First 24 hours after a death
The immediate steps you need to take in Portugal when someone passes away. Take a breath, and follow this guide one step at a time.
You are not alone
It is normal to feel overwhelmed. This guide will help you through each step. If you need immediate emotional support, call SOS Voz Amiga at 213 544 545 (available daily 15:30-00:30).
Step-by-step timeline
The 5 essential steps in the first 24 hours after a death
1. Obtain the death certificate (Certidão de Óbito)
- Death at home: Call 112 (INEM) or the family doctor. A doctor must certify the death and issue the Certificado de Óbito (death verification certificate).
- Death at a hospital: The hospital medical team handles the death verification. You will be given the necessary documentation.
- Unexpected death: Call 112 immediately. Do not move the body. The police and forensic services (INML) may need to be involved.
- The death verification certificate (Verificação de Óbito) is the first essential document. Keep it safe.
2. Contact a funeral home (Agência Funerária)
- You are free to choose any funeral home. Hospitals often have funeral agencies present, but you are not obligated to use them.
- Request a detailed written quote before signing any contract. Compare prices if possible.
- The funeral home will handle the transport of the body and help with the bureaucratic process.
- In Portugal, burial or cremation must generally occur within 24 to 72 hours (except in special circumstances).
3. Register the death
- The death must be registered at the Conservatória do Registo Civil (Civil Registry Office) within 48 hours.
- In many hospitals, the Espaço Óbito service allows you to complete the registration on-site, saving you a separate trip.
- Documents needed: death verification certificate, the deceased's Cartão de Cidadão (ID card), and your own ID.
- The Conservatória will issue the official Certidão de Óbito (death certificate). Request several certified copies as you will need them.
4. Gather essential documents
- Cartão de Cidadão (ID card) of the deceased
- Death verification certificate and official death certificate
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Any existing will or testament
- Insurance policies (life insurance, funeral insurance)
- Bank account details
- Property deeds or rental contracts
- Social Security (Segurança Social) number
5. Notify close family and employer
- Inform immediate family members and close friends.
- Contact the deceased's employer (if applicable). The family may be entitled to unpaid wages, holiday pay, and other benefits.
- If you are employed, notify your own employer. In Portugal, workers are entitled to bereavement leave: 20 consecutive days for the death of a spouse or domestic partner, parent, or child; 5 days for other close relatives.
Death subsidy (Subsídio por Morte)
Family members may be entitled to a death subsidy of 1,611.39 EUR (3x the IAS value of 537.13 EUR) from Segurança Social. This should be requested within one year. More details in our Deceased's finances guide.
What NOT to do
- Do not sign funeral contracts under pressure or without comparing options
- Do not access the deceased's bank accounts before proper legal procedures
- Do not throw away any documents or correspondence belonging to the deceased
- Do not make major financial decisions in the first few days