance of the death certificate is free. Translations, the apostille, and notary succession fees do have official charges, paid to the institution — we tell you the amounts in advance so there are no surprises.

Do you help with the succession too?

We coordinate the notary appointment for opening the succession and prepare the documents you'll need. The succession fees are set by the notary grid and paid to the notary; we make sure the file is complete.

Death Paperwork & Documents in Romania

Administrative and medical services after a death

After a death, the family is buried in formalities: the medical death certificate, civil registration, the death certificate, and sometimes translations, an apostille, or opening the succession. We take on the bureaucratic side so the family doesn't run between offices. We tell you exactly which document to obtain, where, and in what order — and the ones that can be delegated, we resolve on your behalf. For diaspora families this matters most: we handle the Romanian paperwork while you're abroad.

The medical formalities

The first document after a death is the medical death certificate (certificatul medical constatator al decesului). A doctor issues it — the family doctor, the hospital doctor, or, for deaths at home with no attending doctor, the ambulance service or forensic medicine. Without this certificate, no further step is possible.

If the death was violent, suspicious, or sudden with no clear cause, an autopsy at forensic medicine is required, and the certificate is issued after examination. We explain when an autopsy is mandatory and how it proceeds.

Romanian Law 102/2014 — funeral services

Registering the death and the death certificate

The death is registered at the Civil Registry (Starea Civilă) of the locality where it occurred, within 3 days (including the day of death). Based on the medical certificate and the deceased's ID, the death certificate is issued — the official document without which there is no funeral, no funeral allowance, and no succession.

The death certificate is issued free of charge. We can collect it on the family's behalf with a simple power of attorney, so you don't lose time at the counter.

For deaths that occurred abroad

If a Romanian citizen died in another country, the foreign death certificate must be transcribed into the Romanian civil registry. The procedure usually requires an apostille on the foreign document (for Hague Convention countries) and a legalized translation into Romanian.

We coordinate the transcription, the legalized translations, and the apostille, in parallel with repatriation of the deceased. For diaspora families, we handle the Romanian end while you are still abroad.

Translations, apostille, notary

Legalized translations of death documents — for use abroad, or for foreign documents used in Romania
The Hague apostille on the death certificate — needed for repatriation and succession abroad
Transcription of a foreign death certificate into the Romanian registry
Scheduling and assistance at the notary for opening the succession
Powers of attorney for the documents we resolve for you

Benefits and entitlements after a death

Beyond the paperwork, the family is entitled to several benefits. The state funeral allowance (9,192 RON in 2026 for insured or retired persons) can be obtained by assignment, without the family advancing the money. The surviving spouse and children may be entitled to a survivor's pension.

We help with the funeral-allowance file at the National Pension House (CNPP) and guide you on the survivor's pension and on recovering the deceased's uncollected pension.

Answers to frequent questions

How long does it take to get the death certificate?
Usually the same day or the next, once the documents are complete (the medical certificate and the deceased's ID). The registration deadline is 3 days from the death. We can collect the certificate for you with a simple power of attorney.
Can you collect the documents instead of me?
Yes. With a simple power of attorney, we handle the Civil Registry, pick up the death certificate, and arrange translations and the apostille, so the family doesn't queue at offices.
What if my relative died abroad?
The foreign death certificate must be transcribed into the Romanian registry, usually with an apostille and a legalized translation. We coordinate all of it from Romania, in parallel with repatriation, while you're still abroad.
Does the death certificate cost anything?
Issuance of the death certificate is free. Translations, the apostille, and notary succession fees do have official charges, paid to the institution — we tell you the amounts in advance so there are no surprises.
Do you help with the succession too?
We coordinate the notary appointment for opening the succession and prepare the documents you'll need. The succession fees are set by the notary grid and paid to the notary; we make sure the file is complete.