In England and Wales you must register the death within 5 days of getting the confirmation, which includes weekends and bank holidays. In Scotland, any death must be registered within 8 days of the death, where possible. In Northern Ireland, a death should be registered within five days, except deaths referred to the coroner. This guide covers how long you have to register, who can register, what to take, what you get and what copies cost.
Key points
✓In England and Wales you must wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm you can register the death.
✓In England and Wales you must register the death within 5 days of getting the confirmation, and if you need more than 5 days you must tell the register office immediately.
✓In England and Wales a relative should register the death.
✓When you register a death in England and Wales you get a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the 'green form'), which gives permission for burial or an application for cremation.
✓Certificates from the General Register Office cost £12.50, and extra copies are the same price.
When and where to register
After someone dies, their doctor must confirm the death before contacting the medical examiner, which can take a few days. The medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person's care and checks the cause of death to make sure it is accurate. The medical examiner's office then contacts you to explain the cause of death and answer questions, which is voluntary, and you must wait for it to confirm you can register the death.
Nation
Deadline
Where
England and Wales
Within 5 days of getting the confirmation, including weekends and bank holidays
Any register office, but it is quicker to use the one in the area where the person died
Scotland
Within 8 days of the death, where possible
Any registration office in Scotland
Northern Ireland
Within five days, except deaths referred to the coroner
Any district registration office in Northern Ireland
If you need more than 5 days in England and Wales, you must tell the register office immediately. In Scotland, it may not be possible to register the death within 8 days, for example if it has been referred to the procurator fiscal.
Who can register the death
England and Wales:
✓Yes: A relative should register the death.
✓Yes: If a relative cannot register the death, you can do it if you were there at the time of death.
✓Yes: If a relative cannot register the death, you can do it if you are an administrator from the hospital, where the person died in hospital.
✓Yes: If a relative cannot register the death, you can do it if you are in charge of making funeral arrangements.
Scotland:
✓Yes: You can register a death if you are related to the person who has died.
✓Yes: You can register a death if you were there when the person died.
✓Yes: You can register a death if you are an executor or solicitor of the person who has died.
✓Yes: You can register a death if you lived with the person who died, when they died at home.
✓Yes: If you are none of these and no one else can register the death, you can do so as long as you know the details of the person who has died and have the right documents.
Northern Ireland:
Most deaths in Northern Ireland are registered by a relative of the deceased. If the deceased has no relatives or none are available, any of the following can register the death:
✓Yes: Any relative of the deceased, including a relative by marriage.
✓Yes: A person present at the death.
✓Yes: A person taking care of the funeral arrangements.
✓Yes: The executor or administrator of the deceased's estate.
✓Yes: The governor, matron or chief officer of a public building where the death occurred.
✓Yes: A person living in and responsible for a house, lodgings or apartments where the death occurred.
✓Yes: A person finding, or a person taking charge of, the body.
What to take with you
In England and Wales, the register office will tell you what you need to do when you contact them. Ask the register office what to do if you do not have the documents it wants to see.
The registrar will need these details:
The person's full name at the time of death, and any names previously used, for example a maiden name.
Their date and place of birth, their last address and their occupation.
The full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late spouse or civil partner.
Whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits.
The register office may want to see:
Their birth certificate, Council Tax bill, driving licence, and marriage or civil partnership certificate.
Their NHS medical card, passport and proof of address.
In Scotland, the registrar will need a medical certificate of cause of death to register the death, and you cannot register a death without one. You should also take their birth and marriage certificate, their NHS medical card, and anything you have that confirms they had a pension or payment from government funds.
In Northern Ireland, to complete the registration you will need to know the full name and surname of the deceased, their usual address, the date and place of death, marital status, date and place of birth, and occupation. You will also need the name and address of the deceased's GP, any married or civil partner's full name and occupation, and details of any NI Civil Service or Teacher's pension.
What you get when you register
In England and Wales: a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the 'green form'), which gives permission for burial or an application for cremation.
In England and Wales: a Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8), which you may need to fill in and return if the person was getting a State Pension or benefits.
In England and Wales, you can buy extra death certificates, which will be needed for sorting out the person's affairs.
In Scotland: a certificate of registration of death to show the funeral director, and a shorter copy of the death entry, with no charge for these documents.
In Northern Ireland: the registrar issues a Certificate for Burial or Cremation to the funeral director.
You must give the burial or cremation certificate to your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority before the funeral can take place. Tell Us Once lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go, and a registrar explains it when you register and either completes it with you or gives you a unique reference number to use online or by phone. Our what to do when someone dies guide gives the full checklist.
Death certificate copies and cost
Nation
What it costs
England and Wales
Certificates from the General Register Office cost £12.50, and extra copies are the same price
Northern Ireland
Copies bought from the registrar at registration cost £8.00 each; later, the General Register Office charges £15.00 for the first copy and £8.00 for each additional copy bought at the same time
Scotland
There is no charge for the certificate of registration or the shorter copy of the death entry
Certificates from the General Register Office are sent 4 days after you apply, and the priority service costs £38.50 and sends the certificate the next working day if you order by 4pm. You can also order certificates from the local register office where the death was registered. In Northern Ireland, a short form of death certificate is available which will not show the cause of death. In Northern Ireland, there is no cost for registering a death.
Our funeral costs guide covers paying for the funeral, and our probate guide covers dealing with the estate.
If the coroner is involved
If a death is reported to a coroner in England and Wales, the documents you need to register the death may be different. The coroner will try to find out how the person died. A coroner must hold an inquest if the cause of death is still unknown, the person might have died a violent or unnatural death, or the person might have died in prison or police custody. You can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate while you wait for the inquest.
If the coroner decides the cause of death is clear, they will issue a certificate to the registrar saying an inquest is not needed, and the registrar will contact you to arrange for the death to be registered. If the coroner decides they do not need to investigate, the medical examiner will contact you to confirm you can register the death.
In Scotland, it may not be possible to register the death within 8 days if it has been referred to the procurator fiscal. In Northern Ireland, the death can only be registered after the registrar has received the necessary certificate from the coroner, and the registrar will then contact a relative and ask them to call in at the office to register the death.
In Northern Ireland, if a death is referred to the coroner, funeral arrangements should not be made before the coroner's consent. Some deaths are referred to the coroner there because the deceased had not been seen by a doctor within 28 days before death, the death was not caused by natural illness, or the cause of death was unclear, sudden or suspicious.
In England and Wales you must register the death within 5 days of getting the confirmation, which includes weekends and bank holidays. In Scotland, any death must be registered within 8 days of the death, where possible. In Northern Ireland, a death should be registered within five days, except deaths referred to the coroner.
What is the 'green form'?
The Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the 'green form') gives permission for burial or an application for cremation. You must give it to your funeral director, crematorium or burial authority before the funeral can take place.
Know Your Rights UK. "Registering a Death: How Long & Getting a Certificate." Know Your Rights UK, https://www.knowyourrightsuk.com/wills/registering-a-death