Registering a death is a legal requirement in the UK. It must be done within five days in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and within eight days in Scotland. This guide explains who can register, where to go, what to bring, and what documents you will receive.

Who can register a death

Not everyone can register a death. The rules vary slightly depending on where the person died.

In England and Wales, the following people are qualified to register:

A relative of the person who died
A person present at the death
The occupier of the premises where the death occurred, if they knew of the death
The person arranging the funeral (but not the funeral director themselves)

In Scotland, a relative is the first choice. If no relative is available, a person present at the death, an executor named in the will, or the occupier of the premises where the death occurred may register instead.

In Northern Ireland, the rules follow a similar priority order to England and Wales.

If none of these people are available, contact the local register office for guidance. They will advise on the correct process for your circumstances.

Before you can register

You cannot register a death until a doctor or medical examiner has issued a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This is also called the death certificate issued by a doctor, and it is separate from the official death certificate you will receive from the register office.

If the death was sudden, unexpected, or the cause is unclear, the coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland) will be involved. In these cases, you cannot register until the coroner has completed their investigation or has issued interim paperwork allowing registration to proceed. The coroner will tell you when you are able to go ahead.

If the person died in hospital, the bereavement office at the hospital will usually help coordinate the medical certificate and advise on next steps.

Where to register

You must register at the register office for the area where the death occurred, not where the person lived. Search "register office" followed by the name of the town or district on GOV.UK to find your nearest office and book an appointment.

Most register offices require an appointment. Some offer walk-in appointments; others are fully booked in advance. Contact the office as soon as the medical certificate is available so you can be seen within the legal time limit.

If you cannot travel to the correct district, England and Wales have a declaration system that allows you to give the information to a register office closer to you. That office sends the information to the correct district, which then completes the registration. This is called registration by declaration. Ask your local register office whether this is available to you.

What to bring

Bring the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death issued by the doctor. Without this, registration cannot proceed.

It also helps to bring the following, although they are not always legally required:

The person's NHS medical card
Their birth certificate
Their marriage or civil partnership certificate, if applicable
Their passport or driving licence
Any documents showing their address, such as a utility bill or bank statement

The registrar will ask you for the following information about the person who died:

Full name (and any other names they were known by)
Date and place of birth
Date and place of death
Last known address
Occupation (or most recent occupation if retired)
Whether they were receiving any state pension or benefits
Name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner, if applicable

What you receive after registering

Once registration is complete, the registrar will give you several documents.

Death certificate (certified copy of the entry)

The official legal document proving the death has been registered. You will need multiple copies. Banks, insurers, pension providers, solicitors, and the probate registry each require an original certified copy. The registrar charges a small fee per copy. Order more than you think you need at the time of registration -- ordering additional copies later costs more.

Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the green form)

This authorises the funeral director to proceed with burial or cremation. Give it to the funeral director as soon as possible. Without it, the funeral cannot go ahead.

BD8 form (England and Wales)

A form to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of the death, which stops state benefit payments. The registrar will give this to you or may send it directly.

How many death certificates do you need

There is no single answer. It depends on the complexity of the estate. As a general guide:

One certificate per bank or building society account
One for each life insurance or pension provider
One for the solicitor handling probate, if applicable
One for the probate registry, if applicable
One for any share or investment accounts
One to keep for your own records

Most families order between five and ten copies. If the estate is straightforward with few accounts, three or four may be enough. If in doubt, order more at registration -- the cost difference is small.

Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is a government service that lets you report a death to most government departments and local council services in one go. The registrar will give you a reference number and instructions on how to use it.

Tell Us Once notifies departments including HMRC, the DVLA, the Passport Office, and the DWP. It also notifies local services such as council housing and libraries. Using it saves you a significant number of separate notifications.

Tell Us Once is available in England, Wales, and Scotland. Northern Ireland has a separate notification process -- the registrar will advise.

How to register a death in the UK