Step 1

Confirm and declare the death

The first step after a death is to have the death officially certified. In a hospital or care facility, this is handled by the institution. What if the death occurs at home? Call 911 so that a physician, or another authorized professional, can come to the location. Then, the death must be declared to the Quebec Registrar of Civil Status. The funeral home will guide you through this process.

Required documents

  • Attestation of death form, completed by a physician, coroner, or nurse

Useful contacts

  • Treating physician or emergency services (911)
  • Funeral home

Average costs

There are no costs related to the attestation of death.

Legal timeframes

Declaration of death must be completed as soon as possible.

Funeral pre-arrangements
Step 2

Choose a funeral home and organize the funeral

Once the death is certified, the family must choose a funeral home, unless thedeceased purchased prearrangements. The funeral home supports you with organizing the funeral and with the procedures related to the death, offering accessible funeral services in Quebec adapted to your situation. The staff will also help you complete forms such as the death declaration and other steps.

Required documents

  • Attestation of death
  • Personal information
  • The deceased's health insurance card, for cancellation with the RAMQ
  • Prearrangement contract, if applicable
  • Declaration of death form, completed and signed
  • Application for the simplified forwarding of information relative to the death to departments and agencies
  • Request for a death certificate or a copy of an act of death

Useful contacts

Average costs

·  Death certificate or copy of act of death: Between $37.75 and $80.50. Cost varies based on submission method (online or by mail/paper), type (certificate or copy of act), and processing time (standard or expedited).

· Funeral arrangements: Costs vary depending on services and options selected.

Service Actuel offers packages ranging from $997 to $2,817.

Legal timeframes

· The death certificate or copy of the act of death is generally returned within 10 business days (standard) or 3 business days (expedited).

· The organization of the funeral and cremation is completed at your own pace. Cremation typically takes place within 24 to 48 hours after the death.

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Step 3

Notify ministries and agencies

If you completed the Application for the simplified forwarding of information relative to the death to departments and agencies, most ministries and agencies were notified automatically. If this was not done, you can find the list of ministries and agencies on the Directeur de l’état civil du Québec website. Other departments may also need to be notified depending on the situation. These are listed in the useful contacts below.

Note: among the formalities after a death, you must notify the RAMQ and return the deceased's health insurance card. If the funeral home did not handle this, you will need to do it yourself.

Required documents

Varies depending on the situation.

Useful contacts

  • Directeur de l’état civil du Québec 
  • Ministry of Higher Education, Student Financial Assistance program, for the death of a student receiving loans and bursaries
  • Public Curator, for a protection mandate or tutorship
  • Notary and financial institutions, for the termination of a power of attorney

Average costs

Generally, no cost.

Legal timeframes

Varies by department or agency. There is generally no legal deadline, but prompt action often prevents undue payments or reimbursements.

Step 4

Manage bank accounts and insurance

After the death, you must contact the institutions where the deceased held bankaccounts to freeze these accounts. You also need to cancel private insurance policies.

Note: if you shared a joint account with the deceased, you may now access your share. Only the deceased's share is frozen, which is 50% if you did not specify the split.

Required documents

  • Attestation of death
  • Proof of identity

To unfreeze accounts, for the liquidator:

  • Copy of the notarized will
  • Death certificate
  • Will search results
  • Authentic copy of the deceased's marriage contract or divorce judgment, if applicable

Useful contacts

Average costs

Bank account management does not include additional fees.

Legal timeframes

There is no legal timeframe, but quick processing is recommended.

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Emotional support and help resources

Grief is a process that takes time. At any point after the death, do not hesitate to seek support:

Quick FAQ

Whom to contact after a death?

If the death did not occur in a care facility, the first thing to do is to call 911. Once the death has been certified, contact the funeral home.



What to do after a death?

Start with the administrative procedures that follow the death with help from the funeral home, then plan the next steps such as cremation or burial and the funeral.



Who should handle the steps?

Generally, a close relative or the estate's liquidator takes charge of the steps after a death, with support from the funeral home.



How much time is there to complete the steps after a death?

The attestation of death and the declaration of death are more urgent, followed by the request for a death certificate. Other steps can be spread over the following weeks.