When someone dies in Korea, a doctor issues a death certificate (사망진단서). If no doctor was treating the person, a doctor examines the body and fills in the same form as a postmortem examination certificate (시체검안서). The family attaches this paper to every step that follows.
The next step depends on who died. A Korean citizen’s death must be reported within one month. A registered foreigner’s residence card must be returned within 30 days. Cremation also needs the certificate. This guide explains the paper, its cost and each step.
Death certificate or postmortem certificate
Both papers use one form, Form 6 (별지 제6호서식) of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act. The title at the top shows which one it is. Under Article 17 of the Medical Service Act, only a doctor who examined the person can write either paper.
| Paper | Korean name | Who writes it |
|---|---|---|
| Death certificate | 사망진단서 | A doctor who was treating the person |
| Postmortem examination certificate | 시체검안서 | A doctor who examined the body after death |
If a patient dies within 48 hours of the last treatment, the doctor can issue the certificate without a new examination. The doctor cannot refuse a request without a valid reason.
What the form shows
The form is in Korean only. Check the name, the dates and the place before you leave the hospital. Every later step copies these details.
| Korean box | What it records |
|---|---|
| ① 성명 ② 성별 ③ 주민등록번호 ④ 실제생년월일 | Name, sex, resident registration number and actual date of birth |
| ⑤ 직업 ⑥ 주소 | Occupation and address |
| ⑦ 발병일시 | When the illness began |
| ⑧ 사망일시 | The date and time of death, in 24-hour time |
| ⑨ 사망장소 | Where the death happened: home, hospital, care facility, public place, road, business, workplace, farm, on the way to hospital or other |
| ⑩ 사망의 원인 | The direct cause of death, the conditions that led to it, and how long each lasted. Surgery and autopsy findings go here too |
| ⑪ 사망의 종류 | The kind of death: illness (병사), external cause (외인사), or other and unknown (기타 및 불상) |
| 의료기관 · 면허번호 · 성명 | The hospital, and the doctor’s license number, name and signature |
If the death was not from illness, a final box (⑫ 외인사 사항) records the type of accident and when and where it happened.
Who can get it
Article 17 of the Medical Service Act lists the family members who can receive the certificate after a death.
Hospitals check who you are. Seoul National University Hospital, for example, asks for your ID and a paper that shows the family relationship. A family relation certificate (가족관계증명서) or a resident registration copy (주민등록등본) works there.
Family members can also ask for the person’s medical records. Article 21 of the same act allows this with proof of the relationship and of the death. Our guide to medical records explains how copies and costs work.
How much it costs
Fee caps verified October 2026 · Ministry of Health and Welfare Notice No. 2021-34
The Ministry of Health and Welfare caps the fee for each paper. A hospital chooses its own fee between zero and the cap.
| Paper | Korean name | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Death certificate | 사망진단서 | 10,000 KRW |
| Postmortem examination certificate | 시체검안서 | 30,000 KRW. Travel costs are separate |
| Copy or reissue of a certificate | 제증명서 사본 | 1,000 KRW |
Each step below needs the certificate attached. Count your steps and ask the hospital for enough copies at once.
| Step | Who it applies to | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Death report (사망신고) | A Korean citizen | Family Relationship Act, Article 84 |
| Returning the residence card | A registered foreigner | Immigration Act Enforcement Decree, Article 46 |
| Cremation report (화장신고) | Anyone who is cremated | Funeral Act Enforcement Rule, Article 2 |
If the person was a Korean citizen
Rules verified October 2026 · Act on the Registration, etc. of Family Relationships, Articles 84, 85 and 122
A Korean citizen’s death goes into the family register through a death report (사망신고). File it within one month of learning of the death. Attach the death certificate or the postmortem certificate.
The note printed at the bottom of the certificate describes this report. It applies to Korean citizens, because the family register covers Korean nationals only.
If the person was a registered foreigner
Rules verified October 2026 · Immigration Act, Articles 37 and 100 · Enforcement Decree, Articles 46 and 47
A registered foreigner is not in the family register. The Immigration Act sets a different step: returning the residence card (외국인등록증).
Once the office confirms the death from the certificate, it can cancel the registration. For records in the person’s own country, contact that country’s embassy in Korea.
Cremation and burial
The Act on Funeral Services sets the reports for cremation and burial. The cremation report needs the death certificate or the postmortem certificate attached.
| Step | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Cremation report (화장신고) | Before the cremation | The local government of the area where the crematorium is |
| Burial report (매장신고) | Within 30 days after the burial | The local government of the area of the grave |
After the cremation report, the office issues a report certificate. This guide does not cover funeral customs or costs.
| Who died | Step | Deadline | Where | Fine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Korean citizen | Death report | 1 month | City, district or neighborhood office | Up to 50,000 KRW |
| A registered foreigner | Return the residence card | 30 days | Immigration office | Up to 1,000,000 KRW |
| Anyone cremated | Cremation report | Before cremation | Local government of the crematorium | — |
Both deadlines count from the day the family learns of the death, not from the date on the certificate.
What to say at the counter
Hospitals and offices work in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.
Frequently asked questions
Official sources
Every figure here comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page before you act on it.