Death at home
Doctor, death certificate, civil registry office, farewell: the first hours in the right order — calmly explained, with the deadlines that actually apply.
The first hours
A death at home catches most families unprepared, even when it was expected after a long illness. At this moment very little is truly urgent: the death has to be confirmed by a doctor, and if the death is sudden or unclear, you need the emergency number. Almost everything else can wait until you have gathered yourselves and said goodbye.
This page guides you through the first hours: who to call first, when the police are involved, how long the deceased can stay at home and what then has to be done with the civil registry office (Zivilstandsamt). We have checked the information against the official sources; where the canton or the municipality decides for itself, we say so.
We are reachable around the clock, including at night and on public holidays, and collect the deceased anywhere in Switzerland — when you are ready. A full overview for the days and weeks that follow is given in the checklist after a death.
Process
If the death was expected and natural, call the family doctor or, outside surgery hours, the medical emergency service. The doctor confirms the death and issues the medical death certificate — without it no further step is possible.
If you are not sure whether the person is still alive, or they collapsed suddenly, dial 144 immediately. If anything points to an accident, violence or suicide, the police (117) are also called in. In that case, change as little as possible at the scene.
Once the doctor has confirmed the death, you may pause. Call the people who should know straight away, and say goodbye in peace. Many families later find these hours were important.
When you are ready, write to us or call — even in the middle of the night. We discuss the time of collection, a viewing at home, the type of funeral you want and whether an interment abroad is an option.
Have ready the medical death certificate, the family booklet (Familienbüchlein) or family certificate (Familienausweis), passport or identity card and, for foreign nationals, the foreign national's permit (Ausländerausweis). If you find a will, it is handed to the authority unchanged.
The death must be reported within two days to the civil registry office of the place of death. For a death at home, the relatives are obliged to report it; with your power of attorney we make the report and the registration with the municipality.
In detail
If someone dies after a long illness, for example in palliative care, no emergency call is needed. Do not dial 144; call the family doctor or the medical emergency service instead — a palliative care or home-care (Spitex) team looking after the person can support you with this. It helps to discuss beforehand whom the family will call at that moment.
Which services are involved depends on how the death occurred. For relatives it is enough to distinguish three situations:
A Legalinspektion is not an accusation against the family but a prescribed procedure to establish the manner of death. The deceased may be taken to an institute of forensic medicine for this. We then plan the funeral and the farewell as soon as the authorities have released them — tell us in the first conversation so that we can align the dates.
There is no uniform maximum period across Switzerland. In the canton of Bern, the funeral ordinance (Bestattungsverordnung) only stipulates that a funeral may take place no earlier than 48 hours after death; in special circumstances the cantonal medical office (Kantonsarztamt) approves exceptions. Everything else about the funeral is regulated by the municipalities themselves — some, for example, make a viewing at home conditional on the consent of the responsible doctor.
For the first hours this means: you do not have to have the deceased collected straight away. Keep the room as cool as possible, turn off the heating and let in fresh air. How long a viewing at home makes sense and is permitted in your municipality is something we discuss with you when you get in touch — we arrange the collection around you.
Many families want to say goodbye at home, in familiar surroundings and without visiting hours. Where the municipality allows it, we set up the viewing at home: hygienic care, dressing in clothing of your choice, dignified laying out — and after that we stay in the background.
Just as important is what the family itself wishes to do. For some, this includes closing the eyes, a ritual washing, prayers, candles or a vigil — church-based, in a mosque, according to another religious order or secular. Tell us which customs matter to you; we plan the collection and care so that there is room for them.
The most important deadline of the first days is the notification to the civil registry office. Only after that may a funeral take place or a mortuary passport (Leichenpass) be issued.
All further steps — AHV (old-age and survivors' insurance), bank, insurers, landlord — have days to weeks. The order is set out in the checklist after a death, the deregistrations under deregistrations after a death.
Questions & answers
For an expected, natural death, call the family doctor or the medical emergency service. If the person collapsed suddenly and you do not know whether they are still alive, dial 144. Once the doctor has confirmed the death, you may take your time and then contact a funeral home.
The doctor who confirms the death — that is, the family doctor's practice, the medical emergency service or, in the case of an unusual death, forensic medicine. You need the original medical death certificate to notify the civil registry office. More under death certificate.
No, not with every death. The police are called in if there are signs of an accident, violence, suicide or an unclear cause. The public prosecutor then orders an external examination of the body (Legalinspektion). For a natural, expected death, confirmation by a doctor is sufficient.
There is no uniform maximum period in Switzerland; in the canton of Bern a funeral may take place no earlier than 48 hours after death, and the other rules are set by the municipalities. Keep the room cool and discuss with us how long a viewing at home is possible in your municipality.
The same as during the day: call the medical emergency service or, if unsure, dial 144. You do not have to wait until morning to contact the funeral home — we are reachable around the clock. But you may also wait until the family is together.
In many municipalities yes, sometimes with the consent of the responsible doctor. We clarify what applies in your municipality, care for the deceased and set up the viewing at home.
For a death at home, the relatives are obliged to report it: spouse or registered partner, closest relatives, people living in the same household or whoever was present at the death. The deadline is two days. With a written power of attorney we make the report for you.
As soon as the death has been confirmed by a doctor and you are ready. There is no reason to hurry — many families first take a few hours to say goodbye. What matters is that the civil registry office is notified within two days; we take care of that with your power of attorney.
Guides
The steps of the first hours and days, ordered by real urgency — with the legal deadlines and what changes for a repatriation.
Two documents easily confused — who issues them, what they are for, how many copies to ask for.
The full list of who has to be informed, with the only deadlines that genuinely matter.
Other services
Traditional burial in a coffin — grave, date, ceremony and every formality.
Learn moreCremation followed by urn interment, a natural burial or transfer of the urn.
Learn moreService, viewing and farewell — religious or secular, shaped the way you want it.
Learn more