What to Do When Someone Dies in Austria: 5-Step Official Checklist

1. 1

   Official Medical Post-Mortem Examination (*Totenbeschau*) and Notification of Death

   Before a deceased person may be moved or buried in Austria, a mandatory official medical post-mortem examination (Totenbeschau) must be conducted by an authorized physician [1]:

   • Death in a hospital or care home: The medical management of the facility arranges the Totenbeschau and completes the official death notification and medical death certificate (Anzeige des Todes samt Todesbescheinigung) directly on site [1].
   • Death at home or in a public place: Immediately contact the on-call medical service (ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) or emergency medical services via 144 (or the European emergency number 112) as well as the local municipality (Gemeinde) or municipal administration (Magistrat) [1]. Depending on the federal province (Bundesland), the municipal physician (Gemeindearzt or Sprengelarzt) or, in Vienna, Municipal Department 15 - Public Health Services of the City of Vienna (Magistratsabteilung 15 - Gesundheitsdienst der Stadt Wien, MA 15) performs the Totenbeschau [1].
   • Unexplained or unnatural cause of death: If there are signs of an accident, suicide, or third-party involvement, or if a body is found in a public place, call the police immediately on 133; the body and surroundings must not be moved or altered until the police and the public health officer complete their examination [1].
2. 2

   Checking Pre-Arrangements and Appointing a Licensed Funeral Director (*Bestattungsunternehmen*)

   First check whether the deceased arranged a pre-need funeral contract (Bestattungsvorsorge, for example with the Wiener Verein or a local funeral provider) or funeral expense insurance (Sterbegeldversicherung), and whether they left written wishes regarding earth burial (Erdbestattung) or cremation (Feuerbestattung/Kremation) [1]:

   • Licensed funeral providers: Appoint a licensed funeral company (konzessioniertes Bestattungsunternehmen) in Austria [1][3]. An official directory of licensed providers is maintained by the professional association Wirtschaftskammer Österreich - Bundesinnung der Rauchfangkehrer und Bestatter (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber - Federal Guild of Chimney Sweeps and Funeral Directors) [3].
   • Transport, provincial deadlines, and civil registry coordination: The funeral director handles the preparation and transfer of the deceased, ensures compliance with statutory burial and cremation deadlines under the applicable provincial funeral act (Landes-Bestattungsgesetz), and, upon request, completes the registration formalities with the civil registry office [1][3]. Clarvia provides professional directories for orientation only and does not endorse individual commercial providers.
3. 3

   Civil Death Registration at the *Standesamt* and Issuance of the Death Certificate

   The death must be reported no later than the next working day to the civil status authority (Personenstandsbehörde - Standesamt or Standesamtsverband) for the place of death [1]. In practice, the appointed funeral company or the hospital almost always submits this notification on the family's behalf [1].

   Prepare the following documents of the deceased for the Standesamt (where data are not already fully recorded in the Central Civil Status Register - Zentrales Personenstandsregister, ZPR) [1]:

   • Medical death certificate: The official Anzeige des Todes / Todesbescheinigung issued following the Totenbeschau [1].
   • Civil status and identity documents: Birth certificate (Geburtsurkunde), proof of citizenship (Staatsbürgerschaftsnachweis) or passport/ID card, marriage or registered partnership certificate (Heiratsurkunde or Partnerschaftsurkunde), divorce decree or prior spouse's death certificate if applicable, and documentary proof of academic degrees [1].
   • Official certificates and automatic notifications: Once recorded in the Central Civil Status Register (ZPR), as detailed on the official Austrian government portal oesterreich.gv.at, the Standesamt issues the official death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) as well as multilingual international death certificates (CIEC Form C) for cross-border matters [1]. The Standesamt also automatically forwards the death notice to the competent district court (Bezirksgericht), the umbrella body of social insurance institutions (Dachverband der Sozialversicherungsträger), and the tax office (Finanzamt) [1][2].
4. 4

   Claiming Survivor Pensions and Social Insurance Benefits

   Although Austrian social insurance institutions (such as the Austrian Health Insurance Fund - Österreichische Gesundheitskasse, ÖGK) are notified automatically via the ZPR and terminate ongoing retirement pensions or care allowances (Pflegegeld), survivor benefits must be claimed actively by eligible family members [4][5]:

   • Widow's, widower's, and orphan's pensions (Witwen-, Witwer- und Waisenpension): Surviving spouses, registered partners, and children (generally up to age 18, or up to age 27 while in university education or vocational training) may apply for a survivor pension (Hinterbliebenenpension) with the competent pension insurance institution - generally the Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA), or alternatively the SVS (for self-employed persons and farmers) or BVAEB (for public-sector employees) [4][5]. If the application is submitted within 6 months of the date of death, the survivor pension is paid retroactively from the day following the date of death [4][5].
   • Lump-sum settlement (Abfindung): Where the deceased did not accumulate sufficient insurance periods for an ongoing survivor pension, surviving dependents can apply to the Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA) to check eligibility for a one-time lump-sum settlement (Abfindung) [4][5].
5. 5

   Automatic Probate Proceedings (*Verlassenschaftsverfahren*), Banks, and Tax Matters

   In Austria, heirs do not need to file a petition to open probate: once the Standesamt transmits the death record, the district court (Bezirksgericht) of the deceased's last residence automatically opens the statutory probate proceeding (Verlassenschaftsverfahren) [2][6]:

   • Initial estate inquiry (Todesfallaufnahme) by the notary (Gerichtskommissär): The district court appoints a locally competent notary as court commissioner (Gerichtskommissär) to conduct the probate proceedings; official guidance on their statutory duties is published by the Österreichische Notariatskammer (Austrian Chamber of Civil-Law Notaries) and the federal justice portal [2][6]. The notary contacts the family directly to conduct the initial estate record (Todesfallaufnahme), identifying potential heirs, checking the Central Register of Wills (Zentrales Testamentsregister), and listing estate assets (bank accounts, real estate, vehicles) and liabilities (debts and funeral expenses) [2][6].
   • Bank accounts and ongoing contracts: As soon as banks learn of the death, sole accounts held in the deceased's name are frozen until completion of the Verlassenschaftsverfahren; standing orders should be reviewed and ongoing contracts (rent, utilities, telecommunications, private insurance) cancelled or transferred upon presentation of the Sterbeurkunde [2].
   • Declaration of acceptance (Erbantrittserklärung) and court vesting order (Einantwortung): If the estate assets exceed EUR 5,000, heirs submit either a conditional declaration of acceptance (bedingte Erbantrittserklärung, limiting liability for estate debts to the value of the inherited assets following an official inventory) or an unconditional declaration (unbedingte Erbantrittserklärung, carrying unlimited personal liability for debts) [2][6]. Ownership of the estate officially passes to the heirs upon issuance of the district court's final vesting order (Einantwortungsbeschluss) [2]. Austria does not levy a general inheritance tax (Erbschaftssteuer), though real estate transfers remain subject to real estate transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer) and land register registration fees (Grundbuchseintragungsgebühr) [2].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Death - Notification of death, medical post-mortem examination (Totenbeschau), and death certificate — oesterreich.gv.at (Bundeskanzleramt Österreich)
2. [2]
   Probate proceedings (Verlassenschaftsverfahren) - Procedure, initial estate inquiry, and vesting order — oesterreich.gv.at (Bundesministerium für Justiz)
3. [3]
   Federal Guild of Chimney Sweeps and Funeral Directors (Bundesinnung der Rauchfangkehrer und Bestatter) — Wirtschaftskammer Österreich (WKO)
4. [4]
   Pensions for survivors - Orphan's pension (Waisenpension) — Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA)
5. [5]
   Pensions for survivors - Widow's and widower's pension (Witwen- und Witwerpension) — Pensionsversicherungsanstalt (PVA)
6. [6]
   Initial estate inquiry (Todesfallaufnahme) by the notary as court commissioner (Gerichtskommissär) — oesterreich.gv.at (Bundesministerium für Justiz)