Common Mistakes After a Death in Czech Republic

When you are grieving and navigating a foreign bureaucracy in a language you do not speak, expensive mistakes are almost inevitable. These are the ones English-speaking families make most often — and how to avoid each one.

Paying the Emergency Transport Driver

When police or a prosecutor orders a forensic autopsy, the transport of the body to the forensic department is paid by the state or public health insurance. The transport driver should not ask you for money. If they do, refuse — you are legally protected from this charge. This is one of the most common overcharges foreign families face because they do not know their rights.

Using a Power of Attorney After the Death

A standard Power of Attorney (plná moc) terminates immediately when the person who granted it dies. This catches surviving partners off guard — they had legal access to bank accounts yesterday and today they do not.

If you continue to use a Power of Attorney to withdraw money after the death, you can be held personally liable for misappropriation of estate assets. The only way to retain post-mortem bank access is through pre-arranged disponent rights that were explicitly set to survive the owner's death.

Missing the 8-Day Deadlines

Two critical 8-day deadlines start on the date of death:

1. Health insurance card return: The deceased's VZP or other public health insurance card must be returned to the insurer's regional office within 8 days
2. ČSSZ pension notification: If the deceased was receiving a Czech pension, you must notify the Czech Social Security Administration in writing within 8 days to halt disbursements

Miss the pension notification and ČSSZ will demand recovery of any overpayments from the estate.

Accepting the Inheritance Without Protection

Czech law makes heirs jointly and severally liable for all estate debts. If you accept the inheritance without invoking an inventory reservation (výhrada soupisu), creditors can pursue you for amounts exceeding what you inherited — using your personal assets.

Always invoke the inventory reservation at your first meeting with the court-appointed notary. It caps your liability at the net value of what you actually receive.

Missing the Inheritance Refusal Deadline

If you want to refuse the inheritance entirely, you have one month from being notified of your right to inherit (three months if you live outside the Czech Republic). This deadline is strict and irrevocable — miss it and you are treated as having accepted.

Choosing the First Funeral Home You Meet

Emergency transport companies sometimes pressure families into using their affiliated funeral services. Czech law gives you absolute autonomy in choosing a funeral provider, and you are legally protected from aggressive sales tactics. Take the 48 hours of free hospital storage to research options, especially if you need English-speaking services or international repatriation.

Not Getting Multiple Death Certificate Copies

The first copy of the death certificate is free, but additional certified copies cost only 300 CZK each. Order several upfront — you will need separate originals for the bank, probate notary, embassy, insurance companies, and any Apostille applications. Running back to the registry office multiple times wastes weeks.

Assuming the Lease Ends Automatically

A rental lease does not terminate when the tenant dies. It transfers — first to cohabiting household members, then to heirs. If you are an heir who inherits a lease you do not want, you must send a termination notice to the landlord within three months of the death. Miss this window and you are locked into the lease under its original terms.

The Someone Died in Czech Republic guide walks you through every deadline, document, and decision point with printable checklists so nothing falls through the cracks during the most overwhelming weeks of your life.

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