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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of Death

   • Hospital or residential facility deaths: When a death occurs in a public hospital such as Mater Dei Hospital, Gozo General Hospital, or a licensed care facility in Malta, the attending medical practitioner examines the deceased and issues the official medical Certificate of Death and Cause Thereof (Form DH35) [1].
   • Deaths at home under natural circumstances: If your family member died at home from a known natural condition, contact the family doctor or the nearest public health centre immediately so a registered physician can verify the death in person and complete Form DH35 [1].
   • Sudden, unexplained, or accidental deaths: If the death was unexpected, occurred without recent medical attendance, or involved an accident, notify the Malta Police Force immediately. A Duty Magistrate will open a magisterial inquiry and order a forensic examination or autopsy at the Mater Dei Hospital mortuary before authorising the release of the medical certificate and the body [1].
2. 2

   Register the Death with Identità (Public Registry)

   • Statutory registration deadline: Under the Maltese Civil Code, a death must be declared and registered with Identità (Public Registry) within 2 working days of the medical certification, either at the Malta Public Registry in Evans Building, Valletta, or at the Gozo Public Registry in Victoria [1].
   • Required documents and identity card return: The declarant (often a relative or the authorised funeral director) submits the signed Form DH35 and must surrender the deceased person's physical Maltese identity card or residence document so the civil status record can be updated [1] [2].
   • Ordering official Acts of Death: Once the registration is processed, apply through the Servizz.gov public service portal or directly with Identità (Public Registry) to obtain official extracts or full copies of the Act of Death, which are required by banks, insurers, notaries, and pension authorities [1].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Burial and local mortuary permits: Engage a licensed funeral director in Malta to coordinate mortuary release, health clearance, and interment at the Addolorata Cemetery, a parish cemetery, or the Gozo cemetery. Burials in Malta generally take place after a minimum statutory waiting period of 24 hours from death, subject to public health authorisation [1].
   • Cremation and overseas repatriation: If your family member requested cremation abroad or if the remains must be repatriated to another country, the funeral director obtains a Port Health Office mortuary pass (laissez-passer for a corpse), an embalming and zinc-lined coffin sealing certificate, and a freedom-from-infection certificate [1].
   • Apostille and consular legalisation: When Maltese death certificates must be presented to foreign civil registries or courts outside the European Union, request an Apostille from the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs in Valletta, or request a multilingual standard form under EU Regulation 2016/1191 for use within EU member states [1].
4. 4

   Notify Social Security, Banks, and Claim Grants

   • Reporting to the Department of Social Security: Notify the Department of Social Security promptly via the Servizz.gov online reporting service (Service WEB-05264) or a local Servizz.gov hub to stop ongoing retirement, invalidity, or social assistance payments and prevent overpayments that heirs would otherwise have to refund [2] [3].
   • Survivor and widow/er pensions: A surviving spouse or registered partner, as well as eligible dependent children, can apply to the Department of Social Security for a contributory Widow's/Widower's Pension or survivor benefit, submitting the Act of Death if the death occurred abroad (for deaths registered in Malta, the registry updates are shared directly) [3].
   • Funeral Expenses Grant: The individual who paid the funeral invoice for a resident of Malta may apply online within 6 months of the funeral for the statutory Funeral Expenses Grant (calculated at 13.04% of eligible invoice costs, up to a maximum of EUR 175) by submitting fiscal receipts and the invoice breakdown [4].
   • Banking and utility notifications: Present an official Act of Death to Maltese retail banks to freeze sole accounts and verify joint account mandates, and submit Form G through ARMS Ltd or Servizz.gov to transfer residential water and electricity accounts [1] [3].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and File the Declaration Causa Mortis

   • Testamentary searches: Instruct a warranted Notary Public in Malta to conduct official testamentary searches at both the Public Registry and the Courts of Justice (Voluntary Jurisdiction) to establish whether the deceased left a public or secret will, or whether the estate devolves by intestate succession under the Civil Code [5].
   • Declaration Causa Mortis and succession duty: Although Malta does not levy a general inheritance tax on bank deposits, the transmission of immovable property in Malta and company shares requires a notarial Declaration Causa Mortis registered with the Malta Tax and Customs Administration under the Duty on Documents and Transfers Act (Chapter 364) [5].
   • Deadlines, valuations, and cross-border heirs: Duty on immovable property (generally 5%, or 3.5% on qualifying residential property reliefs) is assessed on an architect's (perit) market valuation as at the date of death. Filing within 6 months preserves applicable administrative rebates, whereas filing after 1 year triggers statutory interest. Heirs residing abroad may appoint a representative in Malta via a notarised and Apostilled power of attorney, and cross-border EU estates are coordinated under the EU Succession Regulation (Regulation 650/2012) [5].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Order of a Death Certificate (Public Registry - WEB096) — Servizz.gov / Identità
2. [2]
   Report the Death of a Social Security Beneficiary (WEB-05264) — Servizz.gov
3. [3]
   FAQs Related to the Death of a Social Security Beneficiary — Department of Social Security Malta
4. [4]
   Funeral Expenses Grant Application and Eligibility (WEB428) — Servizz.gov
5. [5]
   Inheritance and Declaration Causa Mortis — Malta Tax and Customs Administration