Obtaining a cremation permit

You must enclose the following with your application for a permit:

• a certificate in which the attending physician or the physician who pronounced the death indicates whether the death was natural, violent or suspicious, or whether the cause of death was impossible to identify;
• the report of a sworn physician appointed by the civil registrar, stating whether the death was natural, violent or suspicious, or whether the cause of death was impossible to identify.

If the death report indicates:

• that the death was violent or suspicious, or that its cause could not be identified; or
• that there are circumstances giving rise to suspicion of a violent or suspicious death or a cause of death that is impossible to identify; or
• that the physician was unable to confirm that there was no evidence of a violent or suspicious death or of a cause of death that was impossible to identify;

then the municipality in charge sends the file to the public prosecutor of the district of the place of death. In such a case, a permit for burial or cremation may be issued only after receipt of the notice of non-objection from the public prosecutor.

In all cases, in view of the irrevocable nature of a cremation, the last will and testament of the deceased will be verified beforehand.

The permit is free of charge.

In all cases, a permit for cremation is issued no earlier than 24 hours after the request is submitted.