Complete document list
- Medical death certificate — first document, issued by doctor
- Official death certificate — issued by Civil Status office
- Sanitary transport clearance — issued by DSP
- Embalming certificate — for transfers exceeding 24h
- Mortuary passport — for international transport
- Funeral aid certificate — if state aid is requested from CNPP
- Cemetery certificate — for plot concession
- Death certificate duplicates — for inheritance, contract cancellations
1. Medical death certificate
First official document. Issued by the doctor confirming death — family doctor (at home), on-duty hospital doctor, or forensic doctor (violent death).
Contains: date, time, location of death, cause of death, deceased's identification data. All other documents are obtained based on this.
Term: immediate. Cost: free (part of medical service).
2. Official death certificate
Complete legal document, issued by the Civil Status office in the locality where death occurred (or sometimes where the deceased lived).
Required for: burial/cremation, CNPP funeral aid, opening inheritance, ID cancellation, record updates (bank, insurance, contracts).
Term: 1-2 business days from request. Cost: free for original; duplicates ~20-50 RON.
3. Sanitary transport clearance
Document required for transporting the deceased on public roads, issued by Public Health Directorate (DSP). Certifies the transport poses no sanitary risk.
For local transfers (under 24h), procedures are simplified. For long or international transfers, embalming certificate is also needed.
Term: 1 business day. Cost: 50-150 RON (depending on county DSP). Usually obtained by the funeral company via power of attorney.
4. Mortuary passport (only for international transport)
Special mandatory document for international transport (intra-EU or extra-EU). Issued by DSP after zinc embalming per international norms.
Contains information about cause of death, embalming procedures, authorization for transport in sealed conditions.
Term: 2-3 business days. Cost: 200-500 RON. Coordinated with destination country consulate for foreign citizens.
Steps to obtain all documents
The family doesn't need to handle this alone. Standard procedure through funeral company:
- Day 1: after doctor's death confirmation, funeral company picks up the deceased. Family signs simple power of attorney (standard forms).
- Day 1-2: funeral company submits request to Civil Status, picks up official death certificate.
- Day 1-2: company submits request to DSP, picks up sanitary transport clearance.
- Day 2-3 (if applicable): for international transport, company coordinates zinc embalming + mortuary passport.
- Day 3-7: ceremony. Family receives copies of all documents.
- Post-ceremony: family may request additional duplicates for inheritance, contract cancellations, etc.
Special cases extending procedures
- Violent / suspicious death — mandatory autopsy, procedures take 2-5 additional days
- Death abroad — full repatriation needed, consular formalities, 3-14 days
- Deceased without found ID — Civil Status requires identification via other means, 1-3 additional days
- Cases with rare medical issues or infectious diseases — additional sanitary procedures
- Minor deceased — additional procedures with Child Protection in some cases