Registering a Death or Stillbirth
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Every death in England or Wales must be registered in the district in which it takes place. This must be done within five days of the date of death.
The person registering the death must:
- give the Registration Officer the medical certificate of cause of death;
- provide information for the registration, this is usually recorded on computer and in the death register;
- sign the record.
The doctor treating the deceased will issue a medical certificate of cause of death. This will be given to the deceased's relatives.
If the death was sudden or the doctor treating the deceased is unavailable it may not be possible for a medical certificate of cause of death to be issued. If so, the death will have to be reported to the coroner. This may lead to a delay in registering the death.
