Death, declaration

• The funeral director or you file the declaration with the municipality. Do this within 6 days of the death. In fact, a funeral or cremation must take place no later than the 6th business day after the death.

The municipality then creates 2 documents and gives them to you:

• A document in which she gives permission for the funeral (the "leave to bury" or the "leave to cremate"). Has the deceased indicated that he or she wants to give the body to science? Then you will receive a document with the 'leave to dismember'.
• A copy of the death certificate.

To file a notice of death, you must make an appointment online (see 'Arrange online').

Are you a funeral director? Then you can also file a declaration of death online (see 'Arrange online'). You do not have to come to city hall.

To file an online declaration you need eHerkenning level 2+. You can apply for this on the website: www.eherkenning.nl .

Sometimes it is not possible to bury or cremate someone within 6 days of their death. You can then request a postponement from the mayor. Usually the funeral director arranges this postponement.

Has someone from the Netherlands died abroad? If so, you should report this to the municipality where this person lived. To do this, you will need a (legalized) death certificate from the place where the person died. You can contact the Dutch embassy or consulate. Is there no Dutch diplomatic post in the country where you are? Then you can go to the embassy of another EU country. Or contact your travel organization or local police. 

You can find more information on what to do when you die abroad on the central government website .

For funeral directors

• You can file a declaration of death online. You do not need to come to the city hall in that case.
• To complete the form, you need eHerkenning level 2+.
• Please send supporting documents, such as a doctor's certificate, online with the form.
• You can send the original, signed documents to the municipality by post later.
• You may send these documents 'save up' once a week to:

Municipality of Zoetermeer
Civil Registry Department
PO Box 15
2700 AA ZOETERMEER

Notice of death

Receive leave online

You will receive permission for burial or cremation online in a secure environment.

Do you file your notice before 11 a.m.? Then you will receive the leave and death certificate by 3 p.m. the same business day by e-mail. We will send the original version of the leave and death certificate by mail.

Declaration of death appointment

What you need to bring to the appointment:

• A valid ID of the person making the report.

And if you need permission for burial/cremation:

• Statement of death.
• Statement on cause of death (called the 'B statement'). This declaration is in a sealed envelope (and should not be opened). The envelope is sent to the Central Bureau of Statistics by the registrar.

Change or delete appointment?

Once you have made an appointment you will receive a confirmation e-mail. This e-mail also contains a link that allows you to change or delete your appointment.

Are you changing your appointment? Don't forget to delete your other appointment!

Do you no longer have the e-mail? Call 14 079. A staff member can change or delete the appointment for you.

You pay the fee at the time of the declaration of death. At the counter, you can only pay by debit card or cash.

• Cemeteries

Other products

• Scattering ashes
• Burial and cremation
• Gravestone or memorial placement
• Stillborn child or deceased newborn child