Lijkschouw: The One Examination Every Body Goes Through
In the Netherlands, every death must be examined by a doctor before a funeral can take place. Why the doctor must come, what they look at, and what the A-verklaring actually means.
The lijkschouw — the examination of the body — is not optional. Under the Wet op de lijkbezorging (WLB), every deceased person in the Netherlands must be examined by a doctor. The purpose is to determine whether the death was natural.
Without the lijkschouw, you cannot register the death, and without registration, no funeral can proceed. It is the first administrative step after death — and the one most families don't know much about.
What the doctor checks
When the doctor arrives, they:
- Visually inspect the body
- Look for external signs — injuries, marks of violence, unusual findings
- Review the medical history — what illnesses the person had, what treatment they received
- Determine the cause of death
- Explain to the family what happened
Natural death — the most common outcome
In more than nine out of ten cases, the doctor confirms a natuurlijke dood — a natural death resulting from illness, old age, or a known medical condition. The process then moves quickly.
The doctor issues two documents:
| Document | What it is | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| A-verklaring | The medical death certificate | The family or uitvaartondernemer — needed to register the death at the gemeente |
| B-formulier | Anonymous cause-of-death form in a sealed envelope | CBS (Statistics Netherlands) — you do not open it |
The A-verklaring is the key document. Without it, the municipality cannot register the death, and without registration, no funeral permission can be issued.
Unnatural death — when the lijkschouwer is called
If the doctor has any doubt about whether the death was natural, they are legally required to call the gemeentelijke lijkschouwer — the municipal forensic doctor.
The lijkschouwer is always called in these situations:
- Any doubt the attending doctor has — however small
- Death of a child under 18 — always, without exception
- The doctor did not know the patient (no medical history available)
- Suspicion of violence, suicide, or accident
- Death that occurred during or after a medical procedure
If the death is found to be unnatural
When the lijkschouwer confirms an unnatural death:
- The body comes under the authorities' control
- The public prosecutor (officier van justitie) is notified
- A forensic autopsy may be ordered
- The funeral is postponed until permission is granted — this can take days or weeks
The body must not be moved until the lijkschouwer has arrived and completed their examination.
The special case of euthanasia
When euthanasia has taken place, the doctor who performed it cannot issue the standard A-verklaring. They are required to call the gemeentelijke lijkschouwer regardless. The lijkschouwer records the case and notifies the RTE review committee. Only after the RTE review is funeral permission granted.
This typically adds a few days to the timeline — but the process is well-established and the uitvaartondernemer will be familiar with it.