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Applying for a Death Certificate

If a loved one has just passed, as difficult as it is, there are certain practical steps one needs to take. You are going to want to submit Form DHA1663 (Notice of Death) to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and at the same time apply for a death certificate (form DHA132).

Consultation

Step 1: Notice of death

The first official document which must be obtained is Form DHA-1663, called the "Notice of Death"; there are parts of it which must be produced by a medical practitioner; it includes details such as:

• The particulars of the deceased.
• The particulars of the attending medical practitioner, including the stamp of the practice or health facility.
• Whether the deceased died of natural causes or not.
• If a medico-legal investigation of death is being carried out, there are related items to fill in, such as the police case number.
• The particulars of the informant who confirmed the identity of the deceased, and the relationship of the informant to the deceased.
• The particulars of the funeral undertaker.
• A Department of Home Affairs (DHA) official will stamp the notice of death Registration of death to approve its registration, and include their particulars, including their Persal Number (the unique number assigned to each employee of the DHA).

Step 2: Apply for Certificate of Death

Once you have the completed Notice of Death, you will submit it to the DHA and simultaneously apply for a Certificate of Death (form DHA132) together with the prescribed fee, if you need an unabridged death certificate (an abridged death certificate is provided free of charge when the death is registered), and a certified copy of the deceased's ID document.

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Step 3: Find last will & testament

Search and try find the last will and testament of the deceased; or establish that there is not one.

Step 4: Report death to the Master

The death needs to be reported to the Master of the High Court; there are various documents which need to be submitted; if the estate is more than R250000 then the form J294 death notice must be completed.

Who must report the estate to the Master?

Anyboy who has the last will and testament of the deceased, or who controls some property of the deceased. This is usually done by the surviving spouse, if there is one; failing which the closest relative to the deceased who lives in the same district as where the death occurred.

When must the estate be reported to the Master?

You have 14 days from the date of death to report the deceased estate to the Master of the High Court.

Deceased Estate Information

If a relative has died, perhaps without a will, and you are unsure of what do:

• Report deceased estate to the Master online
• Steps to take when your parent dies without a will.
  • Applying for a death certificate
  • J192 form - next-of-kin
  • Nomination to act as executor
• Lawyers in Cape Town specialising in deceased estates.
• Administrators in Cape Town for deceased estates .
• Letter of executorship requirements in South Africa.
  • J192 form - next-of-kin (if no will)
  • Nomination to act as executor (if no will)
  • J190 form assistance
• Administration of deceased estates in South Africa.
• Property transfer cost in a deceased estate.
• Inheritance and child maintenance obligations.
• Intestate Succession Act
• Tracking deceased estates
• Death of a spouse before divorce if finalised

Wills

• How to write a will.
• Example of a last will and testament.
• Get your will drafted for free (by a lawyer).
• List of lawyers that draft wills in Cape Town.
• Consider updating your will when these events occur:
  • when divorcing; to avoid your ex-spouse possibly inheriting everything.
  • death of somebody mentioned in your will,
  • the birth of a child you may want to include in your will,
  • marriages

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What next after applying for a Death Certificate

If the estate is worth more than R250,000 then an executor must be appointed. The executor will either have been nominated in the will (and can be more than one person) or will be nominated by the next-of-kin by completing a nomination to act as executor form; as well as submitting a sworn affidavit containing the particulars of the next-of-kin (form J192).

Where can I get a replacement copy of an already-issued death certificate?

The death certificate can be obtained from the Department of Home Affairs; you can apply for a replacement copy or a full death certificate by filling in and submitting form BI-132 (click here to see contact details of the official in the Western Cape Department of Home Affairs). You could also ask the funeral company who assisted at the time for a copy.