When someone dies in Vaud: declaration, repatriation and funerals

Last checked: 11 Oct 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

This page explains the first official steps after a death in Vaud, for example if a family member visiting you or a friend from abroad dies here. In practice, a funeral home (pompes funèbres), the hospital or the doctor usually handles most formalities with the family. Take things one step at a time, and ask for help.

Key facts

• A doctor confirms the death and issues a medical death certificate (constat de décès médical). Every declaration must include it (vd.ch, état civil).
• Declare within two days to the civil-status office (état civil) of the district where the death happened: "Tout décès doit être annoncé à l'état civil de l'arrondissement du lieu du décès dans les deux jours" (vd.ch).
• Usually done for you: "En règle générale, ce sont les entreprises de pompes funèbres mandatées par la famille, l'hôpital ou le médecin qui déclarent le décès" (vd.ch).
• Repatriation abroad needs a mortuary pass (laissez-passer mortuaire) issued by the cantonal authorities; in Vaud the prefect (préfet) issues it.
• Basic burial is free in Vaud at the cost of the commune of residence (Ville de Lausanne, see section 4).

1. Who declares the death

According to the canton (vd.ch, état civil, "Décès"), the declaration falls to one of these, depending on where the death happened:

• the management of a hospital, clinic or care home;
• authorities who learn of the death;
• the doctor and medical staff present (death at home);
• family members (spouse, children, close relatives, people living in the same home), people mandated by the family (for example a funeral home with a signed power of attorney), or anyone who was present;
• the police, for example after an accident.

2. Time limit and documents

• Two days after the death (vd.ch). Federal law sets the same limit (Ordonnance sur l'état civil, OEC, art. 35 al. 1).
• The civil-status office needs the medical death certificate plus documents that depend on the person's nationality and civil status. For a foreign national, this is typically an international birth certificate (CIEC form A), and if married abroad also an international marriage certificate (CIEC form B). Full list: Documents à fournir à l'état civil lors d'un décès (vd.ch PDF).
• Once the death is registered, the family or funeral home receives a confirmation used to issue the burial permit (permis d'inhumer). The resident registry, the AVS office, the justice of the peace (justice de paix, for the estate) and the tax office are informed automatically (vd.ch).
• A death certificate (acte de décès) on a Swiss or international form can then be ordered online by the persons entitled (vd.ch). If it must be used abroad, see Apostille, legalisation and translation.

3. Repatriating the body abroad

• An authorisation (the laissez-passer pour les cadavres) is required to transport a body from Switzerland abroad; "la compétence appartient aux autorités cantonales" (FOPH / OFSP).
• In Vaud, for a transport abroad the prefect checks that no health reason prevents the transport, that the death is registered with the état civil, consults customs, and issues the prefectoral mortuary pass (laissez-passer mortuaire préfectoral) for the district where the death occurred. The coffin-sealing report (procès-verbal de mise en bière) is drawn up by the commune where the death occurred (RDSPF, BLV 818.41.1, art. 33).
• In practice the funeral home submits the request. Ask them for a quote: costs are not set by the canton.
• Your consulate: many consulates help families with documents and repatriation after the death of a national. What yours offers: see Register with your consulate. To verify with your own consulate, as services differ by country.
• Travel or health insurance from your home country may cover repatriation. To verify in your policy.

4. Burial and cremation

• On Vaud territory, the commune of residence of the deceased pays these minimum services: the funeral procession (convoi funèbre), a row grave (tombe à la ligne), digging and filling the grave, and a grave marker (piquet de tombe) (Ville de Lausanne, "Prestations communales gratuites").
• If the deceased left nobody to handle the formalities, the commune also provides what it considers necessary for a decent burial (Ville de Lausanne).
• Cremation in Lausanne: the City pays the cremation of its inhabitants if they were legally resident in Lausanne at the time of death, or lived there at least 25 consecutive years (Ville de Lausanne). To verify for other communes (Ecublens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Saint-Sulpice and others): ask the commune office.
• Coffin, ceremony, flowers, other grave types and transport are usually charged by the funeral home. Ask for a written quote.

5. Inheritance

The justice of the peace is informed automatically and opens the estate; for wills and estates see Notary basics in Vaud.

6. Support

• Grief is hard, especially far from home. EPFL students can get free, confidential help: see Mental health support at EPFL.
• EPFL's chaplaincy (Aumônerie) runs grief activities such as "Croque" deuil (EPFL Aumônerie).
• If a student dies: EPFL's official procedure for families and fellow students is not published. To verify with EPFL Student Affairs before adding details.
• In an emergency, call 144 (ambulance) or 117 (police).