Bank account blocked after a death: unblocking it in Belgium

Yes, as soon as it learns of a death, a Belgian bank blocks every account of the deceased, and those of the surviving spouse too. Unblocking takes a certificate of inheritance, free and issued in about four weeks by the FPS Finance, the Belgian federal tax administration, or a notarial deed. Each bank then charges for its estate file, from 50 to 151.25 €.

Why does the bank also block the spouse's accounts?

Because tax law requires it.

On the day of the death, the bank draws up an inventory of the assets of the deceased and of the spouse, as of midnight, and sends it to the administration, which will later check the estate tax return against it. Hence the freeze on every account of both spouses, whatever their matrimonial regime, joint accounts and safe deposit boxes included. The survivor's salary ends up blocked along with the rest.

The six steps, in order

1. Notify each bank of the deceased, through the branch, the adviser or the online form offered by BNP Paribas Fortis, CBC, ING and Beobank among others. Attach an extract of the death certificate, issued by the municipality where the death occurred, free or for 3 to 20 € depending on the municipality.
2. Track down the banks you do not know about through Bankresearch, the service run by Febelfin, the Belgian banking federation, which queries banks over the five years before the death for 151.25 € including VAT.
3. Ask for the surviving spouse's advance, if you were married or a legal cohabitant, at one bank only.
4. Send the hospital and funeral director invoices to the bank, which will settle them from the blocked account.
5. Obtain the certificate of inheritance on MyMinfin, the online portal of the FPS Finance, or the deed of inheritance from a notary where it is mandatory.
6. Sign, together with every heir, the settlement documents the bank sends, then give the account into which each share should be paid.

The estate tax return is a separate step, due within four months of the death. It unblocks nothing, but it cannot wait for the bank file to close.

Certificate or deed of inheritance: which one do you need?

The certificate, in most cases. It is free, has been requested online on MyMinfin since 18 July 2022, and names the heirs in place of a notary.

It is only issued, however, if the estate follows the statutory rules of succession: no will, no marriage contract or inheritance pact, no heir who is a minor or legally incapable. Miss a single one of those conditions and the notary becomes mandatory.

Cost of the notarial deed according to Test-Achats, the Belgian consumer association: 50 € registration duty, 7.50 € writing duty and about 195 € of fees. FPS Finance deed: conditions published by the FPS, checked on 29 September 2026.

Mind the vocabulary trap. Since 1 April 2023, the FPS Finance also issues a deed of inheritance, free if drawn up within six months of the death, but that deed is for real estate. For bank accounts, the certificate is what you ask for.

How long does it take to unblock an account after a death?

Four weeks for the certificate, then however long it takes every heir to sign. In a simple estate, one to two months is enough; the Belgian federation of notaries speaks of "a few months" in principle.

Before issuing the certificate, the Legal Security office checks the debts of the deceased, tax, social and other, which it is informed of within twelve working days. A known debt does not prevent the certificate from being issued, but the bank will only release the funds once that debt is settled, which adds a step and sometimes several weeks. Test-Achats even suggests paying known debts in advance to save time.

Take a death on Thursday 1 October 2026, a statutory estate between a spouse and two adult children, no debt. The bank is notified on Monday 5 October, the certificate is requested the same day on MyMinfin and arrives around Monday 2 November, after which the three heirs still have to return the signed documents, so the funds are paid out at best in the second half of November, seven weeks after the death. The estate tax return, for its part, remains due by 1 February 2027.

One unreachable heir blocks everything.

The bank requires the agreement of every heir before transferring anything, and a lasting disagreement is settled in court, through a judicial liquidation and division of the estate, over months or years.

How much can the surviving spouse withdraw?

Half of the current and savings account balances on the day of the death, capped at 5,000 €. And at one bank only.

The advance is reserved for the spouse and the legal cohabitant. It is calculated on the assets available on the date of death: a deceased who leaves 12,000 € gives a right to 5,000 €, because half, 6,000 €, exceeds the cap; a deceased who leaves 4,000 € only gives a right to 2,000 €. The cap is global. Having three banks triples nothing, and the request is made at a single institution.

What can still be paid from a blocked account?

More than people think. The block prevents withdrawals, not every transaction.

• Incoming transfers still go through. The month's pension, a health insurance or tax refund land on the account and become part of the estate.
• Hospital and funeral director invoices can be settled by the bank from the blocked account, on presentation of the invoice.
• The surviving spouse's advance, capped at 5,000 €, remains available for rent and running costs.
• Direct debits, on the other hand, are cancelled, and the cards stop working. Energy, phone, insurance: each supplier needs another account number.

Paying a bill of the deceased yourself remains possible, but the federation of notaries warns that doing so could be treated as tacit acceptance of the estate. Route the invoices through the bank.

How much does each bank charge for an estate file?

From 50 to 151.25 € per institution, and sometimes every year for as long as the file stays open. Almost every Belgian bank bills for the inventory, the exchanges with the administration and the review of the inheritance documents.

Estate fees: Guide-Epargne, checked on 29 September 2026, and the BNP Paribas Fortis price list for the 2,500 € threshold and the yearly management fee. Annual current account cost: survey of 26 July 2026 based on the banks' fee information documents, Argenta checked against price list DW 26234 of 16 September 2026.

When the deceased's balance is lower than the fees, the bank in principle does not create a debt for the heirs: it takes what is left, and the heirs receive nothing from that institution. Fees change more often than practices do. Ask each bank for the amount in writing as soon as the death is reported, and read the institution's fee information document, where the line sits near the end of the list.

Three banks, fourteen months: 602.50 € in fees

I ran the numbers on a common case. A mother dies leaving 18,000 € at BNP Paribas Fortis, 4,000 € at ING and 2,000 € on an old Argenta account nobody knew about, found through Bankresearch. One of the three children lives in Canada and takes a long time to send back the signatures: the file lasts fourteen months. BNP Paribas Fortis charges 150 €, then 50 € of management fees in the thirteenth month. ING takes 151.25 €. Argenta bills two yearly fees of 50 €.

Total: 451.25 € in bank fees, and 602.50 € with the Febelfin search.

Wrapped up in five months, the same file would have cost 351.25 € in bank fees. A 100 € gap comes from the duration alone, not counting the notarial deed of about 250 € had the mother left a will.

A simple file unblocks in two months, a file that drags on is billed every year

This article gives general information and does not replace a notary's advice on a specific estate. To move the survivor's accounts afterwards, the procedure is the one in our guide to switching banks. To place the annual cost of each account, our ranking of Belgian banks covers the fees institution by institution, and the bank comparison tool puts two packages side by side.

Sources

• Belgian federation of notaries (Fednot), Unblocking bank accounts (in French): accounts of the deceased and of the spouse blocked whatever the matrimonial regime, safe deposit boxes sealed, incoming transfers still possible, direct debits cancelled, advance to the spouse or legal cohabitant limited to half the assets and 5,000 € at a single institution, hospital and funeral invoices paid, notary mandatory with a will, a marriage contract or an incapable heir, Bankresearch at 151.25 €. Checked on 29 September 2026.
• FPS Finance, Deed of inheritance (in French): difference between deed and certificate of inheritance, deed free for deaths since 1 April 2023 if drawn up within six months, otherwise 285 € mortgage fee and 50 € registration duty, one month of processing. Checked on 29 September 2026.
• Test-Achats, How to unblock the bank accounts of a deceased relative (in French): free certificate of inheritance on MyMinfin in about four weeks, debt check within twelve working days, cost of the notarial deed, death certificate extracts from 0 to 20 €, bank fees billed yearly. Checked on 29 September 2026.
• Afschrift Tax & Legal, The certificate of inheritance will now be requested online (in French): request through MyMinfin since 18 July 2022. Published on 19 July 2022.
• Febelfin, Finding an account after the death of a relative (in French): Bankresearch service, search over the five years before the death.
• Guide-Epargne, Estate fee survey (in French): estate file fees by bank. Checked on 29 September 2026.
• BNP Paribas Fortis, Price list for products and services for private use (in French): estate file fee of 50 € up to 2,500 € of assets and 150 € above, management fee of 50 € a year from twelve months after the death is reported, free under 18. Online version checked on 29 September 2026.