A death in Mali: burial permit and death certificate, free procedures
Town hall (burial permit office, general secretariat)
After a death, two documents are needed: the burial permit, for the burial, and the death certificate, for everything that follows (estate, pension, bank). Both are free in Mali. This page follows the two sheets on the official procedures portal.
Key points (checked on 17 October 2026)
- The doctor who certifies the death fills in a death declaration, recorded by the hospital, clinic or community health centre (CSCom).
- Burial permit: at the town hall's burial permit office, with the declaration; issued on the spot, free, as is the burial.
- Death certificate: at the town hall, with part 2 of the declaration and the burial permit registration number; free (copy 100 FCFA); 24 hours.
1. The burial permit
After certifying the death, the doctor fills in a death certificate or declaration, recorded by the facility where the death occurred and handed to the family. The declarant goes to the burial permit office, which belongs to the town hall, with the death declaration from the doctor at the hospital, clinic or CSCom. The clerk records the declaration and hands over, on the spot, a registration number and the first part of the burial permit. That part is given to the cemetery manager, who authorises the burial.
Issuing the permit and the burial are free, according to the sheet.
2. The death certificate
The declarant first goes to the reception desk of the referral health centre of their commune of residence, which draws up part 2 of the death declaration. In principle, this part is sent directly to the town hall; in practice, it is given to the declarant, who takes it to the town hall's general secretariat. The secretariat draws up the death certificate and has it signed by the mayor.
| Documents | death declaration (part 2); registration number from the burial permit office |
| Cost | free; copy of the death certificate: 100 FCFA |
| Timeline | 24 hours |
| Legal basis cited | articles 102 to 106 of law no. 06-024 of 28 June 2006 on civil status |
Keep the burial permit registration number: it is required for the death certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Is the burial permit free in Mali?
Yes: the permit and the burial are free according to the official portal.
How long does the death certificate take?
24 hours, at the town hall.
What documents are needed for the death certificate?
Part 2 of the death declaration and the burial permit registration number.
Official sources (checked on 17 October 2026)
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Death (burial permit) (French): doctor's declaration, burial permit office, free of charge.
- Government of Mali, procedures portal, Death (death certificate) (French): referral health centre, town hall, documents, cost, timeline.