What to Do When Someone Dies in France: English Speaker's Step-by-Step Guide

The First 24 Hours Are Legally Binding

When someone dies in France, you have exactly 24 hours to formally declare the death at the local mairie (town hall) of the commune where it happened. This isn't a suggestion — it's French civil law, and the clock starts immediately.

If the death happened at home, call a doctor or SOS Médecins to certify the death and issue the certificat médical de décès. If it happened at a hospital or nursing home (EHPAD), the staff handles certification automatically. For sudden, violent, or suspicious deaths, call 17 (police) or 112 — never call a doctor first in these cases.

To declare the death at the mairie, bring your own ID, the medical death certificate, and any identification documents for the deceased (passport, birth certificate, livret de famille). The mairie then issues the official acte de décès — request at least 15 certified copies immediately, because every French bank, insurer, and government office requires an original.

Days 2-7: The Critical Appointments

Within 48 hours, you must decide where the body will be held. Hospital mortuaries keep the deceased free for three days; private funeral homes (chambre funéraire) charge from day one.

You're legally required to appoint a licensed funeral director (pompes funèbres). They act as your administrative proxy for everything — transport permits, burial permissions, and filings with the regional préfecture. By law, they must give you a standardized three-column quote separating mandatory services, optional extras, and third-party fees. Get quotes from at least two companies before signing.

Contact your embassy or consulate immediately. The US Embassy issues a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA), the UK's FCDO registers the death, and Canadian/Australian consulates provide their own official reports. You'll need these for probate back home.

French law now allows up to 14 calendar days for burial or cremation (expanded from six working days by Decree No. 2024-790). This gives international families more breathing room to travel and coordinate.

The Financial Freeze Nobody Warns You About

The moment a French bank learns of the death, every individual account is frozen. Joint accounts may remain partially accessible, but the deceased's share is locked during estate settlement.

There's one critical exception: Article L312-1-4 of the Monetary and Financial Code allows banks to release up to €5,965 from the deceased's accounts specifically for funeral costs. Bring the funeral director's invoice and the acte de décès to the bank to access these funds.

Month One: Benefits and Notifications

If the deceased was employed or receiving unemployment benefits in the three months before death, the family qualifies for the CPAM capital décès — a flat €4,009 (2026 rate). Priority beneficiaries must file Form Cerfa S3180 within one month of death.

For any documents you need to use outside France, get certified translations from a traducteur assermenté (court-sworn translator) at €20-37 per page. The acte de décès must also be apostilled through apostille.notaires.fr — standard processing takes three business days, express is 24 hours.

Months 2-6: The Notaire and Tax Deadlines

If the deceased owned French property, had assets over €5,965, or left a will, hiring a notaire is legally mandatory. The notaire searches the national will registry (FCDDV), drafts the acte de notoriété (heirship certificate), values all assets, and files the inheritance tax return.

That tax return — the déclaration de succession — must be filed within six months of death. Miss this deadline and you face 0.20% monthly interest plus a 10% late-payment surcharge.

Surviving spouses and PACS partners pay zero inheritance tax. Children receive a €100,000 tax-free allowance each. Non-relatives face a flat 60% rate.

Common Mistakes That Cost Families Thousands

Not requesting enough death certificate copies. French institutions rarely accept photocopies. Get 15-20 originals from the mairie — they're free.

Hiring a notaire when you don't need one. If the estate is under €5,965 with no real property and no will, heirs can sign a joint declaration to close bank accounts directly.

Ignoring the furnished vs. unfurnished rental distinction. Unfurnished leases terminate automatically on the date of death. Furnished leases transfer to the estate — heirs must give formal written notice to terminate.

Missing the one-month CPAM priority window. After 30 days, priority status is lost and any heir can claim the death grant for up to two years.

Not searching for life insurance. The deceased may have held assurance vie contracts the family doesn't know about. Use the AGIRA search service — it queries every French insurer and is free.

Paying full rate on the funeral without comparing quotes. French law entitles you to a standardized three-column quote (Devis Réglementé) from any funeral director. Get at least two quotes before signing — prices for identical services can vary by 40-60% between operators.

The Someone Died in France: English Speaker's Emergency Guide walks through every deadline, form, and fee with bilingual templates so nothing gets missed.

See more France guides →