The death certificate is the key to everything that follows: whoever treated the person issues it; for a normal death at home, go to the community health service institution, which issues it within one day

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In plain words

If the person died in a hospital, ask the hospital that was treating them to issue the death certificate. If they died a normal death at home, go to the community health service institution (社区卫生服务机构) or the township health clinic (乡镇卫生院) for the area where they lived. Where the cause of death is clear, it is issued within one day. Deregistering the household registration, cremation, withdrawing the housing provident fund (公积金), claiming social insurance benefits, insurance claims and inheritance all need it. Once you have it, make several extra copies.

Mentioned in

If someone dies at home or elsewhere, first tell a natural death from an unnatural one: for an accident, an unknown cause, or someone found after living alone, call the police right away and don't touch the body or the scene

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 25, tip 2. This section describes legal rules, mostly mainland China’s. It is general information, not legal advice; for your own case, talk to a lawyer. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer