AmtsDeutschland
0%
Skip to main content
Authorities Most popular Guides
FAQ Contact
Find an official procedure

Applying for a Leichenpass

Gesundheitsamt · Burial affairs

In person or via undertakerState lawDestination country also decides

For the Leichenpass (mortuary passport), the most important piece of information concerns the source of law, and it explains why general statements so often turn out wrong here: there is no federal law on burial affairs. The matter is governed by the burial acts of the federal states, and they differ in deadlines, forms, jurisdiction and fees. On top of this comes a second level of law: for transport across national borders, international agreements exist — the International Arrangement concerning the Conveyance of Corpses of 1937 and the Council of Europe Agreement on the Transfer of Corpses of 1973. Binding for your case is therefore always the information from the competent Gesundheitsamt together with the requirements of the destination country.

What the Leichenpass does is quickly stated: it is the accompanying document for the transfer. It identifies the deceased person, states the place and time of death, the place of departure and destination, and confirms that there is no health objection to the transfer. For a transfer within Germany, it is not required in many federal states; it is typically needed for export across the border — and what the destination country additionally requires is determined by that country itself.

The Leichenpass never stands alone. Before it come the medical certificate of death and the registration of the death at the registry office (Standesamt), from which the death certificate (Sterbeurkunde) results. Only on this basis does the Leichenpass build. Whoever starts at the Gesundheitsamt is sent back — the order is not negotiable, and it is the most common reason for lost days in an already distressing situation.

In practice, this route is almost always taken over by a funeral undertaker, and that is not a matter of convenience: for cross-border transport, requirements apply to the coffin, packaging, means of transport and accompanying documents, which differ depending on the destination country and the transport route. Have the specific requirements of the destination country given to you in writing rather than relying on general information — and ask the destination country's consulate early, as it often requires its own legalisation.

Last updated28 August 2026
Legal basisBurial law of the federal states
VerificationChecked against the IfSG, the International Health Regulations (IGV), the Basic Law and state law
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information website: we are not the Gesundheitsamt, not an authority and not a paid advice service – we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in plain language; binding information always comes from the competent body. No legal advice and not an official authority. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document official procedures and check the information against the official source – this is information, not legal or tax advice.
Legal basisState lawNo federal law
Required beforehandDeath certificate (Sterbeurkunde)Standesamt first
What forAcross the borderUsually not required domestically
FeeUnder state lawNo nationwide amount
Required documents

What you need

The medical certificate of death

It is issued at the post-mortem examination and is the basis for everything that follows. Without it, the Standesamt cannot register the death, and the Gesundheitsamt cannot issue a Leichenpass.

The death certificate from the Standesamt

It results from the registration of the death. The Leichenpass builds on it — which is why the Standesamt, not the Gesundheitsamt, is the first port of call.

Identity documents of the deceased person

Passport or identity card (Personalausweis); for foreign nationality, information about the consulate as well, if possible. The spelling of the name must match across all documents, otherwise the transfer stalls at the border.

Particulars of destination and transport route

Destination country, destination place, means of transport and the transit states involved. On this depends which further proof is required — that is decided by the destination country, not by the issuing office.

Proof from the commissioned funeral undertaker

It carries out the transfer and knows the requirements for the coffin, packaging and accompanying documents for the respective route. Have the destination country's requirements confirmed to you in writing.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Wait for the medical post-mortem examination and certificate of death

    It stands at the beginning of every further step. Only with it can the death be registered — and without registration, there is no Leichenpass.

  2. 2

    Have the death registered at the Standesamt

    The competent body is the Standesamt of the place of death. Apply at once for several copies of the death certificate: the consulate, insurers, banks and the transfer need them in parallel.

  3. 3

    Clarify the destination country and its requirements

    Ask the destination country's consulate about the requirements there — it often requires its own legalisation or additional certificates. Handling this in parallel with the German procedure saves most of the days.

  4. 4

    Apply for the Leichenpass at the competent Gesundheitsamt

    Regularly, the funeral undertaker takes over the application together with the collected documents. Which office is competent and which proof it requires follows from state law — ask there rather than relying on a general list.

  5. 5

    Begin the transfer with a complete set of documents

    Leichenpass, death certificate, identity documents and the proof required by the destination country travel together. If a document is missing, the shipment is held up — making it up afterwards is considerably harder across a border than preparing beforehand.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Costs and responsibilitiesAll amounts follow state law
LeichenpassUnder the fee ordinance of the federal state
Death certificate (Sterbeurkunde)Fee of the Standesamt
TransferService of the funeral undertaker
LegalisationAs required by the destination country
Competent bodyGesundheitsamt of the place of death
Legal basisBurial act of the federal state

There are no nationwide uniform amounts for burial law, because there is no federal law on the matter. Binding is the fee ordinance of the federal state or local authority.

Good to know

Important notes

Keep the order: certificate of death, registration at the Standesamt, then Leichenpass. Whoever starts at the Gesundheitsamt loses days — and time is the scarcest resource of all in a transfer.

Apply for several copies of the death certificate. The consulate, airline, insurers, banks and the transfer need them at the same time; every reorder costs time and fees again.

Clarify the requirements of the destination country in parallel with the German procedure, not afterwards. Many states require a legalisation or their own certificates, and these steps cannot be made up once the transfer is already under way.

For urns and ashes, different rules often apply than for coffins — both under state law and in the destination country. Ask explicitly about the case that concerns you, rather than applying the information for coffin transfer.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Starting at the Gesundheitsamt. First the certificate of death and the registration, then the Leichenpass.

Applying for only one death certificate. Several bodies need it at the same time.

Clarifying the destination country's requirements only at the end. Legalisations cannot be made up along the way.

Taking general information from the internet at face value. Burial law is state law; deadlines and forms differ between the federal states.

Accepting differing spellings of the name. The name must match across all documents, otherwise the transfer stalls at the border.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

Do I need a Leichenpass for a transfer within Germany?

In many federal states, no — it is typically required for transport across the national border. Because burial affairs are governed by state law and there is no federal law on the matter, requirements nevertheless differ, and the information from the competent Gesundheitsamt is binding.

Who issues the Leichenpass?

As a rule, the Gesundheitsamt at the place of death, on the basis of the burial act of the respective federal state. In practice, the application is almost always submitted by the commissioned funeral undertaker, who brings together the required documents.

Which documents do I need?

The medical certificate of death, the death certificate from the Standesamt, the identity documents of the deceased person and the particulars of destination and transport route. Which further proof is required follows from state law and, above all, from the requirements of the destination country.

What does the Leichenpass cost?

Deliberately, no figure is given here. The fee follows the fee ordinance of the federal state or local authority, and a nationwide uniform amount does not exist — not least because there is no federal law on burial affairs. Binding is solely the information from the competent body.

Do the same rules apply to an urn?

Often not. For ashes and urns, both state law and the destination countries frequently provide for differing requirements — sometimes simpler, sometimes different. Ask explicitly about the case that concerns you, rather than applying the information for coffin transfer.

How long does the procedure take?

This depends less on the Gesundheitsamt than on the chain before and alongside it: the post-mortem examination, registration at the Standesamt and, above all, the requirements of the destination country including any legalisation. Whoever handles these steps in parallel rather than one after another shortens the process most effectively.

Related official procedures

Official medical examination (amtsärztliche Untersuchung)
You are entitled to a duplicate copy
Usually the employer
Travel medicine
Yellow fever only at authorised vaccination centres
Under the fee ordinance
Infection notification
Three catalogues, two recipients, two deadlines
24 hours

Cannot find the official procedure you are looking for?

Tell us what information you need.

Send a request