What documents are required after a death in India?
The documents required after a death in India start with two: the doctor's MCCD and the official death certificate. Almost every later claim, from a bank account to a flat, rests on that certificate.
Nothing needs to be finished in the first weeks. It is mostly about order and patience. These are the numbers that set the pace.
21 days
To register the death, free of charge, where it happened
RBD Act, 1969
7 days
For the registrar to issue the certificate after registration
RBD (Amendment) Act, 2023
15 days
For a bank to settle a deposit claim once documents are complete
RBI directions, Sept 2025
₹15 lakh
No-nominee bank claims settled by a simplified procedure (₹5 lakh at co-operative banks)
RBI directions, Sept 2025
4
Nominees a depositor can name on one bank account, from 1 November 2025
Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025
1 Oct 2026
Stricter magistrate orders for registrations more than a year late
RBD (Amendment) Act, 2026
The paperwork map, in order
Each step unlocks the next. Claims in steps 4 to 6 can run side by side, because each takes weeks.
From the doctor's certificate to the last account
- 1
MCCD: Form 4 or Form 4ADoctor or hospital
Form 4 after a hospital death, Form 4A after a death at home. Free. Since 2023, a hospital must give a copy to the nearest relative. The cause of death stays confidential.
- 2
Death registration within 21 daysHospital or family
Registered where the death happened, not where the family lives. Delhi: MCD, NDMC or the Cantonment Board. UP and Haryana: the local registrar. Many registrars use the CRS portal.
- 3
Death certificate copiesRegistrar
Issued within seven days of registration. The informant gets one copy free. Order several, and check every spelling against Aadhaar before you submit.
- 4
Bank and nominee claimsBank
Inform each bank in writing. The nominee or surviving joint holder is paid within 15 calendar days of complete documents; for a delay the bank causes, it pays interest of at least the Bank Rate plus 4% a year.
- 5
InsuranceInsurer
Claim form, policy document, death certificate, the nominee's identity and bank details, and medical records. After an accident, the FIR and post-mortem report too.
- 6
EPF and pensionEPFO and pension office
The nominee files on the EPFO member portal: Form 20 for the provident fund, Form 10D for pension, Form 5IF for EDLI insurance. Tell the pension-paying bank at once, and ask about family pension.
- 7
Legal heir or succession certificate, if neededSDM, tehsil or court
Only when there is no nominee, joint holder or accepted will. A legal heir certificate comes from the revenue office; a succession certificate from the District Judge.
- 8
Property mutationLocal body or authority
Mutation updates the records to the heirs' names: the local body for house tax, the tehsil for land, or authorities such as DDA, Noida Authority or HSVP. It is not itself proof of ownership.
- 9
PAN, Aadhaar and digital accountsUIDAI, Income Tax, platforms
Report the death on UIDAI's myAadhaar portal. Keep the PAN until the final income tax return, filed by the legal heir, is processed. Keep the phone number active for OTPs during claims.
Which document do you need for each claim?
Every institution keeps its own checklist, so ask before you apply. This table shows what our guides verified; where we could not verify a list, it says so.
Swipe sideways to see the full table →
| Claim | What is usually asked for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Bank account with a nominee or joint holder | Death certificate and the bank's claim documents | The bank pays the nominee or survivor. Being paid is not the same as inheriting. |
| Bank account without a nominee | Death certificate; a simplified procedure up to ₹15 lakh (₹5 lakh at co-operative banks) | Above that, the bank may ask for a succession or legal heir certificate. |
| Life insurance claim | Claim form, policy, death certificate, nominee's ID and bank details, medical records | Accidental death: FIR and post-mortem report as well. |
| EPF, pension and EDLI | UAN, beneficiary's Aadhaar, death certificate, cancelled cheque; Forms 20, 10D and 5IF | With no nomination, the amount goes to eligible family members. |
| Property | Death certificate, will or probate if any, legal heir or surviving member certificate, no-objection affidavits from other heirs | The office depends on the property: local body, tehsil or development authority. |
| Vehicle transfer | Not covered in our checks | Ask the transport office (RTO) where the vehicle is registered for its current list. |
| Final income tax return | PAN, death certificate and proof of being the legal heir | Register on the e-filing portal as the representative first. |
Source: RBI directions (Sept 2025), EPFO, Delhi revenue department; via Eternal Repos guides
What changed for late death registration on 1 October 2026?
A death can still be registered after 21 days, but the steps grow stricter with time. The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026 changed the rules for the latest cases from 1 October 2026.
How the route changes with each delay
- Day 0–21
Free registration
Report to the registrar where the death happened. No fee.
- Day 22–30
Late fee
Registered on payment of a late fee set by the state.
- Day 31 – 1 year
Written permission
Permission from the prescribed authority, a fee, and an affidavit or declaration.
- 1–2 years
Executive magistrate's order
An order from a District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or authorised Executive Magistrate, after verification and a fee. New from 1 October 2026.
- Over 2 years
Judicial magistrate's order
An order from a Judicial Magistrate of the first class, after verification and a fee. New from 1 October 2026.
Legal heir certificate or succession certificate: which one?
Often neither. If a nominee or joint holder can claim, or an institution accepts the will, you may not need one. When you do, they do different jobs.
Two certificates, two purposes
Legal heir certificate
Called a surviving member certificate in Delhi
- Issued byThe SDM or Tehsildar's office
- ShowsThe surviving family members
- ApplyDelhi e-District portal or a Citizen Service Centre; in UP and Haryana, the tehsil or SDM office
- NeedsDeath certificate, IDs of all surviving members, photographs, a signed self-declaration
Succession certificate
Under the Indian Succession Act, 1925
- Issued byThe District Judge
- ShowsAuthority to collect debts and securities
- ApplyWhere the person ordinarily lived
- Asked forUsually when there is no nominee and the amount is large
Probate is no longer compulsory anywhere in India since December 2025, though some institutions still ask for it. For disputes or large sums, a lawyer is worth consulting. See our guide to paperwork after a death.
What happens to PAN, Aadhaar and digital accounts?
These come last, and none should be closed in a hurry. A parent's phone number and PAN often stay useful for months.
- Aadhaar: use UIDAI's Reporting of Death of a Family Member service on myAadhaar, for deaths registered in states and UTs that use the CRS.
- PAN: keep it active until the final return is processed and any refund received.
- Income tax: the return covers income from 1 April to the date of death. A legal heir is generally liable only up to the value of assets inherited.
- Digital accounts: download photographs and messages first, then request closure or memorialisation, usually with the death certificate.
“You grieve, we'll carry the rest.”
— Eternal Repos
