How to Obtain a Death Certificate in the UK

Somebody has died. There is a phone call to make, a funeral to arrange, an estate to sort out — and a stack of paperwork nobody warned you about. At the top of that stack sits the death certificate. You will need it for almost everything that follows.

To obtain a death certificate in the UK, a qualified person must first register the death at a local register office — within 5 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or within 8 days in Scotland. Certified copies of the certificate then cost £11 each and can be ordered at the register office, online through the General Register Office (GRO), or by post.

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What is a death certificate?

A death certificate is a certified extract from the official death register. It records the deceased's full name, date of birth, date and place of death, cause of death, occupation, and the name and address of the person who registered the death.

It is not the same as the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), which the doctor issues and which you hand to the registrar. That document stays with the register office. What you take away — and what banks, solicitors and courts want to see — is the certified copy issued after registration.

Who can register a death?

Registration is a legal duty, not a choice. In most cases it falls to the nearest available relative. If no relative is available, any of the following people can register:

• Someone present at the death
• An occupant of the house where the death occurred
• The person arranging the funeral
• In a hospital: the hospital administrator or senior nurse on duty

Registering the death — step by step

Step 1: Obtain the medical certificate

Before you can visit the register office, a doctor or medical examiner must issue the MCCD. In England and Wales, most deaths now go through a medical examiner review before the MCCD is released — a change introduced in 2024. If the death was sudden, unexplained, or occurred in unusual circumstances, the coroner may become involved and registration cannot proceed until the coroner releases the case.

Step 2: Book an appointment at the register office

Rules vary by nation. In England and Wales, register at the office covering the area where the death occurred. If travelling there is not practical, you can register by declaration at any office — they send the information to the correct district. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, you can register at any local register office.

Find your nearest office at gov.uk/register-offices.

Step 3: Attend the appointment

Registration takes around 30 minutes. The registrar will need:

• The signed MCCD from the doctor or medical examiner
• The deceased's full name (including any previous names)
• Date and place of birth
• Last known address
• Occupation and, if married or in a civil partnership, their spouse or partner's occupation
• Whether the deceased was receiving a state pension or benefits

Bring your own ID. The deceased's NHS medical card, birth certificate or passport are helpful but not mandatory. Registration itself is free.

How to order copies of the death certificate

You can buy certified copies on the day of registration or order them later. Three routes are available in England and Wales:

• In person at the register office — buy copies immediately on the day. Fastest and cheapest.
• Online via the GRO — order at gro.gov.uk. Standard service: around 5 working days. Priority service: next working day if ordered before 4pm, at £35 per certificate.
• By post — download the GRO application form from GOV.UK and post it with payment. Allow up to 15 working days.

For Scotland, order through the National Records of Scotland at nrscotland.gov.uk. For Northern Ireland, through the General Register Office for Northern Ireland at nidirect.gov.uk.

How much does a death certificate cost?

Copies are £11 each for the standard service in England and Wales — whether ordered at the register office or via the GRO. Priority GRO copies cost £35. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the fee is £15 per copy.

Prices are set by government and subject to change; always confirm the current fee with the relevant register office before applying.

How many copies do you need?

More than you might expect. Certified death certificates cannot be photocopied for official purposes — each bank, pension provider, HMRC office, solicitor and court typically requires an original certified copy. As a rough guide:

• Simple estate, no property: 3–4 copies
• Property plus multiple financial accounts: 5–6 copies
• Complex estate requiring probate: 8–10 copies

Order extras upfront. The GRO never runs out — you can always order more later — but paying £35 per priority certificate because you underestimated is an avoidable expense.

What is a death certificate used for?

You will need certified copies to:

• Apply for a grant of probate or letters of administration
• Notify banks, pension providers, HMRC, and insurers
• Close or transfer financial accounts
• Transfer or sell any property the deceased owned
• Claim death-in-service benefits or life insurance payouts
• Register the estate for inheritance tax purposes

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Ordering historical death certificates for genealogy

Tracing a family tree? Historical death certificates for England and Wales are available through the GRO online index, covering deaths registered from 1 July 1837. Each certificate costs £11 and includes the full register entry — cause of death, last address, and the name of the person who registered it.

FindMyPast and Ancestry both hold GRO index images that show the reference number needed to order a full certified copy — but the index image itself is not the certificate. For Scottish deaths from 1855, use the ScotlandsPeople database at scotlandspeople.gov.uk.

A death certificate is often one of the most informative documents in a family tree — the cause of death, age, and informant's name can open up entirely new research leads.

What if nobody claims the estate?

A death certificate begins the clock ticking on the estate. If the deceased died without a valid will and left no qualifying relatives to inherit under the Rules of Intestacy, the estate does not disappear. After administration, it passes to the Crown as bona vacantia — and the Government Legal Department lists it publicly.

Distant relatives — including cousins several times removed — can still make a claim if they can prove their relationship. The window typically stays open for 30 years, though acting sooner matters if the estate has not yet been distributed.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I order a death certificate online without registering in person first?

No. The death must be registered in person at a register office before any certified copies can be issued. You can, however, order additional copies online through the GRO at any point after registration.

How long does it take to get a death certificate?

If you buy copies at the register office on the day, you receive them immediately. GRO standard service takes around 5 working days; priority takes the next working day if ordered before 4pm.

Can anyone request a certified copy of a death certificate?

Yes. Death certificates are public records in the UK. Any person can apply to the GRO or register office for a certified copy — there is no legal restriction on who can order one.

What if there is an error on the death certificate?

Contact the register office where the death was registered as soon as possible. Minor clerical errors can be corrected by the registrar. More substantive errors require a statutory declaration. Never alter the certificate yourself — a marked certificate will be rejected by institutions.

What if nobody applies for probate and the estate goes unclaimed?

If no one administers the estate — or if probate is granted but no qualifying heir is found — the estate can pass to the Crown as bona vacantia. Distant relatives can still check the Bona Vacantia list and make a claim. FindMyLegacy provides a free search with phonetic matching to catch spelling variations of your family surname.