Legal heir certificate
यह भी कहा जाता है: heirship certificate, family member certificate
An administrative certificate from the revenue authorities, such as the Tahsildar, that names the surviving family members of a person who has died.
A legal heir certificate identifies the surviving legal heirs of a deceased person, such as the spouse, children and parents. It is issued by a revenue officer (often the Tahsildar or Sub-Divisional Magistrate) after an enquiry, under the procedure each State has laid down.
Where it is used
- Claiming pension, gratuity and other dues of a deceased government or private employee.
- Transferring electricity, water, gas and telephone connections.
- Mutation of property records in some States.
- Claims with banks and insurers, alongside other documents.
What it is not
It is not a court order and does not decide who owns a property or how it is divided. Disputes about shares go to a civil court. For collecting debts and securities, an institution may insist on a court-issued succession certificate.
Usual documents
- Death certificate of the deceased.
- Proof of relationship and identity of each heir.
- An affidavit or declaration about the family members, often with a local enquiry.
Include every heir
Leaving out a legal heir, for example a married daughter, can make the certificate invalid and expose the applicant to action for a false declaration.
Apply with the legal heir certificate application or a legal heir affidavit.
नीचे दिए गए स्रोतों के खिलाफ जाँच की गई 7 नवंबर 2026 IST. भारतीय कानून के बारे में सामान्य जानकारी, आपके मामले के लिए कानूनी सलाह नहीं।
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गाइड जो अधिक समझाते हैं
- Legal Heir Certificate vs Succession Certificate: Which One Do You Actually Need
Applying for the wrong one delays a claim by months. A legal heir certificate identifies who the heirs are; a succession certificate is what a bank actually needs before releasing money.