Every death that occurs in Ireland must be officially registered with a Civil Registration Office.
When Should I Register the Death?
- As soon as possible after the death
- Must be registered within 3 months
- You can still register a death up to 12 months later, but it is best not to delay
What Do I Need?
To register a death, bring the following to your local Civil Registration Office:
- Death Notification Form
- Provided by the Doctor who attended the person who died
- Your Photo ID
- Details of the Deceased, including:
- PPS number
- Full names of both parents
Who Can Register a Death?
- Normally a close family member
- If no family is available, any person with knowledge of the death can do it
Where Do I Register?
At any Civil Registration Office.
Find your local office at hse.ie or call 1800 700 700
- Monday to Friday: 8am – 8pm
- Saturday and Sunday: 9am – 5pm
Getting a Death Certificate
- No fee to register the death
- A full death certificate costs €20
- A free copy for social welfare purposes is available — bring a letter from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to confirm
- Contact DSP: 01 704 3000, Mon–Fri, 9am – 5pm
What If the Death Is Referred to a Coroner?
A death is referred to the coroner when the cause is unclear and cannot be certified by a doctor.
In this case:
- You may need to wait before getting the final death certificate
- The coroner’s office will issue an interim death certificate
- You can use this to notify DSP, Revenue, banks, and other institutions
