Register the death

A death needs to be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages within 14 days.

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The Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act requires a person, usually a funeral director, following the funeral, to notify the details of a death to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages within 14 days from the date of death.  Information on applying for a death certificate is available from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

If you are using a funeral director

If using a funeral director  they can help you make all appropriate arrangements and register the death. The death registration should be completed within 14 days after the funeral service.

​​​​​​​If the State Coroner's Office is involved

If the person has died suddenly and/or the cause of death is unknown, the State Coroner's Office will investigate the cause and circumstances surrounding the death. 

At the end of an inquiry the State Coroner will coordinate with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to add the cause of death to the death registration.

You may ask your funeral director to order a complete death certificate once this process is completed. Eligible applicants can also apply directly to the registry or a court for the certificate.

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