Declaratory judgment of death

A declaratory judgment of death is required when :

• a person has disappeared "under circumstances likely to endanger their life" and their body has not been found;

• death is certain but the body has not been found.

The declaratory judgment of death is transcribed in the civil registers of the actual or presumed place of death and, where applicable, in those of the deceased’s last place of residence. The declaratory judgment of death serves as a death certificate.

Declaratory judgments of death are aggregated with deaths in all INSEE publications on deaths.