Registering a death in England or Wales.

When to register

In England and Wales, a death must be registered within five days of the death (or eight days if the registrar is told it has been referred to the coroner). The five-day clock pauses if the coroner is investigating — the registrar will guide you on timing.

Where to register

You should register the death at the register office covering the area where the death occurred. Many offices accept what’s called a declaration at a different register office — you give the information there and it’s sent on to the right office — but this adds a few days, so wherever possible go to the local one.

Most register offices are appointment-only. Search “register a death” plus your local council on GOV.UK to find the booking page. Same-week appointments are usually available.

Who can register

The registrar will normally accept a registration from any of the following, in roughly this order of preference:

• A relative of the person who died
• Someone present at the death
• The person arranging the funeral (this is where we can help, in some cases)
• An official from the hospital, care home, or hospice

You don’t need to bring other family members — one person registering is the standard.

What to bring

You’ll be asked for the following information about the person who died — if you don’t have it all to hand, the registrar can usually proceed with what you do have:

• Full name (and any names previously used, e.g. maiden name)
• Date and place of birth
• Date and place of death
• Last address
• Occupation (or last occupation if retired)
• Whether they were married, in a civil partnership, or widowed — and the spouse’s details
• Whether they were receiving a state pension or other state benefits

You don’t need to bring the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) — the doctor who signed it sends it directly to the registrar electronically.

It’s helpful (but not essential) to bring the deceased’s birth certificate, marriage certificate, NHS card, and any current passport.

What you receive

The registrar will give you:

• The Certificate for Burial or Cremation (sometimes called the “green form”). This is the document the funeral director needs in order for the cremation to go ahead. We’ll ask for it.
• The Certificate of Registration of Death (Form BD8) — used for benefits and pensions purposes.
• A unique reference number for Tell Us Once — the Government’s service that notifies most government departments (DWP, HMRC, DVLA, Passport Office, local council, NHS) in one go. We strongly recommend using it.
• Death certificates on request. Buy several copies (typically £12.50 each in England and Wales as of 2026 — check current fee with your local office). Banks, insurers, and pension providers usually require the original; photocopies are not always accepted.

A reasonable rule of thumb is one death certificate per significant account or asset that needs closing — banks, insurers, pension providers, share registrars, property leases. For a typical estate, families buy four to six.

If a coroner is involved

When the coroner is investigating, the registrar cannot register the death until the coroner gives them either an Order for Burial / Form 100B (after a post-mortem with no inquest) or, if there’s an inquest, the coroner’s certificate after inquest. Until then, you’re in a holding pattern. See our coroner guide.