Hong Kong Funeral Documents: What You Need and When

Every funeral in Hong Kong runs on documents. The sequence is strict: some cannot be obtained until others are in hand, and missing a step creates delays that affect the ceremony date, the cremation slot, and ultimately the family's ability to administer the estate. This guide maps every document in the process — what it is, who issues it, when you need it, and what it unlocks.

Document 1: Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (Form 18)

Issued by: The attending doctor or hospital doctor
When: Immediately after death (for natural, medically attended deaths)
Required for: Death registration

Form 18 is the first document in the chain. Without it, nothing else can happen. In hospital deaths, the ward team issues this after confirming death. In home deaths, the attending doctor must attend and certify. If the doctor cannot certify the cause — because the death was unexpected or undocumented — the case goes to the coroner instead.

Document 2: Coroner's Order (Form 11)

Issued by: The Coroner's Court
When: After a post-mortem examination concludes, or after an inquest
Required for: Death registration (replaces Form 18 when a coroner investigation is involved)

Form 11 replaces Form 18 in all cases where the coroner has been involved. The coroner issues Form 11 once satisfied with the cause of death. This can take days to weeks for routine post-mortem cases, or months for formal inquests. Once Form 11 is in hand, death registration can proceed.

Document 3: Death Certificate

Issued by: Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry (Immigration Department)
When: Upon death registration (within 14 days of death)
Cost: HK$140 per certified copy
Required for: Everything that follows — cremation permit, probate, bank account release, insurance claims, MPF claim, employer notification

Death registration requires presenting Form 18 or Form 11, the deceased's HKID or passport, and your own identity document.

Registration offices:

• Wan Chai (open Sundays 10am–12:30pm for natural deaths — the only weekend option)
• Kowloon (Mong Kok)
• Kwun Tong

Failure to register within 14 days is a criminal offence under Cap. 174, carrying a fine of up to HK$2,000 and potential imprisonment of up to six months.

Obtain at least 10 certified copies. Each institution — bank, MPF trustee, insurance company, Probate Registry, employer — requires a certified original. Photocopies are not accepted.

Document 4: Cremation Permit (Form 3)

Issued by: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD)
Applied for by: The funeral director (using the registered death certificate)
When: After death registration is complete
Required for: Public cremation at any FEHD crematorium

Form 3 is the cremation permit. The funeral director applies to FEHD. Public cremation costs HK$1,200. FEHD manages crematoria at Diamond Hill, Wo Hop Shek, Cape Collinson, and Cheung Chau.

For private cremation arrangements, the relevant form is FEHB 135 (Application for Private Cremation).

Document 5: Burial Permit

Issued by: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD)
When: After death registration is complete
Required for: Coffin burial at a public cemetery

For families choosing earth burial over cremation, a burial permit is obtained in place of a cremation permit. Public coffin burial costs HK$3,200. Note the six-year mandatory exhumation policy that applies to most public cemetery sections.

Document 6: Form HAEU1 — HAD Funeral Expense Release Application

Issued by: Applied to Home Affairs Department District Office
When: Before paying the funeral director
Available to: Spouses, children, and parents (up to HK$20,000); other relatives (up to HK$10,000)

If the estate has limited immediate liquidity, Form HAEU1 allows HAD to release funeral expenses from the deceased's bank account before probate. This application must be made and approved before paying the funeral director — it cannot be applied for retrospectively. Bring the death certificate, evidence of relationship, and details of the bank account to the District Office.

Document 7: Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration

Issued by: The Probate Registry, High Court of Hong Kong
When: After death registration, typically several weeks to months later
Required for: Releasing assets held solely in the deceased's name (bank accounts, investments, property)

If the deceased left a valid will, the executor applies for a Grant of Probate. If there was no will, the next of kin applies for Letters of Administration under Cap. 73 (Intestates' Estates Ordinance).

Probate court fees: HK$265 application + HK$72 engrossment = HK$337 total. Law firm fees: HK$35,000–HK$90,000 for a standard estate; HK$150,000+ for cross-border or complex estates.

Estates under HK$150,000 may qualify for Summary Administration, which is simpler and faster.

Collecting Cremation Ashes

After cremation, FEHD notifies the family that ashes are ready for collection. The person collecting must present:

• The death certificate
• Identity document
• The FEHD receipt or reference for the cremation booking

Ashes may be collected at the crematorium where the cremation took place. If you intend to place ashes in a public FEHD columbarium niche (HK$2,800 for a 20-year term), this can be arranged at the crematorium or separately at the FEHD columbarium office. If you intend to scatter ashes at sea through FEHD's sea burial service, a separate application is required.

Ashes may also be carried on a passenger flight for repatriation. Carry the cremation certificate (issued by FEHD) and the death certificate. Most airlines require documentation confirming the nature of the contents for X-ray screening purposes.

Weekend and Public Holiday Delays

Death registration cannot occur on most public holidays. The General Register Office in Wan Chai opens on Sundays from 10am to 12:30pm, but only for natural deaths (Form 18 cases). Coroner cases (Form 11) cannot be registered on Sundays.

If a death occurs on a Friday and the 14-day deadline falls near a long public holiday period (Lunar New Year, Easter, Christmas), plan registration for the first available working day. The 14-day window provides buffer, but do not leave registration until the last few days and then encounter a holiday closure.

Cremation slots at FEHD crematoria can also have queues during peak periods. If the registration falls near a holiday, confirm with the funeral director when the next available cremation slot is before planning the funeral ceremony date.

Summary: Documents in Sequence

For the complete legal framework covering all these steps — and what to do with each document once you have it — see the Hong Kong Funeral Law and Estate Guide.

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