How to Register a Death in England and Wales
Step-by-step guide to registering a death in England and Wales. What to bring, what happens at the appointment, and what the registrar won't tell you.
Last reviewed: 5 March 2026
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There's something surreal about booking an appointment to register a death. You're grief-stricken, probably sleep-deprived, and you're on the phone to a council office trying to find a slot that works. It feels bureaucratic and cold - because it is. But it's also the one step that unlocks everything else: the funeral, the death certificates, Tell Us Once, Probate. Nothing moves until the death is registered.
Here's exactly what happens, what to bring, and what the official guidance doesn't mention. If you need the full picture of what to do when someone dies, start there.
If you can only do one thing today
Phone the register office and book the appointment. You have 5 days from the date of death (8 in Scotland). You can call even if you don't have all the paperwork yet - the registrar will tell you what you need.
The deadline
You must register the death within 5 days of the date of death in England and Wales. The 5-day clock starts from the day after death, so if someone dies on a Monday, the deadline is the following Saturday.
If the Coroner is involved (sudden death, unexplained death, death during surgery, death in custody), the registration will be delayed until the coroner releases the body. This is not within your control, and the 5-day deadline is paused while the coroner investigates. You don't need to worry about being “late.”
If you can't register within 5 days for other reasons (you're unwell, you live far away, the registrar has no appointments), call the register office and explain. They can extend the deadline.
Who can register the death?
In order of priority:
- A relative who was present at the death
- A relative who was in attendance during the last illness
- A relative who lives in the district where the death occurred
- Anyone present at the death
- The occupier of the building where the death occurred (e.g. care home manager)
- The person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director themselves)
In practice, it's usually the spouse, partner, or adult child. Only one person needs to attend.
Which register office?
You must register at the register office for the area where the death occurred - not where the person lived.
If they died in hospital in a different town from where they lived, you register in the hospital's town. If this is difficult (you don't drive, the office is far away), you can attend any register office and they'll forward the registration to the correct one - but this adds several days to the process.
Find your local register office: gov.uk/register-offices
What to bring
Essential
- The medical certificate of cause of death (from the doctor or hospital - you should have this already)
Bring if you have them
Not all are required, but they speed things up:
- The deceased's birth certificate
- Their marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Their NHS number or medical card
- Their driving licence or passport
- Proof of their address
- Details of any benefits or pensions they received
- The name, address, and date of birth of any surviving spouse or civil partner
What nobody tells you
Don't panic if you can't find everything. The registrar can work with what you have. The most important document is the medical certificate - without it, the appointment can't proceed. Everything else is helpful but not essential.
What happens at the appointment
The appointment lasts about 30 minutes. The registrar will ask you for:
- The deceased's full name (including maiden name if applicable)
- Their date and place of birth
- Their last address
- Their occupation (and their spouse's occupation if married)
- Their date of death and place of death
- Whether they were receiving a state pension or any benefits
- Their NHS number
The registrar will then:
- Register the death in the official register. You'll be asked to check the entry and sign it.
- Issue the Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the “green form”). Your funeral director needs this before the funeral can take place.
- Offer you certified copies of the death certificate. These cost £11 each at the time of registration. Order at least 5. If you order them later, they cost more and take longer.
- Give you a Tell Us Once reference number (in most areas). This lets you notify multiple government departments in one go.
- Give you a form for the DWP to report the death for benefits purposes.
How many death certificates to order
This is one of the most common questions, and the answer is: more than you think.
| How many you need | If the estate involves… |
|---|---|
| 3–4 | Simple estate: one bank, one pension, no property |
| 5–7 | Typical estate: multiple banks, pension, property |
| 8–10 | Complex estate: investments, multiple properties, insurance claims |
Many organisations will now accept a digital copy or will return the original, but some (especially banks and solicitors) still insist on a certified copy they can keep. At £11 each, it feels steep - but ordering extra now saves the hassle of ordering them later when they cost more and take weeks.
What nobody tells you
Some organisations accept the Tell Us Once reference number instead of a death certificate. Always ask before sending a certificate - you might not need to.
After the appointment
Once registration is complete, your immediate next steps are:
- Give the green form to the funeral director so the funeral can proceed.
- Use Tell Us Once within 28 days (or it expires). See our Tell Us Once guide.
- Start notifying banks and financial institutions with the death certificates.
- Store the death certificates safely. You'll be posting them to various organisations over the coming months. Keep a record of who has which certificate.
If the coroner is involved
The coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) investigates deaths that are:
- Sudden or unexplained
- Caused by an accident or violence
- Related to an industrial disease
- During or after surgery or anaesthesia
- In police custody or prison
- Where the doctor didn't see the patient in the 28 days before death
If the coroner is involved:
- You cannot register the death until the coroner issues their documentation. This can take days (for a straightforward Post-mortem result) or months (if an Inquest is ordered).
- The coroner may issue an interim death certificate if needed for urgent purposes (e.g., insurance claims, employer notification).
- The funeral may be delayed until the post-mortem is complete. The coroner's office will keep you informed - but don't hesitate to call them if you haven't heard anything.
What nobody tells you
A post-mortem does not always mean something suspicious happened. Coroners investigate around 45% of all deaths in England and Wales; it's routine when the cause isn't immediately clear. The process is thorough but usually respectful and faster than people expect.
Registering a death in Scotland
Registering a death in Northern Ireland
Next steps
Once you've registered the death, these guides will help with what comes next:
- Tell Us Once: notify multiple government departments in one step
- What to Do When Someone Dies: the full checklist
- Do I Need Probate?: find out whether probate applies to your situation
Frequently asked questions
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Related guides
What to Do When Someone Dies
The essential first steps: from getting the medical certificate to securing the home. A plain-English overview of everything in the right order.
Death Certificates Explained
Medical certificate vs death certificate: the difference matters. How many to order, what they cost, and who needs originals.
Tell Us Once Service
One call to notify DWP, HMRC, DVLA, Passport Office, and your council. What it covers, what it doesn’t, and how to use it.
Last reviewed: 5 March 2026