Register a Death in Bristol

A doctor must confirm the death and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). If the person died at home in Bristol, contact their GP surgery. If they died in hospital, the hospital will arrange this.

If the death was sudden, unexplained, or occurred during surgery, it may be referred to the coroner. The coroner will investigate and may order a post-mortem before the death can be registered.

Contact one of the registrar offices listed above to book an appointment. You must register the death within 5 days in the district where the person died. If you cannot attend in person within the deadline, you can make a declaration at a different register office, which will then be forwarded.

Most register offices in Bristol operate by appointment only, so call ahead to arrange a time.

The appointment typically takes around 30 minutes. The registrar will ask you for details about the person who died, and will issue you with the documents you need to arrange the funeral.

At the appointment, the registrar will offer you the Tell Us Once service. This free service notifies most government departments of the death in a single step, saving you a significant amount of time.

Order at least 5 certified copies of the death certificate at the time of registration. They cost £12.50 each in England and Wales. Banks, insurers, pension providers, and solicitors will each need a copy. Ordering copies later costs more and takes longer.

You can start arranging the funeral before registering the death, but the burial or cremation cannot go ahead until registration is complete (unless the coroner has issued the relevant paperwork). Get at least three quotes from funeral directors in Bristol.

See our detailed costs breakdown for typical prices and money-saving tips.

Beyond what Tell Us Once covers, you will need to contact banks, insurers, pension providers, utility companies, and other organisations directly. Each will usually need a certified copy of the death certificate.

Use our template letters to save time, or see our phone directory for the right numbers to call.