What to expect when applying for a death certificate

In Australia, a Death Certificate is the official document produced by the state based Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to record all deaths that occur. This is different to the Cause of Death certificate that is given by a doctor at the time of death.

You will need the Death Certificate for legal and financial reasons. The time it takes to receive the certificate from the Registry varies and may take several weeks.

We will ask you for certain information about the person who has died and we will then register the death after the funeral has taken place. It may help to have their birth and marriage certificates available for the information.

• Full name.
• Date of birth.
• Place of death (full address of hospital or residence).
• Residential address.
• Occupation during working life.
• Place of birth (city and country).
• Marital status at time of death.
• All marriages (place of marriage – city, state & country, full name of spouse, age at the time of marriage).
• Parents’ names and occupations, including mother’s maiden name.
• Children’s names, dates of birth and ages.
• Place of burial or cremation.
• Religion (if applicable).