Documents Needed After a Death in India: The Complete List for Families

Published by Karan Bindal, Founder

Almost every office you visit after a death will ask for a similar set of papers. Gathering them once, before you start, saves repeated trips. Exact requirements differ by institution, so ask each one for its own list. Under RBI's rules, banks must make their forms and document lists available at every branch and on their website.

The documents almost everyone asks for

Death certificate. Get several copies. One copy is free and further copies carry a small fee. A certificate with a QR code is useful, since SEBI's 2026 rules accept it as verifiable proof for shares and mutual funds. The certificate given to the public does not show the cause of death.

Identity proof of the person who died. Aadhaar, PAN, passport or voter ID.

Your own identity and address proof. Banks call this an Officially Valid Document. Aadhaar, passport, voter ID and driving licence are the usual ones.

Proof of your relationship. Marriage certificate for a spouse, birth certificate or school record for a child, or a family register where your state keeps one.

Your bank details. A cancelled cheque or the first page of your passbook, because most claims are paid by direct transfer.

Documents for specific claims

Bank accounts and fixed deposits

Claim form from the bank (RBI has standardised these)
Death certificate
Your identity proof
If there is no nominee: an indemnity bond, a disclaimer from other heirs if they are not claiming, and a legal heir certificate or a declaration from an independent person who knows the family

Read more in our bank account claim guide.

Life insurance

Claim form
Death certificate
The policy document, if you have it
Discharge summary, if the death happened in a hospital
FIR and post-mortem report, if the death was due to an accident

If the policy document is lost, tell the insurer in writing anyway. The insurance regulator's rules say no claim should be rejected or closed for want of documents. Read our life insurance claim guide.

Provident fund

Death certificate
UAN of the person who died, if you can find it
Aadhaar of the person claiming
Bank details and a cancelled cheque

Read our EPF guide.

Mutual funds and shares

Transmission request form
Death certificate
Client Master List of your own demat account
Share certificates or account statement
Depending on the value: an indemnity bond, a no-objection from all legal heirs, or a legal heir or succession certificate

Read our mutual funds and shares guide.

Property

Death certificate
The sale deed or title papers
Proof of who the heirs are
The will, if there is one
Recent property tax receipts

Requirements here differ a lot by state and local body. Read our property guide.

Income tax

To file a return for the person who died, you register as their legal heir on the e-Filing portal. You need their PAN, the death certificate, and proof that you are a legal heir. Read our Aadhaar, PAN and SIM guide.

When you need a court or revenue document

Many claims do not need one. Where there is a nominee, RBI's rules say a bank must not insist on a succession certificate, probate or indemnity bond, whatever the amount. Where there is no nominee, you may need a legal heir certificate from a revenue officer, or a succession certificate from a court. Our guide on the difference between the two explains when each one applies.

Papers worth looking for at home

These often reveal assets the family did not know about:

Bank passbooks, cheque books and old statements
Fixed deposit receipts
Premium receipts and letters from insurers
Annual statements from mutual funds
Form 16 and income tax returns, which list interest and investments
Loan papers and credit card statements
Rent agreements and property tax receipts
SMS and email from banks, if you can reach them lawfully

A simple way to stay organised

Keep one folder, physical or on a phone. Make a one-page table with these columns: what it is, where the original is, who you spoke to, the date, and what they asked for next. It sounds basic, and it prevents most of the repeat visits.

Do this for your own family today

The papers above are far easier to find while the person who knows about them can still tell you. Our free family checklist takes about ten minutes and shows what your family would need to find. Aakhri Pal is one private place to keep that list and the documents themselves. See how it works.

Last checked: 30 October 2026. This is general guidance, not legal advice. Requirements differ by institution and state, so please confirm with the office concerned.

Sources: RBI Directions on deceased customers' claims, 2025 · SEBI transmission framework, July 2026, via NSDL · Civil Registration System FAQ