Stillborn child, filing a declaration

If your child is stillborn after a pregnancy of 24 weeks or more, you must file a declaration with the municipality. If your pregnancy is shorter than 24 weeks, you may file a declaration. This should be filed with the municipality where your child was born.

The municipality prepares a certificate of stillbirth. This is official proof that your child has come into the world. The certificate of stillbirth is registered in the deaths register of the civil registry and not in the births register.

You can also register your child in the personal records database (BRP). You register your child with the municipality where you live. Your child will then be added to the BRP under your name. Both parents can do this. Registration does not happen automatically when you file a declaration.

Did your child die shortly after birth? Then you register the birth in the municipality where your child was born. You will receive a birth certificate. If your child was born and died in the same municipality, you also register the death there. Did your child die in another municipality? Then you have to register the death in that municipality.

Has it been some time since your child was stillborn or lived for a short time? You can still file a declaration in the municipality where your child was born. Is there already a certificate for your child, but with no first name on it? The municipality can add a name to the certificate. You can also register your child in the BRP of the municipality where you currently live.

A declaration may be filed by:

• The father
• The mother
• A hospital employee
• The funeral director
• Others who know of the death

You can register your stillborn child in the personal records database (BRP) if you:

• Lived in the Netherlands at the time of birth and were registered in the BRP
• Have lived in the Netherlands for a period since 1 October 1994 

• Information on registering a stillborn child (Dutch only).
• How do I file a declaration of a stillborn child? (Dutch only).

Laws

• Burial and Cremation Act (Dutch only).
• Civil code book 1 (Dutch only).
• Births, Deaths, Marriages and Registered Partnerships (Registration) Decree 1994 (Dutch only).

To file a declaration, you need to make an appointment.

If your child was stillborn after a pregnancy of 24 weeks or more then you may only bury or cremate your child after filing the declaration. You may bury or cremate a deceased person no earlier than 36 hours and no later than 6 working days after death.

This time limit does not apply to children that are stillborn earlier than 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The funeral director can file the declaration online. This is how you can file your own declaration of your stillborn child:

• You file the declaration with the municipality where your child was born.

You will need:

• Your valid identity document
• The doctor's certificate of your child's death

Was your child born in the same municipality as where you live? Then you can perform the declaration and registration of your stillborn child with the municipality at the same time. You can also perform the registration in the personal records database (BRP) later.

This is how you register your stillborn child in the BRP:

• You go to the municipality where you live.

You take with you in all cases:

• Your valid identity document
• An official certificate proving that your child was stillborn

Make an appointment first. You can only visit the municipality if you have an appointment.

When you file an application or declaration, the municipality needs your personal data. The municipality treats your personal data with care. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets out how the municipality must handle your personal data.

The main rules are:

• The personal data requested by the municipality must be necessary in order to process your application or declaration.
• The municipality records and processes your data in a secure, confidential and careful manner.
• The municipality will only use your data to process your application or declaration (or something directly related to it).
• Your personal data will not be kept any longer than is necessary to process your application or declaration.
• Other organisations will only have receive your data if this is required by law.
• Upon request, the municipality will tell you what the data is needed for and what happens to it.