Burial - Carry out an official burial arranged by the public order authority (ordnungsbehördliche Bestattung)
Bestattung - Ordnungsbehördliche Bestattung durchführen
Machine translation of the German page, 2026-09-15. The German original is binding.
A public-authority burial (ordnungsbehördliche Bestattung) takes place when no relatives of the deceased are present or can be identified, no arrangements for burial were made, and no one else is arranging the burial. The place of death must be the state of Berlin. Responsibility (Zuständigkeit) of the districts is determined by the deceased's registered address (Meldeanschrift) valid at the time of death. If relatives exist but are financially unable to arrange the burial, an application for cost assumption can be submitted to the Sozialamt (social welfare office) responsible for the area of the deceased's last registered address.
Book an appointment
Book an appointment (service.berlin.de)
Requirements
• Public-order burial (Ordnungsbehördliche Bestattung)
The deceased must have died in Berlin. Responsibility (Zuständigkeit) lies with the Bezirksamt (district office) in whose area the deceased was registered at the time of death.
Documents you need
• Death notification from the police (form "1007") or
The notification must contain the deceased's personal details, the time and place of death, and the release for burial of the body.
• Notification from the "erstüberführender" Bestatter (funeral director carrying out the first transfer) or
The notification must contain the deceased's personal details as well as the time and place of death. The party who commissioned the transfer must be identifiable (e.g. police or care home).
• Notification from the care home or
The notification must contain the deceased's personal details. The Leichenschauschein (certificate of post-mortem examination) must be presented.
• Notification from the hospital
The notification must contain the deceased's personal details. The Leichenschauschein (certificate of post-mortem examination) must be presented.
Fees
800 - 1500 Euro
The Gesundheitsamt (public health office) is required to invoice the relatives who are obligated to arrange the burial and bear the costs for the funeral expenses it has advanced, unless these are covered by any estate funds or no cost assumption is granted by the responsible Sozialamt (social welfare office).
Legal basis
• Gesetz über das Leichen- und Bestattungswesen (Bestattungsgesetz) (Act on the Handling of the Deceased and Burials [Burial Act]) <http://gesetze.berlin.de/jportal/?quelle=jlink&query=BestattG+BE&psml=bsbeprod.psml&max=true&aiz=true>
Processing time
7 - 10 days
Who is responsible
Responsible is the Gesundheitsamt (health office) in whose area the deceased was registered at the time of death.
Responsible for you
Choose a location; the appointment itself is booked on the original page.
- Bezirksamt Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
- Gesundheitsamt - Ordnungsbehördliche Bestattungen
- Bezirksamt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
- Bezirksamt Lichtenberg
- Ordnungsamt Lichtenberg
- Bezirksamt Marzahn-Hellersdorf
- Gesundheitsamt - Hygiene und Umweltmedizin
- Bezirksamt Mitte
- Gesundheitsamt - Infektionsschutz, medizinischer Katastrophenschutz und umweltbezogener Gesundheitsschutz
- Bezirksamt Neukölln
- Gesundheitsamt - Ordnungsbehördliche Bestattungen
- Bezirksamt Pankow
- Gesundheitsamt - Hygiene und Umweltmedizin - Außenstelle Neue Schönholzer Str. 33/34
- Bezirksamt Reinickendorf
- Gesundheitsamt - Infektionsschutz, Katastrophenschutz und umweltbezogener Gesundheitsschutz
- Bezirksamt Spandau
- Bezirksamt Steglitz-Zehlendorf
- Gesundheitsamt - Hygiene- und Umweltmedizin
- Gesundheitsamt - Ordnungsbehördliche Bestattungen
- Bezirksamt Tempelhof-Schöneberg
- Bezirksamt Treptow-Köpenick
- Gesundheitsamt - Infektions-, Katastrophenschutz und umweltbezogener Gesundheitsschutz
Original
Service number 326077 · same path as the original: service.berlin.de/dienstleistung/326077/