Documents Needed for Burial or Cremation in New Zealand

In New Zealand, no burial or cremation can legally proceed without specific paperwork being completed, submitted, and signed off by the appropriate authorities. Missing a single document can halt the entire process — and during a cremation, a missing signature from a Medical Referee means the crematorium cannot proceed until it arrives.

This is the complete document checklist, organised by what you need for burial and what you need for cremation.

The Foundation: What Both Pathways Require

Before a burial or cremation can take place, the death must be medically certified. The document required depends on the circumstances of the death.

HP4720 — Medical Certificate of Cause of Death This is the standard form for adults who died under the recent care of a doctor or nurse practitioner. The attending health practitioner completes it. This certificate is the essential starting point for both burial and cremation. Without it, nothing else can proceed.

HP4721 — Medical Certificate of Causes of Fetal and Neonatal Death This form applies specifically to fetal or infant deaths. It is issued instead of the HP4720.

Cor 3 — Coroner's Authorisation for Release of Body If the death was sudden, accidental, suspicious, or the deceased had not been seen by a doctor recently, the police must be notified. The case transfers to the Coroner's Court. The Coroner assumes legal custody of the body to determine the cause of death, which may involve a post-mortem examination. The Cor 3 is issued once the Coroner is satisfied and releases the body. Until this document is issued, no burial or cremation can take place. Families can make tentative arrangements during this period but cannot schedule a firm date.

BDM 28 — Notification of Death for Registration The death must be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages (Department of Internal Affairs) within three working days of the burial or cremation. If you engage a funeral director, they submit this electronically on your behalf. If you are organising a DIY funeral, this obligation falls on you — you complete the paper form and post it to BDM along with the original HP4720 or Cor 3.

Registration itself is free. Obtaining the official Death Certificate costs a fee (verify the current amount, typically around $33). The Death Certificate is what you will need to close bank accounts, claim insurance, and begin probate.

Additional Documents for Burial

Burial Permit or Council Burial Warrant Before a burial can take place in a local authority public cemetery or denominational cemetery, the cemetery authority requires a burial permit or warrant. This is obtained from the local council that operates the cemetery. Your funeral director will typically coordinate this if you are using one. If you are arranging the funeral yourself, contact the relevant council or cemetery authority directly.

Cemetery Plot Rights Documentation If you are purchasing or using an existing plot, confirm the burial rights documentation is in order. For denominational cemeteries, confirm with the religious body that administers the site.

For Urupā (Māori Burial Grounds) Burial in an urupā requires coordination with the relevant hapū or marae. The Coroner's Court is legally required to recognise tikanga Māori in its processes, but coordination with the whānau and the appropriate tribal authority is essential. The executor holds the ultimate legal right to direct the burial, but under Takamore v Clarke [2012] NZSC 116, the executor is required to meaningfully consider cultural expectations.

Private Land Burial — Extra Requirements Burial on private land in New Zealand is heavily restricted under Sections 46, 47, and 48 of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964. It is only legally permissible if the land was established as a burial ground before 1 April 1965, or if there is no public cemetery within 32 kilometres of the place of death. Any other scenario requires special exemptions from both the local council (under Resource Management Act provisions) and the Ministry of Health. This is a complex, time-consuming process — consult a solicitor immediately if this is the intent.

Additional Documents for Cremation

Cremation permanently destroys all forensic evidence. Consequently, New Zealand law imposes a multi-layered approval process before a cremation can proceed.

Form A — Application for Cremation Completed by the executor or the next of kin (the applicant). This form details the applicant's relationship to the deceased and confirms that no prohibited materials are in the casket — specifically, items like radioactive implants or chemotherapy ports that could pose safety risks during cremation.

Form B — Certificate of Medical Practitioner Completed by the doctor who certified the death. This provides detailed clinical context about the cause of death and must be signed by a different doctor than the one who will act as Medical Referee.

Form BA — Certificate for Long-Term Care Deaths (New 2026) Introduced under the Cremation Amendment Regulations 2026, Form BA applies specifically to natural deaths that occurred in long-term residential care facilities or specialist palliative care settings. It is designed for expected deaths where the person was under ongoing medical supervision. Form BA replaces the need for an external medical practitioner to physically examine the body post-mortem in these circumstances. If the death occurred in a rest home, hospital ward, or hospice under active medical care, ask whether Form BA applies instead of Form B.

Form AB — Certificate in Relation to Pacemakers and Similar Devices This certifies that all biomechanical devices — pacemakers, defibrillators, radioactive implants, battery-powered neurostimulators — have been physically removed from the body before cremation. These devices can explode at cremation temperatures and damage the crematorium. This form must be completed and the devices removed before the cremation proceeds.

Form F — Permission to Cremate This is the final, critical gate. Form F must be issued by a Medical Referee — a doctor appointed by the Ministry of Health who did not treat the deceased. The Medical Referee acts as an independent auditor, reviewing all the other forms to confirm there is no reason to suspect foul play or to withhold approval. Until Form F is signed, the cremation cannot legally proceed.

The Medical Referee charges a fee for this statutory service. Historically, fees have ranged from $30 to $300, though you should verify the current amount. This fee is frequently bundled into the funeral director's "professional service fees" without being itemised. Before signing any cremation contract, ask explicitly: "Is the Medical Referee fee included in your quote, or will it appear as a separate disbursement?"

The Death Registration Obligation

Regardless of whether you choose burial or cremation, the death must be registered within three working days of the disposal. This is a legal obligation, not optional. Failure to register delays the issuance of the Death Certificate, which freezes access to the estate — bank accounts, KiwiSaver, life insurance, and probate applications all require it.

Practical Checklist

For burial:

• HP4720 or Cor 3 (whichever applies)
• BDM 28 filed within 3 days of burial
• Burial permit from local council
• Plot rights documentation confirmed
• Executor authority established (will or intestacy hierarchy)

For cremation:

• HP4720 or Cor 3 (whichever applies)
• Form A signed by executor or next of kin
• Form B (or Form BA if death occurred in long-term residential or palliative care)
• Form AB confirming pacemakers and devices removed
• Form F signed by Medical Referee
• BDM 28 filed within 3 days of cremation

The cremation paperwork is deliberately rigorous because it is irreversible. Every document in the chain must be complete and correctly signed before the crematorium can proceed. If you are organising a funeral without a director, build several days of buffer into your timeline to allow for Medical Referee review.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of each form, who completes it, where it goes, and what commonly causes rejections or delays — including the new 2026 Form BA eligibility rules — see the New Zealand Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide.

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