How do I obtain the official death certificate?

By now, you should have received the medical practitioner’s certificate of death. However, in most cases, it will be necessary for the executor or administrator to obtain an original death certificate from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. This document is the official evidence that the death has occurred and it is required in the legal administration of the estate.

Your funeral director will be able to arrange for the certificate to be issued by the registry. You should receive this document approximately four weeks after the funeral.

Your funeral director may require you to provide certain information regarding the deceased person’s family history, occupation and other personal details. This information is required by Births, Deaths and Marriages. They collect the information for, amongst other reasons, statistical purposes.