Register a death

1. 1. Wait to hear from the registrars

   The Medical Examiner will email the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the registrar.    

   If the death has been referred to the Coroner, they will send the Coroner’s certificate to the registrar.                            

   We can only register a death after we have received the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the Medical Examiner or the Coroner's certificate. 

   The 5 day statutory time frame to register a death only starts once the registrar has received the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the medical examiner.     

   Please speak to your funeral director to ensure a suitable timeframe for all your arrangements.   

   Once the registrar has received the MCCD from the Medical Examiner, or the Coroner's certificate, they will contact you by text message, email, or phone to let you know you can book an appointment.
   

   We aim to contact you within 2 working days but it may take longer if the death has been referred to the Coroner or if we have had to return the MCCD to the Medical Examiner.
   
2. 2. Book an appointment

   You should register the death within 5 days, where possible. You can book an appointment online.                                          

   When the registrars contacts you they will provide you with a link to the online form to book an appointment.                        

   To book an appointment, you will need:                                          

   • an email address
   • a credit or debit card if you want to pay for death certificates in advance
   • details about the persons death, such as, their name, date of death and place of death

   Where the appointment will take place

   If the death took place in Leeds, you can register at the following locations:                                           

   Leeds Register Office - Merrion House

   Our main register office in Merrion House in Leeds city centre has the most appointment slots and is open for bookings from 8:45am to 3:55pm Monday to Friday.                                          

   Other register offices

   You can also book at other register offices in Armley, Dewsbury Road (Beeston), Moor Allerton, Morley, Rothwell, St George’s (Middleton), Seacroft and Yeadon.                                           

   These offices have reduced availability between Monday to Friday. Dates and times will be provided when you book the appointment.                                              

3. 3. Documents to prepare

   It’s helpful to gather as much documentation as possible so you can give us accurate information about the deceased person.                                                  

   You may need:                                                  

   • their birth certificate or passport
   • deed poll documents (if they ever changed their name)
   • bills or bank statements with their address on
   • marriage or civil partnership certificate (if they were married)
   • a medical card or something with their NHS number on it

   It’s okay if you do not have everything on this list.                

4. 4. During the appointment

   Who can register the death (the informant)

   The person registering the death must be one of the following:                                                  

   • a relative of the person who has died
   • someone arranging the burial or cremation
   • someone who was there when the person died
   • an administrator from the hospital (if the person died in hospital)

   What you need to bring

   The registrar will ask for the following information about the deceased:                                                  

   • date and place of death
   • date and place of birth
   • full name
   • maiden name (if they were married or in a civil partnership)
   • occupation
   • address
   • spouse or civil partner’s name, date of birth and occupation (if they were married or in a civil partnership)
   • details of any public sector pension (for example teachers, civil service or armed forces)
     
   • funeral director details
   • your (the informant’s) address

   Copies of the death certificate

   You will need certificates so that you can deal with the will, money and property of the person who's died.                                                    

   You can order death certificates at the appointment to register the death.                                                    

   The registrar will give you a reference number for the Tell Us Once service, where you can report the death to the passport office, HMRC and other government departments in one go.                                                  

   Funeral plans

   The registrar will give you a green form which you must pass to your chosen funeral director so that they can arrange the funeral.                                                    

   Safety at your appointment

   Do not come to the appointment if you:                                                  

   • have tested positive for coronavirus or are awaiting test results
     
   • have coronavirus symptoms symptoms or are self-isolating
     
5. 5. Rearranging the appointment

   Use your appointment confirmation email to rearrange or cancel your appointment. You can also call 0113 222 4408.                                    

Related pages

• Arrange a funeral
• Register a Stillbirth
• Coroner
• Public health funerals
• Appropriate policy document for the Superintendent Registrar
• NHS Medical Examiner Service