Registering a death

How and where you can register a death.

All deaths are referred to the Coroner or Medical Examiner’s Office for review. It is a legal requirement to register a death within five calendar days of the Coroner or Medical Examiner sending the relevant paperwork to the Register Office. 

The Coroner or Medical Examiner will notify the family of the deceased person when this has been done, so that an appointment to register the death can be booked.

You must attend a death registration appointment in person at the office you select for the appointment.

Deaths within Oxfordshire

You can register a death at any of our registration offices, but you must schedule an appointment before visiting.

The death must be registered within five calendar days of the paperwork being sent to the Register Office. If necessary, consider booking your appointment at a registration office other than the one closest to you.

If you are a resident of Oxfordshire and the death occurred in England or Wales but outside Oxfordshire, you may be able to complete a declaration of the particulars of the death at one of our offices. 

This declaration will be sent to the registration office in the area where the death took place. Therefore, there will be a delay in completing the death registration and in receiving copies of the burial/cremation form and the death certificates.

Who can register the death

A relative or partner of the deceased person should register the death. 

If there is no relative or partner who can register the death, the following people can register it:

  • someone who was present at the death
  • the person who is arranging the funeral is in charge of making and paying for funeral arrangements (this cannot be a funeral director)
  • the occupier of the establishment where the death took place, such as an administrator from the hospital (if the person died in hospital)
  • a ‘representative of the deceased’ (a person appointed by and acting on behalf of the family) 

The information you will need to give the registrar

About the deceased

  • the date and place of death
  • their full name and any other names they are known by or have been known by (including the maiden name of a woman who has been married)
  • their sex
  • their date and place of birth
  • their occupation, or most recent occupation if they were retired
  • if married, widowed, or a civil partner, the full name and occupation of their husband, wife or civil partner
  • their usual address
  • date of birth of surviving husband, wife or civil partner
  • whether they were in receipt of any public sector pension, e.g. civil service, teacher, armed forces (reference number if known).
  • their NHS number or medical card, if available

About the person registering

  • your relationship to the deceased
  • your full name
  • your usual address

What to bring to the appointment

The registrar will record information directly from the person attending the death registration appointment. It can be helpful to bring the deceased's documents, such as their passport, birth or marriage/civil partnership certificates, and name change deeds. These documents can help verify details like place of birth and name spelling.

If you can't access these documents, the registration can still be completed without them. 

The documents that are issued

Certificate for burial or cremation

After recording the information in the death register, the registrar will issue a certificate for burial or cremation, known as Form 9 or the green form. 

With your permission, the registrar can email this form directly to the funeral director unless the coroner has already provided the necessary paperwork for the burial or cremation.

Death certificates

You may need death certificates to handle the will or probate and notify banks, building societies, and insurance companies. Death certificates are not issued free of charge; each certificate costs £12.50. 

If you want the certificates issued during your appointment, you must pay by debit or credit card in advance when booking the registration appointment.

Types of death certificates

You can choose between 'full' death certificates or 'short' death certificates. 

The short version does not show the sex of the deceased or the cause of death. 

You can also opt for a combination of both types. At the end of your appointment, the registrar will discuss these options with you.

Ordering Certificates Post-Appointment

You can order certificates after the appointment. These will typically be posted to you within 15 working days of ordering.

Tell Us Once

The registrar will provide you with a unique reference number which will enable you to access the Tell Us Once service.

You can use the Tell Us Once service to inform multiple local and central government departments of the death in one contact.  You can access the service online or by telephone after the registration appointment (if you are not the next of kin, you can still use the service if you have the permission of the next of kin to act on their behalf).

You may also find it useful to watch this short video Reporting a death using the Tell Us Once service  which explains how the Tell us Once service works.

Ensuring the accuracy of the information recorded

It is vitally important that the information contained in a death registration is accurate, as it is a legal and historical record of the particulars of the death. A hard copy of the register page will be provided at the appointment and the opportunity to check it very carefully before signing will be given. It may be possible to apply to the Registrar General for a correction to a death registration at a later date, but there will be a fee of either £83 or £99 for the application and evidence of the correct information will be required.

Support with registering a death

If English is not your first language and you would like some support with the death registration appointment, please ask a friend or relative who is fluent in both English and your own language to accompany you to the appointment and act as an interpreter. The interpreter cannot register the death on your behalf; you must attend together. If you have any other additional needs or special circumstances and may need some support to register a death please contact the Customer Service Team on 0345 241 2489 or complete the online enquiry form.

Book an appointment to register a death

The process of booking an appointment to register a death will take you through a series of questions that you will need to answer to book the appointment.    If you wish to apply for death certificates to be issued at the appointment, you will also need a debit or credit card to make payment at the time of booking the appointment.

Alternatively, you can contact us on 0345 241 2489 for assistance to book an appointment.

Deaths outside England and Wales

Where a death occurs abroad, or on a foreign ship or aircraft, you should register the death according to the country's local regulations and obtain a death certificate. You may also be able to register the death with the United Kingdom authorities.

Depending upon the circumstances of the death, this may have to be reported to a coroner (or equivalent) in the same way as if the death occurred in England or Wales.

If you require information on a death that occurred abroad, please visit the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) website.

Support

The Oxfordshire Registration Service realises the difficulties you face at this time and we endeavour to provide a sympathetic, helpful and considerate service to you. Our information is intended to offer you help and guidance about some of the things that you need to do from the moment a bereavement occurs, as well as providing details of groups and contacts that may assist you over the next few days and weeks.

If you feel you need more advice, here is a list of organisations that provide guidance during periods of bereavement.