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

1. 1

   Medical Verification and Official Certification of Death

   The essential first step is obtaining the official Medical Certificate of Death (Certificado Médico de Defunción), which is required to register the death and authorize transfer or burial [1][5]:

   • Death in a hospital or care home: The facility's medical team verifies the death and issues the official Certificado Médico de Defunción directly [1][5].
   • Death at home, in a hotel, or in a public place: If the death occurs outside a healthcare facility from known natural causes, call emergency services (112) or the local primary healthcare center (centro de salud) so a physician can attend and certify the death [5]. In the event of a sudden, violent, or unexplained death, emergency services and law enforcement notify the Duty Court (Juzgado de Guardia), which orders the removal of the body and its transfer to the competent Institute of Legal Medicine (Instituto de Medicina Legal) for an autopsy before authorizing civil registration and burial [1][5].
   • Sanitary timelines (Policía Sanitaria Mortuoria): Regional mortuary health regulations across Spain's autonomous communities generally stipulate that burial or cremation cannot take place until at least 24 hours have elapsed since death (unless expressly authorized by judicial or health authorities) and is typically carried out within 48 hours once registry formalities are complete [5].
2. 2

   Funeral Insurance and Appointing a Licensed Funeral Provider

   Before contracting funeral services independently, check whether the deceased person held a funeral insurance policy (seguro de decesos - very common in Spain) or life/bank card coverage [5]:

   • Activating funeral insurance (seguro de decesos): If a funeral insurance policy exists, call the insurer's 24-hour assistance helpline immediately so they can coordinate the entire funeral service from the outset [5].
   • Appointing a licensed funeral company (empresa funeraria habilitada): If there is no policy in place, the family must directly appoint an authorized funeral company, which can be located through the Asociación Nacional de Servicios Funerarios (National Association of Funeral Services - PANASEF) or municipal and regional registries [5]. The funeral provider collects the Certificado Médico de Defunción, transfers the body to the funeral home (tanatorio), arranges the burial or cremation permit (licencia de enterramiento o incineración), and manages the statutory mortuary health timelines of the relevant autonomous community [5]. Always request an itemized quote before signing the contract [5].
3. 3

   Registration with the Civil Registry and Obtaining Official Certificates

   The death must be registered with the Civil Registry (Registro Civil) of the municipality where the death occurred - operating under the Ministerio de Justicia (Ministry of Justice) - generally within 24 hours of death and always before burial or cremation takes place [1].

   In standard practice, the funeral company submits the declaration and the Certificado Médico de Defunción (or files them electronically from the hospital or tanatorio) with the Registro Civil, presenting the deceased person's national identity card (DNI) or foreigner identity number (NIE) [1][5]. Once registered, the Registro Civil issues:

   • The burial or cremation permit (licencia de enterramiento o incineración): Mandatory for the cemetery or crematorium to proceed [1].
   • The Full Death Certificate (Certificado Literal de Defunción): Request several certified copies for banks, insurers, and public authorities [1].
   • The Multilingual Death Certificate (Certificado Plurilingüe de Defunción - Fórmula C): If assets, pensions, or legal procedures exist in another European country, also request Form C under the 1976 Vienna Convention, which is exempt from translation and apostille across signatory states [1].
4. 4

   Claiming the Funeral Grant and Survivor Pensions

   Using the Certificado Literal de Defunción, eligible family members can apply for Death and Survivor Benefits (Prestaciones por Muerte y Supervivencia) from the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (National Institute of Social Security - INSS), either online via the Social Security Electronic Headquarters (Sede Electrónica de la Seguridad Social) or in person at a Social Security Information and Service Center (CAISS) [3][4]:

   • Funeral grant (auxilio por defunción): A one-time grant payable to the person who bore the funeral expenses (surviving spouse, registered domestic partner, children, or cohabiting relatives) upon presentation of the funeral invoice [3][4].
   • Widow/widower's and orphan's pensions (pensión de viudedad y pensión de orfandad): Periodic pensions payable to the surviving spouse or registered domestic partner (pareja de hecho) and to minor or disabled children (or older children within statutory age and study limits) [3][4]. Where the deceased was a pensioner or an active social security contributor, the application may be submitted at any time, although retroactive economic effects are generally capped at three months prior to the application date [4].
5. 5

   Last Wills Registry, Notary, Banks, and Inheritance Tax

   To settle the estate, unlock bank accounts, and comply with Spanish tax deadlines, follow this official sequence:

   • Certificates of last wills and life/accident insurance: Once 15 working days (15 días hábiles) have passed since the date of death, apply to the Ministerio de Justicia using Form 790 (Modelo 790, Código 006) for the Certificate from the General Registry of Last Wills (Certificado del Registro General de Actos de Última Voluntad, which shows whether the deceased made a will and before which notary) and the Certificate of Insurance Contracts Providing Death Coverage (Certificado de Contratos de Seguros de cobertura de fallecimiento) [1][2].
   • Notarial inheritance deed: Taking these certificates and the Certificado Literal de Defunción, contact a notary's office - which you can locate through the Consejo General del Notariado (General Council of the Notariat) - to obtain an authorized copy (copia autorizada) of the last will and execute the deed of acceptance and division of inheritance (escritura de aceptación y adjudicación de herencia), or, if there is no will, to process the intestate declaration of heirs (acta de declaración de herederos abintestato) [6].
   • Inheritance and Gift Tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones): Heirs and life insurance beneficiaries have a statutory deadline of 6 months from the date of death to file the self-assessment or tax return with the competent regional tax authority of the autonomous community or, where applicable due to non-residency or state rules, with the Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency) [7]. You may request a 6-month extension provided the application is submitted within the first 5 months following the death [7].
   • Bank accounts: Notify banks of the death by submitting the Certificado Literal de Defunción. Banks will place a precautionary freeze on the deceased's funds (except for authorized debits covering funeral expenses) until heirship and payment or exemption of Inheritance Tax are documented [6][7].

Official Authorities & Verified Contacts

Official Sources Checked by Clarvia

1. [1]
   Certificate of Last Wills (Certificado de Actos de Última Voluntad) and Death Certificate — Ministerio de Justicia
2. [2]
   Form 790 (Modelo 790) and application for last wills and insurance contract certificates — Sede Electrónica del Ministerio de Justicia
3. [3]
   Application for Death and Survivor Benefits (Prestaciones de Muerte y Supervivencia) — Sede Electrónica de la Seguridad Social
4. [4]
   Death and survivor benefits: funeral grant, widowhood pension, and orphan's pension — Seguridad Social
5. [5]
   National Association of Funeral Services (PANASEF) — PANASEF
6. [6]
   General Council of the Notariat (Consejo General del Notariado): Inheritances and wills — Consejo General del Notariado
7. [7]
   Inheritance and Gift Tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones): filing deadlines and extensions — Agencia Tributaria