An appointment is required to register a death at one of our offices within Surrey. Please telephone 0300 200 1002 to make an appointment.

If the death has been referred to the coroner, it cannot be registered until the registrar has received authority from the coroner to do so. If the death has not been referred to the coroner and you have a medical certificate of cause of death from the doctor, go to the registrar as soon as possible.

The death must be registered within five days (unless the registrar says this period may be extended) in the district in which the death occurred.

If you are unable to attend at the registrar's office in the district in which the death occurred, the information for registration may be given to any registrar in England and Wales. You will need to attend your chosen registrar's office to make a declaration of the particulars for the registration.

The declaration will then be forwarded to the registrar for the sub-district where the death took place, where it will be registered. There may be some delay in certificates being issued as this cannot be done until the death has been registered.

Who can register a death?

It is usual for a relative of the deceased to register the death. However, if a relative is not available, someone else may register the death, such as someone present at the death, the person responsible for instructing the funeral directors or, in the case of a hospital, care or nursing home death, a manager from that establishment.

What happens at the register office?

When you go to the registrar you should take all these:

• The Medical Certificate of cause of death
• The deceased's medical card, if possible
• The deceased's birth and marriage or civil partnership certificates, if available

You should tell the registrar

• The date and place of death
• The deceased's last (usual) address
• The deceased's full name and surname (and the maiden surname if the deceased was a woman who had married)
• The deceased's date and place of birth (town and county if born in the UK, and country if born abroad)
• The deceased's occupation and the name and occupation of their spouse or civil partner
• Whether the deceased was getting a pension or allowance from public funds
• If the deceased was married or a civil partner, the date of birth of the surviving widow, widower or civil partner

The registrar who registers the death will give you:

• A Certificate for Burial or Cremation (known as the Green Form) unless the coroner has issued an Order for Burial (form 101) or a Certificate for Cremation (form E). These give permission for the body to be buried or for an application for cremation to be made. It should be taken to the funeral director so that the funeral can be held.
• A Certificate of Registration of Death (form BD8(rev)). This is for Social Security purposes only. Read the information on the back of the certificate. If any of it applies, fill in the certificate and take it or send it to a Social Security office.
• If you require Death Certificates, these may be purchased from the Registrar for a fee.

If you go to a register office other than the one for the sub-district where the death took place, the above certificates will be sent to you.

In addition to our district offices we also have registrars located in Epsom, Reigate, Caterham, Farnham, Frimley and Haslemere for the registration of deaths by appointment only. Please telephone 0300 200 1002 to make an appointment.