All deaths are referred to either :
- a Medical Examiner – where the death was natural and expected
- a Coroner – where the death was not natural or expected, or when an inquest (a court hearing into how a person died) is needed
The Medical Examiner or Coroner will let you know when it is ok to contact the register office to make an appointment. Deaths must be registered within 5 days of the Medical Examiner sending paperwork to a register office.
If an inquest is needed, you will not need to register the death yourself. The Coroner’s team will tell you when you can order death certificates from the register office.