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Obtaining a Death Certificate

Once a medical certificate of the cause of death has been issued, either the doctor or the funeral director sends the certificate to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages who will then issue a death certificate to the next of kin, upon application. If requesting a death certificate by mail, along with the set fee, the following information concerning the deceased should be enclosed:

  • name and address
  • date of birth
  • date and place of death
  • names of parents of the deceased (including mother's pre-marital name)
  • marital status, registered relationship status or de facto relationship status if over 16
  • details of marriage(s), registered relationship(s), de facto relationship
  • details of any children.

Regardless of where a person dies, if the doctor cannot - for any reason - issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, the doctor must notify the local police. The police will arrange for removal of the body to the nearest hospital where procedures for a coronial inquiry are carried out.

Obtaining a Death Certificate  :  Last Revised: Tue Aug 1st 2017
The content of the Law Handbook is made available as a public service for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. See Disclaimer for details. For free and confidential legal advice in South Australia call 1300 366 424.