Private transfer of estates

For the District commissioner to issue a patent exchange licence, the following requirements must be met:

1. All heirs must jointly request permission for private exchange of the estate. This means that everyone must agree to divide the estate by private settlement and the result of the settlement. 2. If the deceased has decided in his will that his estate shall be divided by public division, the heirs may not request a licence to make private divisions. 3. Inheritance holders who take a will in accordance with a will must submit an original if it is not already in the custody of the district commissioner. If inheritance rights are questioned, an heir may have to prove his right, for example by submitting a birth certificate. 4. The heirs declare in a petition for a private return that they do not know of any other heirs. 5. The heirs declare that they will take a surety for liability for all obligations of the deceased and the charges that are involved in the exchange, such as inheritance tax. 6. If an heir is not possessive of financial competence or has legal representation, other heirs shall guarantee that he/she will not have to be responsible for the obligations of the estate in excess of his/her share of the heir's inheritance.

The District commissioner shall examine whether there are conditions for issuing licences for private exchanges. He or she may need to receive further information or documentation before deciding whether to issue a licence or refuse a request.