When must you register a death?
You must register within 5 days of the medical examiner's office confirming that you can, and the 5 days include weekends and bank holidays. The law counts the 5 days from the date the registrar is notified of the medical examiner's confirmation, or from the date a coroner discontinues an investigation (Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, s.16). GOV.UK says that if you need more than 5 days, you must tell the register office immediately.
Before that, the person's doctor confirms the death and a medical examiner, a senior doctor not involved in their care, reviews the cause. The medical examiner's office contacts you, and this can take a few days.
Who can register a death?
A relative should register the death. If a relative cannot, GOV.UK says you can do it if you:
- were there at the time of death;
- are an administrator from the hospital, if the person died in hospital; or
- are in charge of making the funeral arrangements.
For deaths in a house, the Act also lists the person's partner and their personal representative, such as an executor, among the people who can give the information.
Which register office should you use?
Use the register office for the area where the person died if you can. You can contact any register office, but GOV.UK says using the local one is quicker. The office will tell you what you need to do when you contact it.
What should you take and what will you be asked?
The register office may want to see some of the person's documents, if you have them:
- birth certificate, and marriage or civil partnership certificate;
- passport or driving licence;
- NHS medical card; and
- Council Tax bill or other proof of address.
You will need to tell the registrar:
- the person's full name at the time of death, and any names used before;
- their date and place of birth, last address and occupation;
- the full name, date of birth and occupation of a surviving or late husband, wife or civil partner; and
- whether they were getting State Pension or any other benefits.
What do you get when you register?
You get a certificate for burial or cremation, called the green form. Give it to the funeral director, crematorium or burial authority before the funeral. You can also buy death certificates, which prove the death has been registered; banks, pension providers and insurers use them.
| How you get it | Fee |
|---|---|
| From the register office, including when you register | £12.50 each |
| From the General Register Office, standard service | £12.50 each |
| From the General Register Office, priority service | £38.50 each |
The fees are set by the Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Fees) Regulations 2016 and have applied since 28 May 2024. The GOV.UK ordering service explains delivery times.
What happens if the death is reported to a coroner?
You wait until you are told you can register. If the coroner decides the cause of death is clear, they tell the registrar, who contacts you. If there is an inquest, the coroner sends a certificate to the registrar afterwards and the death is registered without anyone attending. While you wait, you can ask the coroner for an interim death certificate; it can be used for probate and Tell Us Once. The Coroners' Courts Support Service helpline is 0300 111 2141.
Is registering a stillbirth or a death abroad different?
Yes. A stillbirth has its own registration process. A death abroad is registered in the country where it happened, and you can also register it with the UK authorities. Scotland allows 8 days and Northern Ireland has its own rules; see wills in Scotland. FuneralFinder's guide to registering a death sets out the process in all four UK nations side by side.
What should you do after registering?
Use Tell Us Once within 28 days of getting the reference number, arrange the funeral, and let banks and pension providers know. The full order of tasks is in what to do when someone dies. When you are ready to deal with the estate, the probate checker shows whether a grant is likely to be needed.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Register a death (England or Wales outcome)
- GOV.UK: Register the death and when a death is reported to a coroner
- Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, section 16
- Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships (Fees) Regulations 2016, Schedule 1, as amended by S.I. 2024/598
- GOV.UK: Order a birth, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate
Sources checked 24 September 2026.