How long does it take to get a death certificate?
Last checked September 2026 by Naomi Jackson
Short answer
You are handed certified copies at the registration appointment, on the day. Getting to that appointment usually takes a few days, because the medical cause of death paperwork has to reach the registrar first. Where a coroner or procurator fiscal is involved, it can take weeks or months.
- At the appointment
- Certified copies issued the same day
- Typical wait to register
- A few days, once the paperwork is ready
- England and Wales
- Register within 5 days of the notification
- Scotland
- Register within 8 days of the death
- Coroner involved
- Weeks, sometimes months, and no deadline until release
The certificate itself is instant. Everything before it is where the waiting happens.
What actually has to happen first
A doctor verifies the death and completes the medical cause of death paperwork. In England and Wales it then goes to a medical examiner, who reviews it and notifies the registrar. Only once the registrar has it can you book the appointment. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the doctor issues the certificate directly, which is usually quicker.
This is why the answer to 'how long' is mostly about the hospital, the GP surgery and the medical examiner, not the register office.
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Get my checklistHow long the medical examiner stage takes
Usually one to three working days from the death, longer over a weekend or a bank holiday, and longer where the doctor who treated the person is not available. The bereavement office at the hospital, or the GP surgery, will tell you when it has been sent. There is nothing you can do to speed this up, but it is worth calling to check it has gone rather than waiting to be told.
How long the registration appointment takes to get
Most register offices offer an appointment within a few days of receiving the paperwork. Cities are busier than rural areas and Mondays are the worst day. The appointment itself lasts around half an hour, and you leave with the certified copies and, if you want it, the Tell Us Once reference.
What delays it
These are the common ones.
- A coroner or procurator fiscal referral: nothing can be registered until the case is released, which can take weeks or months if there is an inquest
- A death abroad, which is registered in the country where it happened
- A death out of the local area, where the paperwork moves between offices
- The certifying doctor being on leave or otherwise unavailable
- Bank holidays and weekends, which stop the medical examiner stage entirely
What you can do while you wait
Quite a lot, and none of it needs the certificate. Choose a funeral director, look for the will and any pre-paid funeral plan, secure an empty property and tell the insurer, and start listing the organisations that will need telling. Where a coroner is involved, ask for an interim certificate of the fact of death: banks and insurers will often accept it so that accounts can start moving.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a death certificate in the UK?
You receive certified copies at the registration appointment itself. Getting to that appointment usually takes a few days while the medical cause of death paperwork reaches the registrar.
Why is the death certificate taking so long?
Almost always the medical stage rather than the register office: the certifying doctor, or in England and Wales the medical examiner, has not sent the paperwork yet. A coroner referral delays it much further.
Can I get a death certificate the same day?
Yes, if the registrar already has the medical paperwork. You order the certified copies at the appointment and take them away with you.
What can I do if a coroner is involved?
Ask the coroner's office for an interim certificate of the fact of death. It is not a death certificate, but most banks, insurers and employers accept it so the admin can start before the case is released.
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Find your register officeMore guides in this series
How many death certificates do I need?
Most families need four to ten certified copies of the death certificate. How many certified copies you may need, what they cost and how to avoid delays.
When a death is reported to the coroner
Why deaths get referred, how an interim certificate lets you carry on, and what an inquest means for registering the death and applying for probate.
Registering a death in Scotland, what's different
Scotland's death registration process: 8-day deadline, the NRS, where you can register, and how Confirmation differs from probate in England.
Related guides
What is probate?
What it means, when you need it, what it costs and how to apply yourself.
What to do when someone dies
The full UK checklist, from the first 24 hours through probate.
Death admin checklist
A week-by-week task list. Printable PDF available.
Tell Us Once explained
How the free government service notifies HMRC, DWP and your council in one go.
Closing accounts after death
Step-by-step for banks, utilities, pensions and subscriptions.
Bereavement financial help
Benefits and grants you may be entitled to claim.
Probate explained
When you need it, what it costs, and whether you need a solicitor.
Arranging a funeral
Every option and what it costs, and how to choose a funeral director.
Prepare your probate application
Gather the estate details, check what you need and build a pack before you apply yourself.
Funeral cost calculator
Estimate a funeral for your area and the choices you are making.
