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

1. 1

   Obtain the Medical Certificate of Death

   • Hospital or medical facility deaths: When a death occurs in a hospital or healthcare institution regulated by the National Health Commission, the attending physician immediately issues the unified Medical Certificate of Death (Inference) (Siwang Yixue Zhengming (Tuiduan) Shu) in multiple official counterfoils [1] [2]. This certificate is the foundational legal document required for household registration cancellation, funeral home reception, and cremation authorization [1] [2].
   • Deaths at home (natural causes): If your family member died naturally at home, contact the sub-district community health service center (Shequ Weisheng Fuwu Zhongxin) or township health center immediately [1] [2]. A community medical practitioner examines the body, reviews prior medical history and neighborhood committee confirmation, and issues the official Medical Certificate of Death (Inference) [1] [2].
   • Unexpected, accidental, or non-natural deaths: If the death occurred suddenly without clear medical cause, in a traffic or workplace accident, or under suspicious circumstances, you must immediately report it to the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) police station (Paichusuo) by calling 110 before moving the body [1]. Forensic medical examiners of the Public Security Bureau investigate the scene and issue a Forensic Death Certificate (Fayi Siwang Zhengming), which replaces the hospital certificate for civil deregistration and cremation clearance [1].
2. 2

   Register the Death and Cancel Household Registration (Hukou)

   • Competent civil registry authority: In China, death registration and cancellation of household registration (Hukou Zhuxiao) are administered by the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) police station (Paichusuo) where the deceased held permanent household registration (Hukou) [1].
   • Statutory registration deadline: Under the Regulations on Household Registration of the People's Republic of China, the head of the household, close relative, or neighborhood committee must report the death and cancel the deceased's Hukou within one month in urban areas (and before burial/cremation in municipalities where police verification on the death certificate stub is required for the funeral home) [1].
   • Required documents and certificate verification: Present the Medical Certificate of Death (Inference) (specifically the counterfoil designated for household registration cancellation and the cremation counterfoil), the deceased's Household Register booklet (Hukoubu), the deceased's Resident Identity Card (Shenfenzheng), and the informant's identity card [1]. The Public Security Bureau cancels the deceased's entry in the Hukoubu, collects the deceased's Resident Identity Card, stamps the cremation counterfoil of the death certificate, and issues an official Proof of Household Cancellation (Hukou Zhuxiao Zhengming) [1]. If the deceased was a foreign citizen, the death must be reported promptly to the Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau and the deceased's embassy or consulate [1].
3. 3

   Arrange Cremation, Burial, or International Repatriation

   • Mandatory cremation in designated areas and funeral parlors: Under the Regulations on Funeral and Interment Control supervised by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, cremation is mandatory across all cities and densely populated areas in China, whereas earth burial is restricted to designated rural or ethnic minority regions [1] [4]. Only licensed municipal funeral parlors (Binyiguan) are authorized to transport human remains and perform cremations [1]. Present the PSB-stamped cremation counterfoil of the Medical Certificate of Death to the funeral parlor to schedule cremation and receive the official Cremation Certificate (Huohua Zhengming), which is needed to inter ashes in a public cemetery (Gongmu) and to claim social security benefits [1] [3].
   • International repatriation of remains or ashes: If a foreign national dies in China or if remains/ashes must be transported internationally, transport must be coordinated through an authorized international funeral transport agency, Customs quarantine authorities, and the local foreign affairs office, accompanied by a Medical Certificate of Death, embalming or cremation certificate, and customs quarantine permit [1] [2].
   • Apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention: China is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention (effective November 2023) [1]. If a Chinese death certificate, notarial death certificate (Siwang Gongzhengshu), or succession document must be used in another Apostille member country, first have the document notarized at a Chinese Notary Public Office (Gongzhengchu) and then obtain an Apostille (Fujia Zhengming) from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an authorized provincial Foreign Affairs Office [1].
4. 4

   Notify Social Insurance, Tax, and Banking Authorities

   • Funeral subsidy and one-time bereavement benefit: If the deceased participated in China's Urban Employee Basic Endowment Insurance or Urban and Rural Resident Basic Pension Insurance overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, eligible survivors may claim a statutory Funeral Subsidy (Sangzang Buzhujin) and a One-Time Bereavement Payment (Fuxujin), along with the refund of the individual pension account balance [3] [4]. Submit the Medical Certificate of Death, Cremation Certificate, Hukou cancellation proof, and survivor relationship proof to the local Social Insurance Administration Center (Shebao Zhongxin) or via the municipal Government Service Center (Zhengwu Fuwu Zhongxin) single-window (Shenhou Yijianshi / One-Stop Bereavement Service) [1] [3].
   • Medical insurance and housing provident fund: Settle final inpatient hospital bills through the Basic Medical Insurance system before closing the deceased's medical insurance individual account, and apply to the local Housing Provident Fund Management Center (Zhufang Gongjijin Guanli Zhongxin) to withdraw the deceased's remaining Housing Provident Fund balance [3] [4].
   • Bank account inquiries and tax closure: Under joint regulations of the People's Bank of China and banking regulators, a spouse, child, or parent may present a death certificate and relationship proof at any commercial bank to query all accounts held in the deceased's name; streamlined small-balance withdrawals (generally up to RMB 50,000 per institution) are available without full notarial probate, whereas larger balances require a Notarial Certificate of Inheritance or court judgment [1] [5]. If the deceased operated an individual business or owed personal income tax, notify the State Taxation Administration bureau to complete tax deregistration [1].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and Succession under the Civil Code

   • Succession rules under Book Six of the PRC Civil Code: Inheritance in China is governed by Book Six (Succession) of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China, overseen by the judicial system and the Ministry of Justice [1] [5]. If the deceased left a valid will (notarial, handwritten, printed, audio-visual, or nuncupative will meeting statutory witness formalities) or a legacy-support agreement, testamentary succession applies [5]. In intestate succession, First-Order Statutory Heirs are the spouse, children, and parents of the deceased, who inherit in equal shares; Second-Order Heirs (siblings, paternal/maternal grandparents) inherit only if no first-order heir survives [5].
   • Notarial Certificate of Inheritance vs. People's Court litigation: Where all heirs agree on the division of the estate, the standard non-contentious procedure is to apply to a Notary Public Office (Gongzhengchu) under the Ministry of Justice in the locality where the deceased was domiciled or where real estate is located for a Notarial Certificate of Inheritance (Jicheng Quan Gongzhengshu) [1] [5]. All statutory heirs must appear in person (or via legalized Power of Attorney) to confirm acceptance or written renunciation of inheritance [5]. For real estate transfers between statutory heirs, direct registration at the Municipal Real Estate Registration Center (Budongchan Dengji Zhongxin) is also available, or heirs may petition the local Primary People's Court if a dispute exists [1] [5].
   • Estate taxes, property transfer fees, and cross-border heirs: China currently levies no inheritance tax or estate duty [1] [4]. Furthermore, when statutory heirs (spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents) inherit real estate title, the transfer is exempt from Deed Tax (Qishui) and Personal Income Tax under State Taxation Administration rules, though registration administrative fees and stamp duty apply (and capital gains tax may apply if the heir later sells a non-primary residence) [1]. Heirs residing abroad must execute a Power of Attorney or Statement of Acceptance/Renunciation of Inheritance, have it Apostilled (or legalized by a Chinese embassy/consulate if in a non-Apostille country), and submit it with a certified Chinese translation [1] [5].

   Step	Deadline	Authority
   1. Obtain Medical Certificate of Death (Inference)	Immediately upon death	National Health Commission Hospital / Community Health Center / Public Security Bureau (110)
   2. Cancel Household Registration (Hukou)	Within 30 days (before cremation in most cities)	Local Public Security Bureau Police Station (Paichusuo)
   3. Complete cremation and obtain Cremation Certificate	Typically within 3 to 7 days of death	Municipal Funeral Parlor (Binyiguan) under Ministry of Civil Affairs
   4. Claim Funeral Subsidy, Bereavement Payment & Housing Fund	Within 3 to 6 months of death (varies by province)	Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (Shebao Zhongxin)
   5. Obtain Notarial Certificate of Inheritance & transfer title	Within 60 days of death for renunciation; no fixed deadline for title transfer	Notary Public Office (Gongzhengchu) under Ministry of Justice / Real Estate Registration Center

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   National Bureau of Statistics and Population Registration Overview — National Bureau of Statistics of China
2. [2]
   World Health Organization - China Health System and Vital Statistics Overview — World Health Organization (WHO)
3. [3]
   Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific - China — U.S. Social Security Administration / ISSA
4. [4]
   China Country Overview and Social Protection Framework — World Bank
5. [5]
   Civil Code of the People's Republic of China - Book Six Succession — National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China