What to Do When Someone Dies in Czech Republic

Your phone rings. A hospital in Prague, a police officer in Brno, or an embassy official delivers the news that someone you love has died in the Czech Republic. You have never dealt with Czech bureaucracy, you do not speak the language, and every authority you need to contact operates almost exclusively in Czech.

Here is what you need to do, broken into manageable phases, so nothing falls through the cracks.

The First 24 Hours: Medical Confirmation and Police

When a death occurs in a Czech medical facility, the attending physician performs the post-mortem examination and completes a multi-part document called the List o prohlídce zemřelého (Certificate of Examination of the Deceased). If the death happens outside a hospital — at home, in a hotel, or in public — call 155 (ambulance) or 158 (police) immediately.

Part B2 of this certificate is your critical document. It goes to the person organizing the funeral and serves as proof of death for funeral homes. Part B3 goes directly to the funeral provider to authorize transport of the remains.

If the death is unattended, accidental, or suspicious, police will notify the state prosecutor and may order a forensic autopsy. The initial transport to the forensic department is paid by the state — do not pay the transport driver.

Days 2–3: Choosing a Funeral Home and Contacting Your Embassy

Within 72 hours, you need to select a licensed funeral home (pohřební služba). Under Czech law, you have absolute autonomy in choosing a funeral provider — you are legally protected from aggressive sales tactics by emergency transport services.

You are entitled to 48 hours of free mortuary storage starting from the pronouncement of death or the completion of any autopsy. After that, commercial storage fees apply.

Contact your embassy in Prague proactively. While Czech registries are legally required to notify foreign embassies, this process is frequently delayed. The US Embassy, British Embassy, and other consular offices can help with consular death reports and travel transit permits.

The First Week: Document Surrender and Personal Effects

By day 7, you need to handle several time-sensitive requirements:

• Passport and residence card: Surrender the deceased's passport, residence card, or registration certificate to the Alien Police (Cizinecká policie) or the local registry office
• Health insurance card: Return VZP or other public insurance cards to the insurer's regional office within 8 days
• Social security notification: If the deceased received a Czech pension, notify ČSSZ (Czech Social Security Administration) in writing within 8 days to stop disbursements
• Personal effects: Retrieve belongings from the hospital or police — bring valid ID and proof of your relationship

The First Month: Death Certificate and Notifications

The local registry office (matriční úřad) in the district where the death occurred must issue the Czech Death Certificate (Úmrtní list) within 30 days. This certificate is the legal foundation for everything that follows — bank account access, probate, repatriation, and property transfer.

If you need the certificate for use outside the EU, request an Apostille through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Within the EU, a Multilingual Standard Form under EU Regulation 2016/1191 eliminates the need for translation.

Notify the deceased's landlord and employer during this period. Employment contracts terminate automatically on the date of death under Czech law.

Months 2–6: Probate and Estate Settlement

Czech probate (dědické řízení) is mandatory and automatic. The district court assigns a notary to act as court commissioner — you cannot choose your own. The notary searches the Central Register of Wills, inventories assets, and works toward a binding inheritance resolution.

Notary fees follow a regulated sliding scale starting at 2% of the first 500,000 CZK of estate value, with a minimum fee of 2,000 CZK plus 21% VAT.

What English Speakers Get Wrong

The biggest mistakes are paying emergency transport drivers (the state covers initial forensic transport), missing the 8-day deadline for returning health insurance cards, and not understanding that a Power of Attorney dies with the person — only pre-arranged disponent rights on bank accounts survive death.

For a complete roadmap covering every document, deadline, cost, and template letter you need, the Someone Died in Czech Republic: English Speaker's Emergency Guide walks you through each phase with printable checklists and a contact directory for every Czech authority you will deal with.

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