Death Certificate Application

To, The Registrar of Births and Deaths [authority_name] Date: [application_date] Subject: Application for issue of a Death Certificate Sir/Madam, 1. I, [applicant_name], residing at [applicant_address], am the [relationship_to_deceased] of the late [deceased_name]. 2. PARTICULARS OF THE DEATH Name of deceased : [deceased_name] Date of death : [date_of_death] Place of death : [place_of_death] Cause of death : [cause_of_death] 3. I request that the death be registered, where it has not already been, and that [copies_required] certified copies of the Death Certificate be issued to me. 4. The certificate is required for: [purpose] 5. I enclose the documents listed below and undertake to furnish any further particulars required. Yours faithfully, [applicant_name] [relationship_to_deceased] of the late [deceased_name] DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED 1. Medical certificate of cause of death, or the hospital's death report 2. Cremation or burial receipt 3. Identity and address proof of the deceased 4. Identity and address proof of the applicant 5. Proof of relationship ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── THE TWENTY-ONE DAY WINDOW, AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER IT Under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 a death must be reported for registration WITHIN TWENTY-ONE DAYS. Within that window registration is straightforward and free of late fee. After it, the process escalates at each stage: Beyond 21 days, up to 30 days — registered on payment of a late fee. Beyond 30 days, up to one year — requires the written permission of the prescribed authority and an affidavit, in addition to the fee. Beyond one year — requires an ORDER OF A MAGISTRATE. This is a court process, and it is slow. Families dealing with a bereavement understandably do not think about paperwork for weeks. The consequence surfaces later, because a death certificate is required for almost everything that follows: bank accounts, insurance claims, pension, provident fund, property mutation, succession and legal heir certificates. GET SEVERAL COPIES AT THE OUTSET. Every institution wants an original or a certified copy and most will not return it. Six to ten copies is normal and far cheaper than applying repeatedly. WHERE THE DEATH OCCURRED IN A HOSPITAL, the hospital usually reports it to the Registrar — but confirm that it has actually been done rather than assuming. Where the death was unnatural or a post-mortem was conducted, the certificate follows the police and post-mortem process and takes longer.