Register a Death in Devon
Find your nearest registrar office in Devon, with contact details, addresses, and step-by-step guidance for registering a death.
Registrar offices in Devon
Exeter Register Office
1 Lower Summerlands, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LJ
Phone: 0345 155 1002
Visit website →Torquay Register Office
Oldway Mansion, Torquay Road, Paignton TQ3 2TE
Phone: 01803 207920
Visit website →Devon County Council
Phone: 0345 155 1015
Visit website →Contact the council about council tax, housing, social services, and local support.
How to register a death in Devon
Get the medical certificate
A doctor must confirm the death and issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). If the person died at home in Devon, 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.
Book an appointment
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 Devon operate by appointment only, so call ahead to arrange a time.
Attend the appointment
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 death certificates
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.
Arrange the funeral
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 Devon.
See our detailed costs breakdown for typical prices and money-saving tips.
Notify organisations
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.
What you will need to bring
- The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
- The person's birth certificate (if available)
- Their marriage or civil partnership certificate (if applicable)
- Their NHS medical card or NHS number
- Their full name, date and place of birth, last address, and occupation
- Your own name, address, and relationship to the person who died
Towns and cities covered
The registrar offices above serve the following areas and surrounding towns in Devon:
City guides in Devon
Detailed local guides with registrar details, council contacts, and step-by-step bereavement guidance.
Related guides
Northern Ireland Guide
NISRA registration, Belfast probate, no Tell Us Once, and NI intestacy rules
Dying Without a Will
Who inherits when there is no will, and what the rules are across the UK
Scotland Guide
Registration, Procurator Fiscal, Confirmation, and Scottish intestacy rules
Document Checklist
Every document you need to gather, where to find them, and who needs them
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