Every death in the UK must be registered. In England and Wales you usually do this at a register office within five days of being told the death can be registered. In Scotland you have eight days and in Northern Ireland five. Registering is free. The registrar gives you the form the funeral director needs, and you can buy copies of the death certificate to send to banks and other organisations.
When can you register the death?
In England and Wales you cannot register until the cause of death has been confirmed. A doctor who cared for the person completes a medical certificate of cause of death, and a medical examiner reviews it. The medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person’s care. Their office may call you to explain the cause of death and answer questions, but speaking to them is voluntary. When the review is finished, they let you and the register office know that you can register.
If the death has been reported to the coroner, you wait until the coroner has finished their enquiries. The register office will contact you when the coroner has sent them what they need.
How long do you have to register a death?
| Where the person died | Time limit |
|---|---|
| England and Wales | 5 days from being told the death can be registered |
| Scotland | 8 days from the death |
| Northern Ireland | 5 days |
The time limits include weekends and bank holidays. If you cannot manage it in time, for example because you are travelling, tell the register office as soon as you can.
Where do you register a death in England and Wales?
Use the register office for the area where the person died, which may not be the area where they lived. You can find your local register office on GOV.UK. Most work by appointment, so book ahead. If you cannot get to that office, you can go to a different one, which will pass the details on. This can delay the paperwork you need for the funeral.
Who can register a death?
In England and Wales the person registering is usually a relative. If no relative can do it, these people can register instead:
- someone who was present at the death
- someone who lives in the house or works in the building where the person died, such as the manager of a care home
- the person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director)
In Scotland any relative, someone present at the death, the executor or legal representative, or the occupier of the place where the person died can register. In Northern Ireland it is usually a relative. If none is available, someone present at the death or the person arranging the funeral can do it.
What information and documents do you need?
The registrar will ask for:
- the person’s full name at the time of death, and any names they used before, such as a maiden name
- their date and place of birth
- the date and place of death
- their usual address
- their last occupation
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving husband, wife or civil partner
- whether they were getting a State Pension or any other benefits
It helps to take the person’s birth certificate, marriage or civil partnership certificate, NHS number and passport or driving licence, and proof of their address, but you can still register without them. You do not normally need to take the medical certificate, because the medical examiner’s office sends it to the register office.
What do you get when you register a death?
- A certificate for burial or cremation, often called the green form. Give it to your funeral director as soon as you can, because the funeral cannot go ahead without it. In Scotland the equivalent is the certificate of registration of death (Form 14).
- Death certificates, which are certified copies of the entry in the register. Banks, insurers, pension providers and the probate service usually want to see one. In England and Wales they cost £12.50 each at the time of writing (October 2026). Buying several at the time of registration is usually quicker than ordering them later.
- A Tell Us Once reference, if the person lived in England, Scotland or Wales. This lets you tell most government departments about the death in one go. See the guide on who to tell when someone dies.
What happens if the death is reported to a coroner?
A doctor or the medical examiner must report a death to the coroner if the cause is unknown, or if it was sudden, violent or unnatural, or happened in prison or police custody. The coroner may order a post-mortem. If that shows the cause of death and no inquest is needed, the coroner sends a certificate to the registrar, and the register office contacts you to register.
If there is to be an inquest, the death is registered when it ends. In the meantime the coroner can give you an interim death certificate, which you can use to tell organisations about the death and to apply for probate. GOV.UK explains what happens when a death is reported to a coroner. In Scotland the procurator fiscal investigates sudden and unexplained deaths.
How do you register a death in Scotland?
You can register at any registration office in Scotland, not only the one for the area where the person died. Many offices offer an appointment in person, or registration by phone or online video call. The doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the registrar electronically, and some certificates are reviewed by the Death Certification Review Service before registration. National Records of Scotland explains the process.
How do you register a death in Northern Ireland?
Register within five days at the district registration office. Registration is free. Death certificates cost £8 each if you buy them at registration, and more if you order them from the General Register Office later. If the death was referred to the coroner, the death can only be registered once the registrar has the coroner’s certificate. nidirect has the details.
What if the person died abroad?
Register the death with the local authorities in the country where it happened, following their rules. You can usually also register it with the UK government, which means you can order a UK copy of the death certificate later. The British embassy or consulate can help, and a funeral director that offers repatriation can arrange for the person to be brought home. If the person is brought back to England or Wales, the coroner may need to be told. GOV.UK has a guide to deaths abroad.
What comes next?
Once the death is registered, the funeral can be confirmed. If you have not yet chosen a funeral director, the guide on how to arrange a funeral will help, and you can find funeral directors near you. The full order of things is in our guide on what to do when someone dies.
Frequently asked questions
Can a funeral director register a death?
No. In England and Wales the funeral director cannot act as the informant. A relative usually registers the death. If no relative can, someone present at the death, someone from the building where the person died, or the person arranging the funeral can do it instead. Your funeral director can explain what to do and where to go.
How many death certificates should I buy?
Think about how many organisations will want to see an original at the same time: banks, building societies, pension providers, insurers and the probate service. Many families buy three to five. Some organisations will accept a copy, or return the original after checking it. Buying them when you register is usually quicker than ordering them later.
Can I register a death in a different area?
In England and Wales you should use the register office for the area where the person died. If you cannot get there, another register office can take the details and pass them on, but the documents for the funeral may take longer. In Scotland you can register at any registration office in the country.
Is there a fee to register a death?
Registering a death is free. You pay only for certified copies of the death certificate. In England and Wales these cost £12.50 each at the time of writing. In Northern Ireland they cost £8 each when bought at registration.