Administration is the process where the Surrogate's Court officially gives out Letters of Administration to a qualified distributee (heir) of the Decedent. In New York State, the Surrogate's Court decides what happens to a person's property when that person dies.A copy of the entitled party's valid, unexpired, government-issued photo identification. You'll receive an email within 24 hours explaining what documents are needed to complete your claim. Typically, we require: A copy of the death certificate. One thing for sure is that the bank will want to know the specific reasons for the removal request as the next-to-kin. To Open a Safe Deposit Box After Death in NYC, you must Petition the Surrogate's Court in the County where the Decedent died for permission. You would need an official letter from the agency saying you need the death record to process the claim. Withdrawing money from a bank account after death is illegal, if you are not a joint owner of the bank account.