How many death certificates do I need?
Last checked September 2026 by Naomi Jackson
Short answer
Most families need between four and ten certified copies. Order them at the registration appointment: A standard certified copy costs £12.50 in England and Wales. You can order more later, but allow time for delivery and check for any search, priority or delivery charges. The numbers here are planning guidance, not requirements.
- Typical number
- Four to ten
- Cost, England and Wales
- £12.50 per certified copy
- Best time to order
- At the registration appointment
- Accepts a scan or photocopy
- Many utilities, subscriptions and councils
- Usually wants a certified copy
- Banks, pensions, insurers, the Land Registry
You are asked this at the registration appointment, usually before you have any idea how many organisations you will have to tell.
How many copies should you actually order?
Count the organisations that hold money or property in the person's sole name: each bank and building society, each pension, each insurer or investment provider, plus one for the probate application and one to keep. Four is enough for a simple estate with one bank account. Six to ten is normal where there are several accounts, a property, workplace and private pensions and life cover.
Organisations usually return the copy, so you can recycle them, but they go round one at a time and each round trip costs a week or two. Ordering two or three more than you strictly need is the cheapest way to buy speed.
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This is what actually drives the number.
- Certified copy usually required: banks and building societies, pension providers, life insurers, investment and share registrars, the probate registry, the Land Registry, solicitors
- Scan, photo or photocopy usually fine: utilities, broadband and mobile providers, subscriptions, most councils, the electoral roll, clubs and memberships
- No copy needed at all: anything covered by Tell Us Once, which passes the death on to DWP, HMRC, the council, the DVLA and the Passport Office for you
- Verified in branch: some banks will check the original in a branch and hand it straight back, which saves a copy
What a death certificate costs
In England and Wales a certified copy is £12.50, whether you order it at the appointment or later from the register office or the General Register Office. Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own fees, so check with the registrar when you book. The cost of ordering later is not the money, it is the delay: posted orders take several working days, and a bank will not move without its copy.
Can you photocopy a death certificate?
You can, and plenty of organisations accept it. What you cannot do is certify it yourself. A certified copy is one issued and stamped by the register office; a photocopy of one is not the same document, which is why banks and the probate registry turn them down. If an organisation will accept a scan, send the scan and keep the certified copy moving elsewhere.
What to do if you run out
Order more from the register office that registered the death, or through the General Register Office. You will need the date and place of death and the person's full name. Allow several working days. In the meantime, ask the organisation that is waiting whether they will accept a scan, or a grant of probate, which many will once it has been issued.
Frequently asked questions
How many death certificates do I need in the UK?
Four to ten for most estates. Count one for each bank, pension, insurer and investment provider holding something in the person's sole name, plus one for probate and one spare.
How much does a death certificate cost?
£12.50 for a certified copy in England and Wales, at the registration appointment or later. Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own fees, so check when you book the appointment.
Is it cheaper to order death certificates at the appointment?
The price is the same, but ordering at the appointment means you walk out with them. Ordering later means waiting several working days for the post while an organisation holds up an account.
Will organisations accept a photocopy of a death certificate?
Utilities, subscriptions and most councils usually will. Banks, pensions, insurers, the Land Registry and the probate registry almost always want a certified copy issued by the register office.
Do I get the death certificate back?
Usually yes. Most organisations check the certified copy and return it, so the same copies can be reused. Each round trip takes a week or two, which is why a few extra copies saves time.
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Find your register officeMore guides in this series
How long does it take to get a death certificate?
You get certified copies at the registration appointment itself. The wait is getting to that appointment: usually a few days, longer with a coroner involved.
What to do in the first 24 hours after a death
A practical checklist for the first 24 hours after someone dies in the UK: getting the death verified, contacting a funeral director, and what NOT to do.
Next steps after a death: the first week
What to do in the first week after a death in the UK, whether it happened at home, in hospital, in a hospice or in a care home.
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.
