Exhumation
Opening a grave requires official authorisation. We establish whether it can be granted, file the application and carry out the work with two trained staff.
EXHUMATION · GRAVE RELOCATION · REPATRIATION
Exhumation and grave relocation across Switzerland
A last journey that has to be accompanied once more.
An exhumation is rarely planned and never easy. We handle the whole procedure – from clarifying matters with the municipality and the cantonal medical officer to opening the grave, through to relocation within Switzerland or repatriation abroad. We work in all twenty-six Swiss cantons.
Procedure compliant with the authorities
Reachable 24 hours a day
All twenty-six cantons
Repatriation worldwide
Services
One point of contact – so you do not have to organise anything.
Every exhumation is its own case, with its own legal, technical and personal constraints. We establish the requirements, run the procedure and carry the work through to the end.
Grave relocation within Switzerland
Moving a grave to a cemetery closer to where the family now lives, or bringing several family members together in one grave.
Repatriation abroad
Mortuary passport, consular legalisation, zinc-lined transport coffin and freight – organised as one procedure so the deadlines line up.
Grave clearance
When the rest period ends, the municipality clears the grave. We explain what still remains possible and how much time you actually have.
Dealing with the authorities
The municipality decides, not the canton and not the Confederation. We handle the correspondence and know what a complete application looks like.
Urn relocation
Considerably simpler and cheaper than moving a coffin – but still not something you may do without permission.
Family graves
Lease terms, renewal and who is entitled to decide. We clarify this before you commit to anything.
A written record
We document the work at the grave for the family – useful for the reburial, and for relatives who could not be there.
The process
Five steps – transparent, with no unpleasant surprises.
The permit procedure is what takes the longest. After the initial consultation we give you a realistic timeline.
Initial consultation
You describe the situation. We check the requirements free of charge and tell you honestly what is possible.
Written quote
An itemised offer with every position listed. You decide only afterwards.
Permit
We file the application with the municipality and follow it up with the authorities.
Carrying out the work
Grave opening and exhumation, screened from view, outside visiting hours.
Reburial or repatriation
Relocation within Switzerland, or transport to the destination country with full documentation.
Exhumation and relocation in all twenty-six cantons.
Our office is in Bolligen near Bern. We work throughout Switzerland and repatriate to destinations worldwide.
Costs
What makes up the price.
What the work at the grave costs
For the work carried out at the grave itself, expect CHF 3,000 to CHF 4,000. That figure covers opening the grave, the work of the trained staff and screening the site. It does not include municipal fees, the coffin or urn, or transport. You receive an itemised written quote before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What families ask us most often.
Do I need permission to open a grave in Switzerland?
Yes. A grave may only be opened with official authorisation. The decision rests with the Gemeinde – the municipality that owns the cemetery, not your municipality of residence and not the canton. Each municipality applies its own cemetery regulations.
How long is the rest period?
There is no national figure. The Ruhefrist, the mandatory period during which a grave stays in place, is set by each municipality. As a rough guide it is around twenty years for a simple grave, but the only binding answer comes from the cemetery administration concerned.
What does an exhumation cost?
For the work at the grave itself, experience puts it at roughly CHF 3,000 to 4,000 for a coffin, including two trained staff, travel both ways, cleaning and expenses. Municipal fees, a new coffin and, for transport abroad, documents and freight are additional.
Is it too late after twenty years?
Usually not – and the procedure is often easier once the rest period has expired, because you no longer have to justify an early opening. What matters is whether the grave still exists or has already been cleared.
Who has to consent?
As a rule the closest surviving relatives or the holder of the right of use. Relatives of the same degree count equally: with three children, the authority will normally want three signatures. A missing signature is the single most common reason applications stall.
Free initial consultation
Talk to us – even if you are still unsure.
Describe the situation to us. We check the requirements free of charge and tell you honestly what is possible and what is not. Costs only arise afterwards.