How to Register a Death in England

The five-day deadline for registering a death in England starts counting almost immediately — and it runs through weekends and bank holidays. Miss it, and the funeral director legally cannot proceed with the burial or cremation. The Green Form that authorises the funeral will not be issued until the death is formally registered, which means everything stalls.

This guide explains exactly who must register the death, what documents to bring, and what you receive at the end.

Who Must Register the Death

The person who registers a death is called the "informant." England law specifies who qualifies. In order of priority, the informant should be:

• A relative of the deceased who was present at the death
• A relative who was present during the last illness
• A relative residing in the sub-district where the death occurred
• A person present at the death (such as a medical professional)
• A person responsible for the body (such as an executor)
• The occupier of the premises where the death occurred

If none of these apply — for example, the death happened in a hospital and there are no accessible relatives — an officer of the hospital or a person making arrangements with the funeral director may act as informant.

You cannot simply nominate anyone you wish. The Register Office will ask about your relationship to the deceased.

The 5-Day Deadline

In England, a death must be registered within 5 days of the date of death. This is a statutory requirement under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.

There are two main exceptions:

1. Coroner referral. If the death has been formally referred to the Coroner — because it was sudden, violent, unexplained, or occurred in custody — the registration timeline is paused until the Coroner's process resolves or an interim death certificate is issued. You cannot register the death during an active Coroner investigation.

2. Written confirmation of a referral. If there is a delay in getting the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death because the Medical Examiner's review is still in progress, contact the local Register Office to explain the situation. They will not fine you for delays caused by medical or coroner processes outside your control.

Do not wait until day four or five to book the appointment. Register Offices have limited appointment slots and may not accommodate a walk-in.

The New Medical Examiner System (September 2024)

Before you can register the death, you need the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This is where significant changes took effect in September 2024 and remain in force.

Under the old system, the GP who attended the deceased completed the death certificate. Under the new statutory Medical Examiner system, all deaths in England that are not referred to the Coroner must now be independently scrutinised by a Medical Examiner before the MCCD is issued.

The attending medical practitioner proposes a cause of death. The Medical Examiner — an independent senior doctor employed by the NHS — then reviews the patient's records and confirms or queries that cause of death. Importantly, the Medical Examiner's office must also offer the bereaved family the opportunity to speak with them and raise any concerns about the care of the deceased.

Only after the Medical Examiner signs off does the MCCD get issued. This document is what you take to the Register Office. Do not attend the appointment without it.

The September 2024 reform also permanently abolished Cremation Form 4 (the confirmatory certificate previously required from a second independent doctor). That form no longer exists. The new MCCD incorporates the relevant information — including any implantable medical devices that must be noted before cremation — making the process more integrated for families.

What to Bring to the Register Office

Book an appointment at the Register Office for the sub-district where the death occurred — not where the deceased lived, unless that is the same location. You can find the correct office via GOV.UK.

Bring the following:

Essential:

• The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) — issued by the Medical Examiner and handed to you or sent directly to the Register Office

Ideally bring (to ensure accuracy in the register):

• The deceased's full name, date and place of birth
• Their last address
• Their NHS number or medical card
• Birth certificate
• Marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)
• Proof of their occupation or most recent occupation

If you do not have some of these documents, the Registrar can still complete the registration using the MCCD alone. The supplementary documents help ensure the entry is accurate and reduce the risk of errors on the certified death certificates.

What You Receive

Once the death is registered, the Registrar issues two key documents:

1. Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the "Green Form")

This is the legal authorisation that the funeral director needs before they can proceed with the burial or cremation. Without the Green Form, the funeral cannot lawfully go ahead. You hand this directly to the funeral director as soon as you receive it.

If the death has been referred to the Coroner, the Coroner issues a different form — the Coroner's Order for Burial or Certificate for Cremation — instead of the Green Form. The funeral director will know which they need.

2. Certified Copies of the Death Certificate

These are the official copies you will need throughout the estate administration process — to close bank accounts, claim life insurance, apply for probate, and notify pension providers. They are not the same as the Green Form.

The Registrar will ask how many copies you want. Request at least 5 to 10. Certified copies issued at the time of registration cost the same and save you considerably more in time and solicitor fees later. Every institution you notify will want an original certified copy, not a photocopy.

From July 2026, the probate court is reducing its fee for additional copy Grant documents to £2, but death certificates remain a separate administrative document — you still need to order them at registration.

Tell Us Once

At the end of the appointment, the Registrar will give you a "Tell Us Once" reference number. This is a government service that allows you to notify multiple public sector departments of the death in a single transaction, including:

• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Local council (for council tax, housing, library cards)
• Passport Office

Using Tell Us Once is not mandatory but is highly advisable. It stops benefit overpayments from accumulating, cancels the deceased's passport and driving licence, and significantly reduces the administrative burden of the following weeks. It also reduces the risk of posthumous identity fraud.

If the Coroner Is Involved

When a death is referred to the Coroner, the registration process pauses. The Coroner will investigate and may order a post-mortem. Once the investigation is complete — or in some cases, before it concludes — the Coroner can issue an interim death certificate. This is a formal document that allows you to:

• Apply for a Grant of Probate (even before the inquest concludes)
• Use the Tell Us Once service
• Notify most financial institutions

You do not have to wait for a full inquest to conclude before you can begin administering the estate. Request the interim death certificate from the Coroner's office once the investigation has moved past the initial stages.

After Registration: The Next Steps

With the Green Form in hand, the funeral director can proceed. In parallel, the death certificates enable you to:

• Verify whether the deceased had a valid Will and locate the Executor
• Contact banks and financial institutions
• Check whether the deceased held a pre-paid funeral plan (verify the provider is FCA-authorised if the plan was taken out before July 2022, as older trust-backed plans may not carry FSCS protection)
• Assess whether the estate requires probate

The registration appointment is typically brief — 30 minutes or less — but it unlocks every subsequent step. Booking it promptly on receiving the MCCD is the single most time-sensitive action in the first days of bereavement.

For a complete step-by-step guide covering the entire process — from the moment of death through to funeral arrangements, consumer rights with funeral directors, and estate administration — the England Funeral Laws & Consumer Rights Guide covers every stage with checklists, forms tables, and escalation triggers.

See more England guides →