In case of a sudden demise of a family member, a Legal Heir (LH) certificate must be obtained for transferring the assets of the deceased to his/her legal heirs. A legal heir certificate is a very important document to establish the relationship between the deceased and legal heirs. Once the death certificate is obtained from the municipality/corporation, the successors can apply for this legal heir certificate to claim their right over the deceased person’s properties and dues. Usually, lawyers help draft and register a legal heir certificate.
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Uses of a Legal Heir Certificate
A LH certificate identifies the rightful successor who then can claim the assets/properties of the deceased person. All eligible successors must possess this certificate to lay a claim over the deceased person’s property.
Legal heir certificate is required for the following purpose
- For transferring properties and assets of the demised person to his successors.
- For claiming insurance.
- For sanctioning and processing family pension of the deceased employee.
- To receive dues such as provident fund, gratuity, etc. from the government
- To receive salary arrears of the deceased, state or central government employee.
- To gain employment based on compassionate appointments.
Generally, for any property purchase or registration, the buyer should request for a LH certificate to ascertain the ownership of the property. There can be instances, where there are several legal heirs for an ancestral property and in such cases, it is required that all legal heirs sign on the deed of conveyance giving their approval to avoid any litigations.
Who Can Apply For A LH Certificate
The following persons are considered legal heirs and can claim a LH certificate under the Indian Law:
- Spouse of the deceased.
- Children of the deceased (son/ daughter).
- Parents of the deceased.
Procedure to Obtain a LH Certificate
LH certificate can be obtained by approaching the area/taluk Thasildhar, or from the corporation/municipality office of the respective area, and from the district civil court. This certificate names all legal heirs of the deceased person and is issued only after a proper enquiry. The process of obtaining a LH certificate are stated below:
- The legitimate heir of the deceased person must approach the appropriate authority in the respective area and ask for the LH certificate application. The applicant must fill the application and submit the signed application to the concerned authority. This application contains the names of all the legal heirs, their relationship with the deceased and addresses of the family members.
- All the required documents including the death certificate of the departed person should be attached to the application. (Death certificate must be obtained from the municipality/corporation office).
- An affidavit on stamp paper or self declaration has to be submitted along with the application.
- Revenue Inspector/administrative officer conducts an inspection and completes the enquiry.
- Once the enquiry is completed successfully, the authorized officer issues the LH certificate.
The process of obtaining a LH certificate generally takes 30 days. If there is an unnecessary delay in receiving this certificate or the concerned authorities fail to respond, you should then approach the Revenue Division Officer(RDO)/sub-collector.
Documents Required For Obtaining a LH Certificate
In order to obtain a LH certificate, following is the list of documents required:
- Signed application form.
- Identity/Address proof of the applicant.
- Death certificate of the deceased.
- Date of Birth proof of all legal heirs.
- A self-undertaking affidavit.
- Address proof of the deceased.
Note:
- Identity Proof of Applicant can be voter’s ID, Aadhaar Card Driving License, Passport or any other government-issued identity card.
- Address proof of legal heir can be any valid identity proof or telephone/mobile bill, gas bill, bank passbook with the name and address of the legal heir
- Date of birth proof of legal heir can be a birth certificate, school transfer/leaving certificate, PAN card, passport etc.
Difference Between a Legal Heir Certificate And Succession Certificate
A LH certificate is different from a succession certificate, a succession certificate is generally issued by the civil court and there are separate procedures to obtain the same. Major differences between these two certificates are listed below:
- LH certificate usage is limited to certain matters such as claiming employee benefits of the deceased, insurance claims, property registration etc.
- A LH certificate is not conclusive proof under the law of succession in India.
- With respect to the settlement of any property which is disputed or under court litigation, a succession certificate is vital.
Legal Heir Certificate – Sample format
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How to File Income Tax Return for the Deceased by Legal Heir
Disclaimer: The information presented on this site does not constitute legal or professional advice and should not be relied upon for such purposes or used as a substitute for legal advice from an attorney licensed in your state.