Births, marriages, deaths

Register a death

Who can register a death?

People who have a legal responsibility to register a death include:

  • A relative.
  • A person present at the death.
  • The occupier of the premises where the death occurred if he/she knew about of it.
  • The person responsible for arranging the funeral (this does not include the funeral director).

Before you register a death

Before a death can be registered, Liverpool Register Office must receive documents from either the hospital, a medical examiner, or the coroner's office.

Hospital and medical examiner

If the cause of death is known, the hospital or GP should inform the medical examiner - this is a senior doctor who provides independent scrutiny of the cause of death. When the medical examiner has reviewed the cause, they will approve the documents to be sent to us at the Register Office.

The hospital bereavement team or the GP will advise you when they have informed the medical examiner. The medical examiner will contact the family to discuss the cause of death and any concerns you have.

The coroner

If the death has been reported to the coroner, they will advise when the death can be registered.

When you have had confirmation that the death can be registered, you can book an appointment at the Register Office.

Book an appointment

Book an appointment to register a death

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

Alternatively, you can contact us to book an appointment.

Can I register the death at another Register Office?

The death must be registered at the Register Office for the district where the death occurred.

If you are not able to travel to Liverpool Register Office you can contact your local Register Office to enquire about making a declaration of registration.

They will gather the information needed to register a death (as detailed below) and ask you to sign a declaration form. They will send this to us, where the death will be registered. We will then send the relevant documents needed for the funeral to take place to the relevant authorities covering the cemetery or crematorium you have chosen. We will also send you a Tell Us Once (TUO) reference.

You can then order death certificates from Liverpool Register Office online.

What do I need to register a death?

When you attend the appointment it would be helpful (but not essential) to have the following documents to hand. All documents relate to the deceased unless otherwise stated.

  • Birth/marriage/civil partnership certificates.
  • Passport.
  • Deed poll (name change).
  • Driving licence.
  • Medical card.
  • Recent utility or Council Tax bill (to verify address).
  • Your own passport, utility/council tax bill, driving licence.

What will the registrar ask me?

The Registrar will ask you for:

  • The date and place of death.
  • The full name and surname of the deceased person (and the maiden surname if the deceased was a married woman/civil partner).
  • The date and place of birth.
  • The occupation of the deceased and, if the deceased person was a married woman, the full name and occupation of her husband.
  • Their usual address.
  • Their last occupation.
  • If the deceased was married, widowed or registered a formal civil partnership, the full name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner.
  • The date of birth of a surviving spouse or civil partner.
  • Details of any public sector pension e.g. civil service, teacher or armed forces.

Death certificates

When you make an appointment to register the death, you can order and pay for certificates using a debit or credit card. Certificates are £12.50 each.

You may also purchase certificates from the registrar during the appointment using a debit or credit card.

What if I lose a death certificate?

Duplicate or copy certificates can always be obtained at a later date if required. Find out how to get copies of certificates.

Children under the age of 16

All death and stillbirth certificates issued for children under the age of 16 will be issued free of charge at the time of registration and for one month afterwards.

Who will want to see a death certificate?

Examples of organisations that will require a death certificate include:

  • Banks, building societies or other financial institutions such as mortgages, shares and Post Office accounts.
  • Insurance companies
  • Private pension funds (the state pension and many public pensions can be notified if you use the Tell Us Once service - see below for details.
  • Probate court

Death certificates are not needed for:

  • Funeral directors
  • Social security purposes - you will be provided with a form or can notify them using the Tell Us Once service.

Tell Us Once

Tell Us Once is an optional free service that lets you report a death to most government organisations and council departments in one go.

When you register a death with us, the registrar will ask you if you want to use this service. Find out more about Tell Us Once.

Liverpool Bereavement Guide

We have produced the Liverpool Bereavement Guide to help you access the information you need to help you through your bereavement, including organisations you might like to contact for support.