How to Register a Death in England and Wales

In this guide

Registering a death is the first official step after someone dies. It is a legal requirement — but it is also, for many people, the moment when everything starts to feel very real.

You are probably reading this because someone close to you has just died, and you have been told you need to register the death. You may not know exactly what that involves, or what you need to bring, or how long you have. That is completely understandable. Nobody teaches you this.

This guide will walk you through the whole process — what happens before you can register, what to expect at the appointment, what you receive at the end, and what to do if things are more complicated (a coroner is involved, or you are in Scotland or Northern Ireland).

Quick answer

In England and Wales, wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm that the death can be registered, then register it within 5 days of that confirmation. Bring the information you have, order enough death certificates, use Tell Us Once within 28 days if the registrar gives you a reference, and keep a record of certificates, references, funeral paperwork and organisation updates.

Before you can register: the medical examiner process

In England and Wales, there is an important step before registration. A doctor confirms the death, then contacts the medical examiner. The medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person's care and checks that the recorded cause of death is accurate.

In plain terms, you cannot register the death in England and Wales until the medical examiner's office confirms that registration can go ahead. The 5-day registration deadline starts from that confirmation.

In short, the official death certification reforms mean the registrar must receive medical examiner or coroner confirmation before the death can be registered.

Medical examiner scrutiny became part of the statutory England and Wales process in September 2024. For a death not being investigated by a coroner, the usual sequence is:

The doctor confirms the death and contacts the medical examiner.
The medical examiner checks the cause of death. Their office may contact you to explain the cause of death and answer questions about the healthcare provided before the person died. This is voluntary.
The medical examiner's office confirms when the death can be registered.
The 5-day deadline starts from the point you receive that confirmation — not from the date of death itself.

If you are waiting for confirmation, contact the register office for advice about booking and the registration deadline.

Hospital deaths

If the person died in hospital, its bereavement office can explain the local medical examiner process and who will confirm that registration can go ahead. Contact the office if you are unsure what is happening or have not heard when expected. The bereavement office can also help you understand what happens next and answer questions about the process.

The 5-day deadline

In England and Wales, once the medical examiner's office confirms that you can register the death, you have 5 days to do so. In Scotland, you have 8 days from the date of death. In Northern Ireland, the usual deadline is 5 days from the date of death, except where the death has been referred to the coroner. These deadlines include weekends and bank holidays.

If you cannot meet the deadline, contact the register office as soon as possible and explain why. Delays are common and are usually caused by medical examiner confirmation, a coroner referral, difficulty getting an appointment, or simply being overwhelmed. The important thing is to contact the register office rather than let the deadline pass silently.

Region	Deadline	Notes
England & Wales	5 days	From date of medical examiner confirmation. Includes weekends and bank holidays.
Scotland	8 days	From date of death. Procurator Fiscal handles coroner-type referrals.
Northern Ireland	5 days	From date of death. Tell Us Once not available — notify departments separately.

Who can register the death

Not everyone can register a death — there is a defined list of people who are legally permitted to do so. In England and Wales, the following people can register:

A relative of the person who died
The partner of the person who died
A person present at the death
The occupier of the building where the death took place (for example, a care home manager)
The person arranging the funeral
A representative of the person who died

This means a relative, partner, person present at the death, person arranging the funeral, or representative of the person who died may be able to register, depending on the circumstances.

A close family member may take this on, but only one qualified informant is needed. If you are the executor of the will but not a relative, you can still register the death as the person arranging the funeral, as long as you are genuinely taking responsibility for the funeral arrangements.

Partners and qualifying representatives are recognised informant categories. Being named executor does not remove the need to establish that you qualify. Ask the register office before booking if your position is unclear.

Where to go

Use GOV.UK or the relevant council/register office to book the appointment. If the person died outside your local area, ask the register office whether you need to register in the area where the death happened or whether another office can take the details.

Check the register office's appointment arrangements. You can find your nearest one and book online at gov.uk/register-a-death. Appointment availability varies by area. If you cannot get an appointment within the 5-day window, contact the register office directly.

Some areas offer telephone or video appointments for straightforward cases, or can begin the process before you attend. Ask what your local office requires when you book.

What to bring

In England and Wales, you should wait for the medical examiner's office to confirm that the death can be registered before you book. The registrar mainly needs accurate information about the person who died. The documents below are helpful, but do not panic if you cannot find them.

Document	Required?	Why it helps
Medical examiner confirmation	Essential	The register office needs the medical examiner or coroner paperwork. Ask which confirmation applies; this is normally sent directly, not a document you must collect.
Birth certificate of the person who died	Helpful	Confirms full name, date and place of birth.
Passport or driving licence	Helpful	Confirms identity and address.
Marriage or civil partnership certificate	Helpful	Helps confirm marriage or civil partnership details if available.
NHS number or medical card	Helpful	Helps identify the person in relevant health records.
Proof of address	Helpful	A recent council tax bill or utility bill can help confirm the address; ask the office what it accepts.

Do not panic if you cannot find everything. The registrar can proceed with the information you can provide verbally once the death is ready to register. You will not be turned away because you could not find a birth certificate.

What happens at the appointment

Appointment length varies. The registrar is a local council officer — not a doctor or solicitor — and their job is to record the facts accurately and issue the documents you need. You can ask the registrar to explain anything you do not understand.

The registrar will ask you for information about the person who died:

Full name (including any previous names)
Date and place of birth
Last address
Occupation (or last occupation if retired)
Marital or civil partnership status at the time of death
If married or in a civil partnership: the full name, date of birth, and occupation of the surviving spouse or partner
Whether they were receiving a state pension or any other state benefits

They will also ask for your own details — your name, address, and your relationship to the person who died.

Once all the information is recorded, the registrar will read it back to you and ask you to confirm it is correct. Take your time with this. Errors on a death certificate can cause significant problems later — particularly with probate and inheritance tax. If anything is wrong, say so before you sign.

What you receive

For an ordinary registration in England and Wales, the registrar will explain the certificates and notification details below. Coroner cases and other UK jurisdictions have different paperwork.

Death certificates. These are certified copies of the entry in the death register. Ask each organisation whether it needs an official copy or accepts another form of evidence. Official copies currently cost £12.50 each in England and Wales.

A certificate for burial or cremation — sometimes called the green form. This is what you give to the funeral director to allow the funeral to proceed. The funeral director or burial authority must have the appropriate authority before the funeral. In a coroner case, the coroner may issue the relevant burial or cremation paperwork instead.

A Tell Us Once reference number. This is a unique code that allows you to notify multiple government departments about the death in a single session. More on this below.

How many copies of the death certificate to order

Order copies according to the organisations you need to deal with and how they accept evidence. Extra copies cost money, so there is no useful minimum for every estate.

Ask each provider whether it needs an official copy, accepts an uploaded scan or photograph, or can verify the death another way. Requirements vary. Where a paper copy is returned, you may be able to reuse it for the next organisation.

Keep a list of who has requested a certificate, which copies you have sent and whether they have been returned. Order additional official copies when needed rather than assuming every organisation needs a separate one.

Organisations to ask about evidence requirements

Banks or building societies

Investment or ISA providers

Pension provider(s)

Life insurance company

Mortgage lender

The Probate Registry

HMRC (if estate is taxable)

Solicitor (if using one)

Land Registry (if property involved)

Premium Bonds / NS&I

If you run out, you can order more copies later from the General Register Office at gov.uk — check the current fee and delivery option before ordering.

Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is a government service that lets you notify multiple departments about a death in a single session. It is available in England, Scotland, and Wales — but not Northern Ireland, where you will need to contact each department separately.

Using your Tell Us Once reference number, you can notify:

HMRC (to update tax records; separate final tax work may still be needed)
Department for Work and Pensions (to stop benefits and entitlements, for example Universal Credit or State Pension)
DVLA (to cancel the driving licence)
Passport Office (to cancel the passport)
The local council (to update Council Tax, benefits and relevant local services)
Veterans UK (if the person was a veteran receiving a war pension)

For DWP, Tell Us Once can help stop benefits and entitlements, for example Universal Credit or State Pension.

You can use Tell Us Once online at gov.uk or by phone. GOV.UK says you must use the reference within 28 days of receiving it.

Tell Us Once does not cover everything

Tell Us Once notifies government departments — it does not contact banks, insurers, utilities, employers, private pension providers or subscription services. You will need to do those separately. The service Settld (settld.care) can help you notify private companies in a similar way — it is an independent external service that is free for bereaved users.

When a coroner is involved

Some deaths are referred to the coroner before they can be registered. A referral does not necessarily mean anything suspicious happened. Reasons include an unknown cause, a suspected violent or unnatural death, death in custody, or concerns that medical treatment contributed. The medical team or medical examiner follows the referral rules; a referral does not automatically lead to an inquest.

Follow the coroner and register office's instructions about when and how registration can happen. A coroner referral changes the certification route; it is not simply a reason to book an ordinary appointment without the required paperwork.

Referral

The doctor or medical examiner refers the death to the coroner. Ask the referring team or coroner's office who will provide updates.

Initial investigation

The coroner decides whether an investigation is required, taking account of the cause and circumstances of the death. The timing depends on the enquiries needed.

Post-mortem (if needed)

The coroner may order a post-mortem examination. You cannot object to this, but you can ask to be told when and where it will take place. The coroner can release the body once the necessary examinations are complete; ask the office about the particular case.

Inquest (if needed)

An inquest is required if the cause remains unknown, the death may have been violent or unnatural, or it occurred in prison or police custody. Ask for an interim death certificate if needed; GOV.UK confirms it can be used for probate and Tell Us Once.

Registration

If no investigation is needed, the medical examiner route resumes. If no inquest is needed after investigation, the registrar contacts you about registration. After an inquest, the coroner sends the findings to the registrar and you can obtain the final certificate.

If you are going through a coroner process and feeling lost, the Coroners' Courts Support Service offers free, independent support. Their helpline is 0300 111 2141 (Monday to Friday, 9am–7pm; Saturday, 9am–2pm).

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland

In Scotland, the process is broadly similar but with some important differences. The deadline is 8 days from the date of death (not from medical examiner confirmation). You can register with any Scottish council. Ask about its in-person or remote registration arrangements. The equivalent of the coroner in Scotland is the Procurator Fiscal, who investigates deaths referred to them in a similar way.

Tell Us Once is available in Scotland. Death certificates in Scotland are issued through the Scottish registration system; check the current certificate fee when you register. The certificate for burial or cremation is called a Form 14.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, you register at the local district register office within 5 days. The General Register Office for Northern Ireland (GRONI) oversees the system. Death certificates can be bought from the registrar at the time of registration; nidirect says later copies from GRONI have a higher first-copy fee. Tell Us Once is not available in Northern Ireland — you will need to contact government departments individually. The nidirect website (nidirect.gov.uk) has a helpful list of who to contact and how.

In Northern Ireland, nidirect says certificates bought from the registrar at registration are cheaper than the first later copy ordered from GRONI, so ask the registrar for enough copies at the time.

Common questions

How much does it cost to register a death?

Registering the death itself is free. Official death certificates currently cost £12.50 per copy in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own certificate fees, so check the current amount when you register. Order as many as you need at the time; later ordering can take longer and may cost differently.

Can I register a death online?

The process depends on the jurisdiction and register office. In England and Wales, ask the office how to book and what attendance is required. Scotland offers remote registration by telephone or online call; Northern Ireland registrars may gather the details by email or telephone. An online booking alone does not register the death.

What if I miss the 5-day deadline?

Contact the register office promptly, explain the delay and follow its instructions. Do not assume an automatic extension. If the medical examiner or coroner process is still outstanding, ask when the registration deadline will begin and what paperwork the office needs.

Can someone else register the death for me?

Yes, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria — they need to be a relative, someone present at the death, the person arranging the funeral, or (in some cases) an official from the hospital or care home. They will need to provide the required information about the person who died.

What if the medical examiner confirmation has not arrived?

Contact the hospital bereavement office, GP surgery or medical examiner's office, depending on who has been handling the death certification. In England and Wales, you must wait for confirmation that the death can be registered. The ordinary five-day period starts with medical examiner confirmation, not simply the date of death. Ask the office if you are uncertain about the deadline.

The person died abroad — what do I do?

If the person died outside the UK, you will need to register the death in the country where they died, following that country's procedures. For a British national, you may also be able to register the death with the UK authorities; this is optional, subject to eligibility and availability, and does not replace local registration. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has guidance on this at FCDO guidance .

Official guidance for a death abroad: GOV.UK and FCDO.

Registration asks you to deal with official details at a difficult time. Take it one step at a time. Wait for confirmation that the death can be registered, book the appointment, bring what you can, and order enough death certificates. EstateManager can help you keep the registration appointment, Tell Us Once reference, certificate copies, funeral paperwork, organisation notifications and follow-up tasks in one place.

If you are not sure what comes next after registration, our guide on what to do when someone dies covers the full picture — from the first days through to dealing with the estate.