Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about exhumation
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- Exhumation (prekop) can be requested by relatives or other persons with a legitimate interest. A prior opinion from the grave lessee (najemnik groba) is required.
- The permit is issued by the competent municipal authority (pristojni občinski organ). The procedure and prices are set by the cemetery rules of the specific municipality (pokopališki red).
- Coffin exhumation is carried out only in the presence of an authorized doctor (pooblaščeni zdravnik). No doctor is needed for an urn.
- Taking a coffin out of the country requires a laissez-passer for a corpse (posmrtni potni list) from the Health Inspectorate. It is not required for an urn.
- Our exhumation service starts at €500 plus transport from Slovenia. No upfront payment for transport.
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Translated from Ukrainian “You were always available, whatever the time…” — Віта Х. “Everything was organised with great dignity, professionally and with attention to every detail.” — Тамара Ю. “Every question was resolved promptly, with respect and attention to detail.” — Olha B. “…your support, compassion, sense of responsibility and professionalism meant a great deal to us.” — Ірина Б. “It all went quickly and professionally…” — Оля К. Who Can Request an Exhumation
The Funeral and Cemetery Services Act (ZPPDej), Article 21, states the following: at the request of relatives or other natural or legal persons with a legitimate interest, the deceased may be exhumed and moved to another cemetery. Before this, the opinion of the grave lessee (mnenje najemnika groba) is required.
By law, only one person or one organization can be the grave lessee (Article 30). Usually, this is the person who arranged the funeral, or their heir. If the applicant and the lessee are different people, the lessee provides written consent. For example, the requirements of the Municipality of Pivka state that the consent of the current grave lessee must be attached to the application if the applicant is not the lessee.
If the Family Lives in Ukraine
You do not need to travel to Slovenia. You sign a power of attorney, we pass the documents to our partners in Slovenia, and they submit the application and make arrangements with the cemetery. Documents from Ukraine are translated into Slovenian. Before applying, we check with the municipality on the exact format they require for the power of attorney and consents.
Law and Permits
The main law is the Zakon o pogrebni in pokopališki dejavnosti (ZPPDej, Uradni list RS, 62/16 and 3/22). Sanitary rules and transport are covered in the Rules on the Transport, Burial, Exhumation and Reburial of Human Remains (Pravilnik o prevozu, pokopu, izkopu in prekopu posmrtnih ostankov).
The exhumation permit is issued by the competent municipal authority (Article 21(4) ZPPDej). Cemeteries are managed by municipalities (občina), each through its own cemetery rules ordinance (pokopališki red). Because of this, the procedure varies slightly from town to town.
Example of the Municipality of Pivka. An application is submitted, and once the full package of documents is received, consent on behalf of the municipality is issued by the cemetery concessionaire. The following must be attached to the application:
- consent of the current grave lessee, if the applicant is not the lessee;
- consent of the new grave lessee and the lease agreement for the new grave;
- an extract from the death register (izpisek iz matičnega registra), either standard or international.
The requirement regarding the new grave is written for reburials within Slovenia. For Ukraine, we prepare a plot certificate from the Ukrainian cemetery. We check with the specific municipality in advance to confirm whether they will accept it.
The law does not set a processing deadline. We do not promise specific timeframes until we review the cemetery and the documents.
When Exhumation Is Possible in Slovenia
The resting period (mirovalna doba) for a coffin burial cannot be shorter than 10 years (Article 22 ZPPDej). The exact period is set by the cemetery rules, taking soil conditions into account. The law does not set this minimum for urns.
An important detail: Article 22 refers to reusing the same burial space in a grave. The law does not contain a direct ban on moving a coffin before 10 years have passed. However, the municipality and the doctor may set their own conditions. Therefore, for recent burials, we check directly with the local authority.
We found no seasonal restrictions in the law. We also check locally to see if a specific cemetery has its own monthly restrictions.
If the cause of death was an infectious disease, the Rules require special measures: the body is wrapped in a cloth soaked in antiseptic, and such remains are either cremated or buried in a transport coffin. For this reason, we first check the cause of death in the documents.
How the Exhumation Works
The exhumation is carried out by a cemetery worker (grobar), as stated in Article 21. The coffin is raised only in the presence of an authorized doctor. Workers must wear protective clothing, rubber aprons, gloves, and boots. These requirements do not apply to an urn.
The remains are placed into a hermetically sealed transport coffin with a zinc liner. The requirements for this coffin are described below.
The law explicitly allows cremating the remains after exhumation before the new burial (Article 21(1)). In that case, an urn is transported to Ukraine. This is simpler because an urn does not require a posmrtni potni list. We will discuss together whether this option works for you.
Documents for Transport to Ukraine
Posmrtni potni list
The laissez-passer for a corpse (posmrtni potni list) is issued by the Health Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia (Zdravstveni inšpektorat RS), under Article 6 of the Rules. The document is drawn up in Slovenian and one of the official EU languages. The cause of death is stated in Slovenian along with the WHO International Classification of Diseases code. The inspector verifies that the coffin meets the requirements and contains only the remains of that person.
Coffin requirements (Article 5): an outer wooden coffin with walls at least 20 mm thick and a hermetically sealed inner metal liner, or a single wooden coffin at least 30 mm thick with a metal liner. Absorbent material must be placed inside. For air transport, a pressure-equalizing device is required.
A posmrtni potni list is not required for an urn containing ashes (Article 7).
Embassy of Ukraine
The Consular Section of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Slovenia (Ljubljana) will advise on which documents are needed to bring the remains into Ukraine. We provide a complete list of documents to each family individually.
Apostille and Translation
Both Slovenia and Ukraine are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Apostilles on documents issued by state authorities are placed by district courts (okrožna sodišča), while the Ministry of Justice places them on notarized documents and translations by court interpreters. We arrange the translation.
Reburial in Ukraine
Ukraine requires its own permit. Reburial is authorized by the executive committee of the local council at the new burial location. We arrange this permit together with the family.
It is best to arrange the cemetery plot in Ukraine before submitting the application in Slovenia. The plot certificate will be needed in both countries. To read about how we transport a coffin or an urn, visit our page on body transport from Slovenia.
How Much It Costs
Prices for cemetery work are set by the municipality in its price list (Article 28 ZPPDej and the cemetery rules). There is no single national rate for exhumation. In the Municipality of Pivka, for example, the exhumation consent itself is free, while the exhumation work is paid by the grave lessee according to the concessionaire's price list.
Cemetery work, the doctor, the posmrtni potni list, apostilles, translations, the transport coffin, and the transport itself are paid separately. We request the exact figures from your cemetery for your specific case.
Our price: exhumation from €500 plus the cost of transport (repatriation) from Slovenia. We calculate the exact amount for your situation. There is no upfront payment for transport: payment is made after handover according to the contract.
How Long It Takes: From the First Call to the Funeral
| Stage | Estimated time |
|---|---|
| Consultation, power of attorney, lessee consent | 1–2 weeks |
| Plot certificate in Ukraine | 1–2 weeks (in parallel) |
| Municipal permit | from several weeks |
| Exhumation date with the doctor | per cemetery schedule |
| Posmrtni potni list, apostille | 1–2 weeks |
| Transport to Ukraine | 1–3 days |
| Executive committee permit and burial | 1–3 weeks |
Timeframes are approximate. Most of it depends on the municipality and the cemetery. At every stage, we will give you an honest update on where things stand.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues the exhumation permit in Slovenia?
The competent authority of the municipality where the cemetery is located. Before this, the opinion of the grave lessee is required. In some municipalities, consent on behalf of the municipality is issued by the cemetery concessionaire.
After how many years can a coffin be moved?
The resting period for a coffin is at least 10 years, but this rule applies to reusing the grave space. Whether an earlier exhumation will be permitted is something we check with the municipality.
Can the remains be cremated and brought back in an urn?
Yes, the law explicitly allows this. An urn does not require a posmrtni potni list, making transport simpler.
Do we need to travel to Slovenia?
No. A power of attorney and the consent of the grave lessee are sufficient. Our local partners submit the documents.
Who issues the document for transporting a coffin abroad?
The Health Inspectorate of Slovenia (Zdravstveni inšpektorat RS) issues the posmrtni potni list after inspecting the coffin and the documents.
How much does exhumation cost in Slovenia?
Each municipality sets its own prices. We request them for your specific cemetery. Our work starts at €500 plus transport.
What to Do Now
- Call us and tell us where the person is buried: town, cemetery, year of burial, coffin or urn.
- Find the death certificate and the grave lease agreement, if you have it.
- Decide who will submit the application and ask the grave lessee for written consent.
- Arrange a plot with the cemetery in Ukraine. We will take care of the rest.
Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about exhumation
Phone available 24/7, also on Viber, WhatsApp, and Telegram.
Sources
- Zakon o pogrebni in pokopališki dejavnosti (ZPPDej), Uradni list RS, 62/16, 3/22, členi 4, 21, 22, 28, 30 (PISRS)
- Pravilnik o prevozu, pokopu, izkopu in prekopu posmrtnih ostankov, Uradni list RS, 70/97, 61/11, 53/17 (PISRS)
- Občina Pivka: Vloga za izdajo odločbe o prekopu, prenosu posmrtnih ostankov
- HCCH: Slovenia, competent authorities (Apostille)
- HCCH, Apostille Convention status table
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