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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death (*Potvrda o smrti*) and Coroner Clearance

   Under the Croatian Healthcare Act (Zakon o zdravstvenoj zaštiti) and the Rules on Examining the Time and Cause of Death, every death in Croatia must be verified by an authorized physician or county coroner (mrtvozornik) before a funeral provider can transport the deceased [1]:

   • Death in a hospital, clinic, or social welfare institution: When a death occurs in a hospital or clinical hospital centre (klinički bolnički centar - KBC, such as KBC Zagreb, KBC Split, KBC Rijeka, or KBC Osijek), the attending physician examines the deceased, establishes the clinical cause of death, and issues the official Death Certificate (Potvrda o smrti) and the Permit for Burial or Cremation (Dozvola za ukop ili kremiranje) [1]. The hospital notifies the family and transfers the deceased to the hospital pathology department until your chosen funeral company collects the body [1].
   • Expected natural death at home: Do not move the body. Call the unified European emergency number 112 or emergency medical services (Hitna medicinska služba) on 194 to request the attendance of the authorized municipal or county coroner (mrtvozornik) [1]. Prepare your family member's Croatian identity card (osobna iskaznica) or passport, Personal Identification Number (Osobni identifikacijski broj - OIB), health insurance card issued by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje - HZZO), and medical discharge summaries [1][6]. After examining the deceased at the place of death, the mrtvozornik issues the Potvrda o smrti and the burial or cremation permit (Dozvola za ukop) [1].
   • Sudden, accidental, or unexplained death: Call the police on 192 (or 112) immediately [1]. Where the cause of death is unknown, sudden, or raises suspicion of a violent or accidental cause, the police and the State Attorney's Office (Državno odvjetništvo) conduct an investigation and order a mandatory medico-legal autopsy (sudskomedicinska obdukcija) at the competent Institute of Forensic Medicine and Criminology before issuing clearance for burial or cremation [1].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Registry Office (*Matični ured*) and Obtain Official Extracts

   In Croatia, civil registration of deaths is governed by the State Registries Act (Zakon o državnim maticama) and administered by the local Civil Registry Offices (matični uredi) integrated with the Central State Portal e-Citizens (Središnji državni portal e-Građani) [1]:

   • 3-day statutory deadline: A death must be reported to the Civil Registry Office (matični ured) responsible for the municipality or city where the death occurred (or where the body was found) within 3 days of the date of death (or finding of the body) [1]. When a person dies in a healthcare facility, the hospital reports the death electronically via the e-Prijava smrti system; when death occurs at home, family members or an authorized funeral company submit the Potvrda o smrti and the deceased's identity documents to the matični ured [1].
   • Official Death Certificate (Smrtni list) and Extract (Izvadak iz matice umrlih): Upon recording the entry in the Register of Deaths (matica umrlih), the registrar issues the official Death Certificate (Smrtni list) and the Extract from the Register of Deaths (Izvadak iz matice umrlih) [1]. Certified electronic extracts can also be downloaded with a verifiable electronic seal via the e-Matice service on the Central State Portal e-Citizens [1].
   • Multilingual extracts and Apostille for cross-border use: If your family member was a foreign national or left assets outside Croatia, ask the matični ured for an international multilingual extract issued under the 1976 Vienna CIEC Convention or an EU Multilingual Standard Form under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 [1]. Where a non-EU jurisdiction requires legalization under the 1961 Hague Convention, any Municipal Court (općinski sud) in Croatia can affix an Apostille to civil registry certificates [1][4].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation through a Licensed Funeral Provider

   Under the Croatian Funeral Services Act (Zakon o pogrebničkoj djelatnosti) and the Cemeteries Act (Zakon o grobljima), transport and preparation of the deceased must be performed by a licensed funeral company (ovlašteni pogrebnik) or municipal cemetery utility [1]:

   • Domestic burial or cremation in Croatia: Provide the coroner's Dozvola za ukop ili kremiranje and the Potvrda o smrti to a licensed funeral director (such as Gradska groblja Zagreb, Lovrinac in Split, KD Kozala in Rijeka, or an accredited private funeral provider registered with the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts - Hrvatska obrtnička komora) [1]. Under Croatian sanitary rules, burial or cremation normally takes place between 24 and 48 hours after death unless preserved in a regulated mortuary facility (mrtvačnica) [1].
   • International repatriation of human remains or ashes: To transport a deceased person across international borders from Croatia, the licensed funeral provider prepares the body in a hermetically soldered zinc-lined coffin, obtains the sanitary permit for the transport of human remains (sprovodnica za prijenos umrle osobe) from the competent county Department of Sanitary Inspection of the State Inspectorate (Državni inspektorat - sanitarna inspekcija), and coordinates any required consular laissez-passer with the foreign embassy in Zagreb [1]. Transporting an urn containing cremated ashes (urna s pepelom) requires the Izvadak iz matice umrlih, the official crematorium certificate, and a sealed urn [1].
4. 4

   Notify HZMO, HZZO, the Tax Administration, and Banks, and Claim Survivor Benefits

   Once the death is recorded in the matica umrlih, the Civil Registry updates Croatia's OIB register and central population records, but survivors must actively apply for pension benefits and notify financial institutions [1][2][3][6]:

   • Health insurance and funeral cost entitlements: Registration in the matica umrlih automatically terminates compulsory health insurance with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje - HZZO) [6]. Where the deceased had no income or assets and falls within social welfare categories, eligible family members may inquire at the local regional office of the Croatian Institute for Social Work (Hrvatski zavod za socijalni rad) regarding coverage of basic funeral expenses, or at the Ministry of Croatian Veterans (Ministarstvo hrvatskih branitelja) if the deceased held Croatian Homeland War veteran status [1].
   • Stopping pension payments and claiming the Survivors' Pension (obiteljska mirovina): Notify the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje - HZMO) to stop ongoing pension disbursements and claim any unpaid accrued pension up to the date of death [2][3]. Under the Pension Insurance Act (Zakon o mirovinskom osiguranju), surviving spouses, extramarital or life partners, divorced spouses with maintenance rights, and dependent children (up to age 15, or up to age 26 while in regular education) can submit a claim to the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (at a regional HZMO office or online via e-Usluge HZMO on the Central State Portal e-Citizens) for a Survivors' Pension (obiteljska mirovina) [2][3]. Surviving spouses of retirement age who already receive their own old-age pension may qualify to receive a percentage (27%) of the deceased spouse's pension alongside their personal pension [2].
   • Banks, identity cards, and the Tax Administration (Porezna uprava): Present the Smrtni list or Izvadak iz matice umrlih to all Croatian banks where your family member held accounts; banks will freeze sole accounts and block cards and powers of attorney until a final Decree of Inheritance is presented [1][4]. Return the deceased's identity card (osobna iskaznica), passport, and driver's licence to the competent Police Administration (policijska uprava / policijska postaja) of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) for cancellation, and check any pending tax obligations with the Croatian Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) [1].
5. 5

   Complete Probate Proceedings (*Ostavinski postupak*) Before a Public Notary or Court

   Under the Croatian Inheritance Act (Zakon o nasljeđivanju), estate administration is conducted through an official probate proceeding (ostavinski postupak) initiated ex officio [1][4][5]:

   • Preparation of the Death Record (smrtovnica) and court referral: Within 30 days of registering the death, the civil registrar (matičar) prepares the official Death Record (smrtovnica) listing the deceased's personal data, known heirs, real estate, bank accounts, and any known will, and forwards it electronically to the competent Municipal Court (općinski sud) of the deceased's last domicile in Croatia [1][4].
   • Probate hearing before a Public Notary (javni bilježnik) as court commissioner: In Croatia, the Municipal Court entrusts the conduct of uncontested probate proceedings to a local Public Notary (javni bilježnik) registered with the Croatian Notaries Chamber (Hrvatska javnobilježnička komora - HJK), acting as a court commissioner (povjerenik suda) [4][5]. The notary checks the Croatian Register of Wills (Hrvatski upisnik oporuka) maintained by the Croatian Notaries Chamber, summons the heirs to the probate hearing (ostavinska rasprava), records declarations accepting or renouncing the inheritance (nasljednička izjava), and issues the Decree of Inheritance (Rješenje o nasljeđivanju) [4][5].
   • Land Registry (zemljišne knjige), inheritance tax, and cross-border assets: Once the Rješenje o nasljeđivanju becomes final and binding (pravomoćno), the notary or court sends it ex officio to the Land Registry Department (zemljišnoknjižni odjel - gruntovnica) to transfer real estate ownership and to the Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) [4][5]. Under Croatian tax law, spouses, extramarital/life partners, and lineal descendants (children and grandchildren) are exempt from inheritance tax (porez na nasljedstva i darove), whereas other heirs pay a 4% tax on movable assets and cash exceeding the statutory threshold (or 3% real estate transfer tax on inherited real property) [1][4]. Where assets or heirs are located in another EU Member State, the Croatian court or notary can issue a European Certificate of Succession (Europska potvrda o nasljeđivanju) under Regulation (EU) No 650/2012 [4][5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Death and Inheritance - Registering a Death and Civil Registry Procedures — Central State Portal of the Republic of Croatia (gov.hr)
2. [2]
   Survivors' Pension (Obiteljska mirovina) - Eligibility and Rights — Central State Portal of the Republic of Croatia (gov.hr)
3. [3]
   Submitting Pension and Benefit Applications (Podnošenje zahtjeva) — Croatian Pension Insurance Institute (Hrvatski zavod za mirovinsko osiguranje - HZMO)
4. [4]
   Probate Proceedings in the Republic of Croatia (Ostavinski postupak) — Central State Portal of the Republic of Croatia (gov.hr)
5. [5]
   Notarial Services - Probate Proceedings, Wills, and Register of Wills — Croatian Notaries Chamber (Hrvatska javnobilježnička komora - HJK)
6. [6]
   Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) - Official Portal — Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje (HZZO)