The compliance file every funeral parlour and mortuary should keep on hand

A funeral business operating premises, transporting remains and selling funeral cover has three separate compliance files to keep straight: the premises and hygiene file under the National Health Act, the death registration paperwork that runs through Home Affairs, and — if any funeral policy is sold on-site — a valid financial services licence.

Reviewed by TefCo Compliance Research — last verified 15 September 2026.

In short

The certificate of competence, hygiene compliance records and vehicle conveyance requirements sit under the National Health Act 61 of 2003.
Selling funeral insurance without the required licence under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 and the Insurance Act 18 of 2017 is an enforcement priority for the FSCA.
Death registration paperwork — the notice of death form, ID verification and fingerprints — must be complete before a burial or cremation can proceed.

Premises and hygiene

Certificate of competence for the funeral undertaker's premises or mortuary (Regulations Relating to the Management of Human Remains, GN R.363 of 2013).
Records showing compliance with the hygiene requirements for funeral undertaker's and mortuary premises set out in regulation 11 of GN R.363.
Vehicle registration and conveyance records for any vehicle used to transport human remains, including for cross-border conveyance where applicable.
Cremation permits and a cremation register, where the business operates or arranges cremations.
Records of any burial-at-sea permits, if applicable.

Death registration paperwork per case

Completed notice of death (Form DHA-1663 for deaths certified by a medical practitioner, or DHA-1680 for deaths certified by another authority).
Proof the notice was submitted to Home Affairs within 72 hours of death.
ID document or passport used to identify the deceased, or a documented explanation where identification was not possible by ID.
Fingerprints of the deceased, the informant and the undertaker, where required on the notice form.
Abridged death certificate issued to the family, and a record of any unabridged certificate requested.

Financial services — only if you sell funeral cover

A current licence under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act 37 of 2002 to act as, or represent, a financial services provider.
Confirmation that any underwriter behind the policy holds a licence under the Insurance Act 18 of 2017 — a funeral parlour collecting premiums without a licensed underwriter behind it is exactly the pattern the FSCA has taken enforcement action against.
Records of premiums collected and claims paid, in case the FSCA requests them as part of a review.

The FSCA has publicly confirmed enforcement action against funeral parlours that collected tens of millions of rand in premiums while acting as unlicensed financial services providers, and against parlours issuing policies without a licensed underwriter in place. If your business sells funeral cover directly, confirm your own licensing and your underwriter's licensing status before assuming a long-standing arrangement is compliant.

Frequently asked

Can a funeral parlour sell its own funeral policies without an insurance company behind it?

No. The Insurance Act 18 of 2017 requires a licence to conduct insurance business in South Africa, and the FSCA has taken enforcement action against funeral parlours that collected premiums and paid claims without a licensed insurer underwriting the product.

What happens if a certificate of competence lapses while a mortuary is trading?

Regulation 9 of GN R.363 of 2013 allows a certificate of competence to be suspended or revoked. Trading without a valid certificate exposes the business to the same enforcement risk as never having had one — confirm renewal or transfer status with the local authority before it lapses.

Does every funeral home need to be a Home Affairs–designated undertaker?

Only undertakers designated under section 22A of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 51 of 1992 should complete and submit notification-of-death paperwork in that capacity. Confirm your designation status with your local Home Affairs office.

Sources

TefCo Corporate Compliance (Pty) Ltd is a compliance management platform, not a legal, tax or advisory firm. This guide is general information, not advice. Fees, dates and thresholds change — confirm current figures with the regulator before you rely on them.