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

1. 1

   Medical certification of death and forensic clearance

   • Death in a hospital or healthcare facility: When a death occurs in a public hospital (such as the National Reference University Hospital or the Good Samaritan University Hospital in N'Djamena) or an accredited clinic under the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention (Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Prévention), the attending physician examines the deceased and issues the official medical certificate of cause of death [4][5]. This medical certificate records the identity of the deceased, the date and hour of death, and whether death resulted from natural causes [1][4].
   • Death occurring at home: If the person dies at home, the family must contact a licensed physician from a public health center or an accredited medical facility supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention so that the doctor can verify the death and issue the medical death certificate required for civil registration [1][4].
   • Forensic and judicial intervention: In cases of violent, accidental, unexplained, or public-road deaths, the judicial police officer and the Public Prosecutor at the territorially competent High Court (Tribunal de Grande Instance) must be notified immediately [1]. Under Chadian civil registration law, no burial permit or death certificate may be issued until the forensic examination and the prosecutor's formal authorization are completed [1].
2. 2

   Civil death registration and statutory deadlines

   • Competent civil registry and declarants: Under Chad's civil status legislation (including Ordinance No. 003/PR/2013 and regulations administered with the National Agency for Secure Documents - Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés), the death must be declared at the municipal or sub-prefectural civil registration center of the place where the death occurred [1][2]. The declaration may be made by the surviving spouse, an ascendant or descendant, a close relative, the neighborhood chief, or the hospital director [1].
   • Statutory time limits and required documents: The declaration must be filed within the statutory deadline prescribed by Chadian civil status rules (generally fifteen days to one month in urban communes and up to two months in rural districts) by presenting the medical death certificate, the deceased person's national identity card or birth certificate, and the declarant's identity document [1][2].
   • Late registration and court-ordered certificates: If the statutory deadline expires before the death is registered with the municipal civil registry or the National Agency for Secure Documents, the civil registrar cannot record the death on a simple administrative declaration [1][2]. The family must petition the competent High Court (Tribunal de Grande Instance) to obtain a supplementary court judgment of death (jugement supplétif d'acte de décès) [1]. Request several certified copies and extracts of the official death certificate upon registration [1][2].
3. 3

   Funeral arrangements, burial permits, and international repatriation

   • Municipal burial permit: No burial may take place in Chad without prior issuance of an official burial permit (permis d'inhumer) by the municipal civil registrar upon presentation of the medical certificate of death and confirmation that no forensic objection exists [1][4].
   • Public health compliance and cemetery regulations: Burials are carried out in authorized municipal or community cemeteries in accordance with municipal hygiene rules and public health standards supervised by the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention [4][5].
   • International repatriation of remains: If the deceased is a foreign national or must be repatriated abroad or transferred outside the municipality, obtaining an international mortuary transit permit (laissez-passer mortuaire) requires a medical certificate of non-contagion, an official sealing certificate in a hermetically sealed coffin inspected by public health authorities, and consular clearance from the destination country [1][4].
4. 4

   Social security, survivor pensions, banks, and insurance

   • Private-sector survivor benefits: If the deceased was a salaried employee covered by the general social security system, the surviving family members must notify the National Social Insurance Fund (Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale - CNPS) to claim a survivor pension under the Old-Age, Invalidity, and Death branch (PVID) [3][6]. The application submitted to the National Social Insurance Fund must include the official death certificate, the medical certificate stating the cause or manner of death, the marriage certificate, birth certificates of minor children, and the certificate of heirship [3][6].
   • Public-sector pensions and banking notifications: For civil servants and military personnel, survivor pension and death grant claims are filed with the Chadian National Retirement Fund (Caisse Nationale des Retraites du Tchad - CNRT) [6]. Simultaneously, notify banks and insurance companies in Chad with certified copies of the death certificate to freeze individual accounts, stop standing orders, and claim contractual life insurance or death benefits [3][6].
5. 5

   Opening and settling the estate (succession)

   • Certificate of heirship and court or notarial jurisdiction: Estate proceedings open at the deceased person's last domicile before the competent High Court (Tribunal de Grande Instance) or through a licensed Chadian notary [1][3]. Obtaining an official certificate of heirship (acte de notoriété d'hérédité) or a court-certified heirship judgment is mandatory to establish the legal standing of heirs before banks and the National Social Insurance Fund [1][3].
   • Applicable succession rules and estate inventory: In Chad, succession is governed either by written civil law (including Civil Code provisions and valid wills) or by recognized customary or personal status rules overseen by the civil courts, subject to statutory protections for the surviving spouse and minor children [1].
   • Estate tax declarations and cross-border coordination: Heirs must file a succession declaration with the Registration and State Property Directorate (Direction de l'Enregistrement et des Domaines) to settle transfer duties and update land titles [1]. Where an heir resides abroad or assets are located outside Chad, a notarized power of attorney legalized through consular channels allows local representation in N'Djamena without immediate travel [1].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Legislation Organizing Civil Registration in Chad — République du Tchad / UNICEF
2. [2]
   Official Civil Registration Portal of Chad (ANATS) — Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (Tchad)
3. [3]
   PVID Benefits - Survivor Pension Requirements and Documentation — Caisse Nationale de Prévoyance Sociale du Tchad (CNPS)
4. [4]
   Official Portal of the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention — Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Prévention (Tchad)
5. [5]
   National Health Promotion and Well-Being Strategy 2024-2030 (Chad) — Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS Afrique) / Ministère de la Santé du Tchad
6. [6]
   The National Social Insurance Fund (CNPS) of Chad - Schemes and Benefits — Conférence Interafricaine de la Prévoyance Sociale (CIPRES)