# How to register a death

> To register a death, contact a register office once the cause of death is confirmed. In England and Wales, register within 5 days of the medical examiner's office confirming you can. In Scotland, register within 8 days of the death at any office. In Northern Ireland, register within 5 days, often by phone. Registration is free, and certificates cost extra.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/how-to-register-a-death/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Registering a death is a legal step that has to happen before most funerals can go ahead. It is free, it does not usually take long, and the registrar will guide you through it. The rules differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check the right section below.

**Key points**

- **England and Wales:** register **within 5 days of the medical examiner's office confirming** that you can. Weekends and bank holidays count.
- **Scotland:** register **within 8 days of the death**, where possible, at **any** registration office in Scotland.
- **Northern Ireland:** register **within 5 days**, at any district registration office. The registrar can often complete it with you **by phone**.
- A relative usually registers, but others can if no relative is able to.
- Registration is free. **Death certificates** cost extra, and it is cheapest to buy them at registration in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

## Deadlines and differences by nation

| | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Deadline** | 5 days from the medical examiner's confirmation | 8 days from the death, where possible | 5 days (not coroner cases) |
| **Where** | Register office for the district where the person died, or "by declaration" at any other office | Any registration office in Scotland | Any district registration office |
| **How** | In person, usually by appointment | In person, or remotely (phone or online call) where offered | By phone or in person |
| **Funeral paperwork** | Certificate for burial or cremation ("green form") | Certificate of registration of death (Form 14) | Certificate for Burial or Cremation (GRO21), sent to the funeral director |
| **Certificate cost at registration** | £12.50 each | Abbreviated extract free; full extracts £10 each | £8 each |
| **Tell Us Once** | Yes | Yes | No (use the Bereavement Service) |

The England and Wales deadline used to start on the day of death. Since the statutory **medical examiner** system began on 9 September 2024, the clock starts when the medical examiner's office tells you that you can register. The ONS found that the median time from death to registration rose from 6 to 8 days after the change. Our [death registration deadline tool](/uk/tools/death-registration-deadline/) works out your date.

## Before you can register

- **England and Wales:** The doctor proposes a cause of death, and a medical examiner (an independent senior doctor) reviews it. The medical examiner's office will usually phone you. They then send the medical certificate to the registrar and let you know you can register. If the death has been reported to a coroner, see below.
- **Scotland:** The doctor sends the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) to the registrar electronically. Find out which office it went to. Some certificates are picked at random for review, which should add no more than 1 to 3 working days. If the funeral must happen quickly, for example for religious reasons, ask about **advance registration**.
- **Northern Ireland:** The doctor or hospital emails the MCCD to the General Register Office, which passes it to the registration office covering the person's home address. The registrar will then phone you to arrange the registration.

## Who can register a death

**England and Wales.** A relative should register if possible. Since September 2024, this includes a partner who was living with the person in an enduring relationship. If no relative can register, the following people can:

- someone who was present at the death
- a senior administrator of the hospital or care home where the person died
- the person arranging the funeral
- a representative acting on behalf of the family

**Scotland.** A relative, someone who was present at the death, the executor or solicitor, or someone who lived with the person if they died at home. If none of these can register, anyone who knows the details and has the right documents can.

**Northern Ireland.** Usually a relative, including a relative by marriage. Otherwise, someone present at the death, the person arranging the funeral, the executor or administrator, the person in charge of the building where the death happened, or the person who found the body.

## What information you'll need

The registrar will ask for:

- the person's full name at death, and any previous names (such as a maiden name)
- their date and place of birth
- their last address and occupation
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of their spouse or civil partner, living or late
- whether they were getting a State Pension or other benefits
- in Scotland, their parents' names and occupations, and the name of their usual doctor
- in Northern Ireland, their marital status and GP's details, the parents' names and occupations if the person was under 16, and any NI Civil Service or teacher's pension

## Documents to bring

If you have them, bring the person's:

- birth certificate
- marriage or civil partnership certificate
- NHS medical card
- passport or driving licence
- proof of address, such as a Council Tax bill or utility bill
- anything showing a pension or government payment

Don't worry if you can't find them. In Scotland, mygov.scot says a registrar can register the death with just the medical certificate. Elsewhere, ask the register office what to do.

## What you'll get

- **England and Wales:** the **certificate for burial or cremation** (the "green form"), which your funeral director needs before the funeral, and any certified copies you buy.
- **Scotland:** a **certificate of registration of death** to give to the funeral director, and a free **abbreviated extract** of the register entry. You can buy full extracts too.
- **Northern Ireland:** the registrar issues the **Certificate for Burial or Cremation** to the funeral director. You can buy full or short death certificates. Short certificates don't show the cause of death.

Most people need several death certificates. See [death certificates](/uk/guides/death-certificates/) for how many to buy and where to order more later.

## If the death was reported to a coroner or procurator fiscal

**England and Wales.** If the coroner decides not to investigate, the medical examiner will confirm that you can register as normal. If there is a post-mortem but no inquest, the coroner sends a form (CN2) to the registrar, who then contacts you. If there is an inquest, the death is registered after it ends. Meanwhile, the coroner can give you an **interim death certificate** for probate and Tell Us Once, and can authorise the funeral.

**Scotland.** When the procurator fiscal has finished investigating, a medical certificate can be issued and you can register. This may be after the 8-day period.

**Northern Ireland.** The death can only be registered once the registrar gets the coroner's certificate. The coroner can consent to the burial or cremation before registration.

## Registering a stillbirth

A stillbirth (a baby born dead after 24 weeks of pregnancy) must be registered within **42 days** in England and Wales and **21 days** in Scotland. In Northern Ireland you have **up to 1 year**. Usually a parent registers, and you can name the baby in the register. Registrars are very experienced in supporting parents through this. See [funeral for a baby or child](/uk/guides/funeral-for-a-baby-or-child/) for help with costs and choices.

## If the person died abroad

Register the death under the rules of the country where it happened. You can also apply to register it with the UK authorities for deaths from 1 January 1983 onwards, but you don't have to. If you bring the person home to England or Wales, take the foreign death certificate (with a certified translation) to the register office where the funeral will be. You will get a **certificate of no liability to register** for the funeral director. See [repatriation](/uk/guides/repatriation/).

## Next steps

- Choose a funeral director: [find one near you](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/) or read [how to choose a funeral director](/uk/guides/how-to-choose-a-funeral-director/)
- Use [Tell Us Once](/uk/guides/tell-us-once/) to notify government departments
- Work through our [when someone dies checklist](/uk/tools/when-someone-dies-checklist/)
- Read the full guide: [what to do when someone dies](/uk/what-to-do-when-someone-dies/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I register a death online?

Not in England and Wales, where you register in person, usually by appointment. Many Scottish registration offices offer remote registration by phone or online call. In Northern Ireland the registrar usually phones you and can complete the registration over the phone.

### What happens if I can't register within the deadline?

Contact the register office as soon as you know you will need more time. Registrars are used to delays caused by coroner investigations, Scotland's certificate reviews and family circumstances, and they will tell you what to do next.

### Does it cost anything to register a death?

No. Registering a death is free in every UK nation. You only pay for copies of the death certificate, which you will need for banks, pensions and probate. See our [death certificates guide](/uk/guides/death-certificates/).

### Do I need the medical certificate to take with me?

Usually not. In England and Wales the medical examiner sends the medical certificate of cause of death to the registrar, and in Scotland and Northern Ireland the doctor sends it electronically. The registrar will tell you if anything else is needed.

### Can the funeral be booked before the death is registered?

You can provisionally book a date with a funeral director, but the burial or cremation cannot usually go ahead until the funeral director has the form from the registrar, or the coroner's paperwork if a coroner is involved. It is wise not to fix a date until you know when you can register.

## Sources

- [GOV.UK – Register the death](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/register-the-death)
- [GOV.UK – Register a death](https://www.gov.uk/register-a-death)
- [GOV.UK – When a death is reported to a coroner](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/when-a-death-is-reported-to-a-coroner)
- [GOV.UK – An overview of the death certification reforms](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-death-certification-process/an-overview-of-the-death-certification-reforms)
- [GOV.UK – Register a stillbirth](https://www.gov.uk/register-stillbirth)
- [GOV.UK – Order a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate](https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate)
- [mygov.scot – Register a death](https://www.mygov.scot/register-death)
- [National Records of Scotland – Registering a death](https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/registering-a-death/)
- [City of Edinburgh Council – Certificate requests (Scottish statutory fees)](https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/births-marriages-deaths/certificate-requests)
- [nidirect – Registering a death with the district registrar](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/registering-death)
- [ONS – Death certification reform, England and Wales](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/deathcertificationreformenglandandwales/9september2024to30june2025provisionaldata)