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

1. 1

   Obtain Medical Certification of the Cause of Death

   • Deaths in a hospital or private clinic: When a person dies in a public hospital under the Ministry of Health and Wellness or in a licensed private clinic in Mauritius, the attending medical practitioner examines the deceased and issues the official Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death [1] [5]. Verify that the deceased's full name, National Identity Card (NIC) number, age, and date and time of death are recorded accurately on the certificate [1].
   • Natural deaths at home: If your family member passed away at home, a registered private medical practitioner or a government medical officer from the nearest regional hospital under the Ministry of Health and Wellness must be called to examine the body and issue the Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death [1] [5].
   • Sudden, accidental, or suspicious deaths: Under Mauritian law, if the death is sudden, violent, accidental, or of unknown cause, you must immediately notify the Mauritius Police Force before the body is moved [1]. The police report the matter to the District Magistrate and arrange transfer to the Police Medical Officer / Forensic Science department for an autopsy before issuing an order authorizing registration and burial [1] [6].
2. 2

   Register the Death with the Civil Status Division

   • Statutory 24-hour to 48-hour registration window: Under the Civil Status Act, a death in Mauritius must be registered at the Civil Status Division office of the district where the death occurred or where the deceased last resided before any burial or cremation takes place (normally within 24 to 48 hours of death, with weekend and public holiday service desks operating for urgent burial permits) [1] [2].
   • Informant and mandatory documents: One declarant (a surviving relative, spouse, or person possessing knowledge of the deceased's civil status details) must appear before the Civil Status Officer and present: (a) the original Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death issued by the doctor, (b) the deceased's birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), and National Identity Card (or passport for a non-citizen), and (c) the declarant's own National Identity Card [1].
   • Official Death Certificates and Burial Permit: Registration of death and the issuance of the Burial or Cremation Permit and initial Death Certificate extract by the Civil Status Division are free of charge [1]. Request several official extracts of the Death Certificate for banking, pension, and succession formalities [1] [2].
3. 3

   Arrange Burial, Cremation, or International Repatriation

   • Local burial or cremation: Under the Civil Status Act and Public Health regulations enforced by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, no interment or cremation may take place earlier than 24 hours after death (unless ordered earlier by a Sanitary Authority on public health grounds) and never without the Burial or Cremation Permit issued by the Civil Status Division [1] [5]. For cremation, an additional medical certificate and sanitary clearance are required [1] [5].
   • International repatriation of remains: If the deceased was a foreign citizen or their remains must be repatriated abroad, a licensed funeral director coordinates embalming, a hermetically sealed zinc-lined coffin certificate, a non-contagious disease and export permit from the Sanitary Authority of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and customs clearance [1] [5].
   • Apostille authentication: Mauritius is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Official multilingual or English/French Death Certificates issued by the Civil Status Division and succession documents can be authenticated with an Apostille through the Prime Minister's Office (Defense and Home Affairs Division) in Port Louis for legal recognition abroad [1] [2].
4. 4

   Notify Social Security, the Mauritius Revenue Authority, and Financial Institutions

   • Funeral grant and survivor pensions: Under the National Pensions Act and the Social Contribution and Social Benefits Act administered by the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity and the Mauritius Revenue Authority, the Civil Status Division updates the Central Population Database upon death registration so basic retirement pensions are stopped automatically to prevent overpayments [1] [3] [4]. Eligible surviving spouses and orphans may claim a Widow's/Surviving Spouse's Pension, Orphan's Allowance, Industrial Injury Death Benefit, and a statutory Funeral Grant by applying at their local Social Security Office with the Death Certificate, marriage certificate, and National Identity Cards [3] [4].
   • Income tax and CSG final filings: The heirs or estate representative must notify the Mauritius Revenue Authority to file any final income tax return of the deceased up to the date of death and settle or claim any tax balances [4].
   • Banks and insurers: Present the official Death Certificate from the Civil Status Division to commercial banks and insurance companies in Mauritius to block sole accounts and request a formal certificate of account balances as at the date of death [1] [6].
5. 5

   Administer the Estate and Complete Succession Procedures

   • Civil Code succession rules and Affidavit of Prescription/Succession: Estate succession in Mauritius is governed by the Code Civil Mauricien (which protects forced-heirship reserved shares - la réserve héréditaire - for children and provides statutory rights for the surviving spouse) and procedural rules overseen by the Supreme Court of Mauritius [6].
   • Notarial deed of notoriety and Affidavit of Succession: To unlock bank accounts, transfer vehicles, or convey immovable property, the heirs must establish their legal quality as heirs through an Acte de Notoriété (Deed of Notoriety) or an Affidavit of Succession drawn up by a Mauritian Notary or Attorney-at-Law and sworn before the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court of Mauritius [6]. If the deceased left a holograph or mystic will, it must be presented to the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court of Mauritius to be opened and deposited with a notary [6].
   • Inheritance tax and cross-border heirs: Mauritius has abolished inheritance and estate duty on successions, though standard registration and transcription duties apply when transferring immovable property [4] [6]. Heirs residing abroad can execute a notarized and Apostilled Power of Attorney (Procuration) appointing a representative or notary in Mauritius to sign succession deeds on their behalf [6].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Civil Status Division (Prime Minister's Office) - Registration of Death Requirements and Timeframes — Civil Status Division (Mauritius)
2. [2]
   Civil Status Division - Central Registry and District Offices Contact Directory — Civil Status Division (Mauritius)
3. [3]
   The National Pensions Act - Survivor Pensions, Orphan Benefits, and Industrial Injury Benefits — Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity
4. [4]
   Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) - Social Benefits, Financial Assistance, and Tax Administration — Mauritius Revenue Authority
5. [5]
   Ministry of Health and Wellness (Mauritius) - Public Hospitals and Sanitary Authority Clearances — Ministry of Health and Wellness (Mauritius)
6. [6]
   Supreme Court of Mauritius - Master and Registrar Services and Estate Succession Procedures — The Judiciary / Supreme Court of Mauritius