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

1. 1

   Obtaining the Medical Certificate of Death (SINADEF)

   • Death in a healthcare facility or at home from natural causes: When death occurs in a hospital operated by the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA), EsSalud, or a private clinic, the attending physician verifies the death and issues free of charge the General Death Certificate online through the National Computerized System of Deaths (SINADEF), providing the signed printed report to the family [1]. If the death takes place at home due to a natural illness under clinical follow-up, the attending physician or home medical service (such as PADOMI for EsSalud members) verifies the death and generates the certificate in SINADEF [1].
   • Violent, accidental, or unattended death: If death occurs suddenly without recent medical supervision, in a public place, or from external, accidental, or suspicious causes, the body must not be moved nor should direct funeral removal be arranged [1]. The National Police of Peru and the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministerio Público - Fiscalía de turno) must be notified immediately so they can order the official removal of the body and its transfer to the Medico-Legal Division (Morgue of the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences), where the forensic pathologist will perform the statutory autopsy and issue the Death Certificate in SINADEF [1].
2. 2

   Registering the Death with RENIEC and Obtaining the Official Record

   • Automated or in-person registration of the Death Record (Acta de Defunción): Thanks to interoperability between SINADEF at the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA) and the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), when the physician digitally signs the online certificate, the official Death Record (Acta de Defunción) is typically generated automatically in the civil registry system [1] [2]. If the medical certificate was issued manually in paper form (for example, in areas without internet connectivity), the declaring family member or authorized funeral agency must visit a registry office of the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) or the Civil Registry Office (OREC) of the relevant municipality to register the death free of charge, normally within 48 hours of the death [2].
   • Cancellation of the DNI and requesting certified copies: For in-person registration, the declarant presents the original Medical Certificate of Death, the National Identity Document (DNI) of the deceased person (or a sworn statement of loss), and the declarant's own DNI [2]. Once the death is registered, the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) updates the deceased's DNI status and enables the issuance of certified copies of the Death Record via its institutional web portal, branches, or multi-service kiosks, which are essential for funeral, banking, and inheritance procedures [2].
3. 3

   Funeral Services, Health Permits, and International Repatriation

   • Engaging a funeral agency and burial or cremation: With the Medical Certificate of Death and the Death Record from the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC), the family coordinates with an authorized funeral agency for mortuary preparation and burial in a municipal or private cemetery in accordance with the Law on Cemeteries and Funeral Services (Law No. 26298) [1] [2]. To carry out a cremation, regulations require sanitary authorization from the Directorate of Integrated Health Networks (DIRIS) or Regional Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA), a signed request from the closest direct relative, and, where a medico-legal autopsy took place, express authorization from the provincial prosecutor in charge [1].
   • International repatriation and Hague Apostille: When bodily remains or ashes must be transported abroad, or if heirs outside Peru need to prove the death in another country, the family must obtain the sanitary permit for international transfer or cremation record from the health authority of the Ministry of Health of Peru (MINSA) and apostille the certified records from the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (RENIEC) before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru (Cancillería), while coordinating the mortuary laissez-passer with the destination consulate [1] [2].
4. 4

   Notifying Social Security, Pension Funds, Banks, and Insurers

   • Funeral benefit with EsSalud and survivor pensions with ONP or AFP: The person who paid the funeral expenses of a regular insured member or pensioner of EsSalud may apply for reimbursement under the Funeral Benefit (Prestación por Sepelio) by submitting electronic payment receipts and the death record [1] [3]. Regarding pensions, if the deceased contributed to or received a pension from the National Pension System, it is mandatory to report the death to the Pension Standardization Office (ONP) and apply for survivor pensions (widowhood, orphanhood, or dependent parents) or, if there are no survivor pension beneficiaries, claim the Death Capital (Capital de Defunción) under Decree-Law No. 19990 [3] [4]. If the deceased belonged to the Private Pension System (AFP), funeral expense coverage, survivor pensions, or inheritance withdrawal of the pension fund are processed directly with the relevant AFP [3].
   • Searching bank accounts, insurance policies, and deposits via the SBS: Using the Death Record, family members can request free of charge from the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance, and AFP (SBS) the Certificate of Life and Personal Accident Insurance Policies (including mandatory employee life insurance - Seguro Vida Ley) and the Certificate of Deposits of deceased persons, which identifies all bank accounts, insurance policies, and funds held by the deceased across the Peruvian financial system [3] [5].
5. 5

   Estate Administration and Succession in Peru (Notary and SUNARP)

   • Will search and intestate succession procedure: The first succession step is to request from the National Superintendency of Public Registries (SUNARP) a Positive or Negative Certificate of Will and a Negative Certificate of Intestate Succession, along with an Index Search (Búsqueda de Índices) to identify real estate and movable property registered in the deceased's name [5] [6]. If there is no will, the forced heirs (children and descendants, parents and ascendants, or surviving spouse / registered domestic partner) can process Intestate Succession (declaration of heirs) before a Public Notary (faster non-contentious route when all heirs agree) or before the Magistrate's Court (Juzgado de Paz Letrado) of the deceased's last domicile [5] [6].
   • Registry inscription, tax rules, and heirs abroad: Once the notarial record or court judgment of intestate succession is issued (or the probate of a will is completed), it is recorded in the Registry of Intestate Successions or Registry of Wills of the National Superintendency of Public Registries (SUNARP), followed by an application to transfer ownership in the Real Property and Movable Property registries (vehicles, shares) [5] [6]. Peru does not levy an inheritance or estate tax (transfers upon death are exempt from Alcabala transfer tax), so only notarial fees and registration charges apply; if foreign heirs or foreign documents are involved, powers of attorney executed by public deed and foreign civil records must be apostilled and registered in the Registry of Mandates and Powers of the National Superintendency of Public Registries (SUNARP) [5] [6].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   National Computerized System of Deaths (SINADEF) and Medical Certification — Ministerio de Salud del Perú (MINSA)
2. [2]
   Official Information on Birth, Marriage, and Death Records — Registro Nacional de Identificación y Estado Civil (RENIEC)
3. [3]
   Registering the Death of an Insured Member with the ONP — Oficina de Normalización Previsional (ONP) / Gob.pe
4. [4]
   Applying for Death Capital (Decree-Law No. 19990) — Oficina de Normalización Previsional (ONP) / Gob.pe
5. [5]
   How to Find Out What Properties a Deceased Relative Owned and Request Registry Searches — Superintendencia Nacional de los Registros Públicos (SUNARP)
6. [6]
   Intestate Succession and Transfer of Succession to the Real Property Registry — Superintendencia Nacional de los Registros Públicos (SUNARP)