Order a death certificate

A death certificate is an official document which shows the date, place of death and the cause of death. The death must be registered before a certificate can be issued.

There are several reasons why you might need a death certificate. These include accessing pension benefits, applying for probate or administration of a deceased’s estate, claiming life insurance, or for genealogical research.

When someone dies, you will not automatically be provided with a death certificate. If you need one to resolve the deceased's affairs, you will be able to buy copies at the registration appointment or you can order a death certificate online.

To order a death certificate, you’ll need to know:

• the full name and surname of the deceased at the time of death
• whether the deceased had been known by any other name
• date of death (or year)
• place of death – hospital, town, or district

Fees

Please allow delivery time in addition to stated issue time. If you have paid for the priority service you can choose to collect your certificates, usually from Hampshire Record Office, Winchester (you will be contacted if the collection point is another location).

If a record of the certificate can’t be found or identified, only the certificate fee of £12.50 will be refunded.

Order a copy certificate

Overseas customers

We only supply certificates to UK addresses, and some overseas applicants might not be able to make online payments. To make this process easier, order your certificate from the General Register Office.