Death Certificate — Register and Obtain

Almost every institution that has to be informed of a death will keep a certified copy of the certificate, and will not return it. Families routinely obtain one or two, then spend weeks applying for more.

• Life insurance and general insurance claims — one per policy.
• Bank accounts, fixed deposits and lockers — one per bank.
• Provident fund and pension claims.
• Mutual fund and demat account transmission.
• Property transfer and mutation of land records.
• Succession or legal heir certificate proceedings.
• Closing utility connections, telephone and gas connections.

1. Where the death occurred in a hospital, the institution normally reports it to the registrar and issues the medical certificate of cause of death.
2. Where it occurred at home, the head of the household reports it to the registrar for that area.
3. Register on crsorgi.gov.in or on your State or municipal civil registration portal, or apply at the registrar’s office.
4. Provide the deceased’s details, the date, time and place of death, and the cause where a medical certificate is available.
5. Attach the medical certificate of cause of death, the deceased’s identity proof, and the identity proof of the person reporting.
6. Registration within twenty-one days is free. Later registration attracts a fee and, after longer intervals, additional permissions.
7. Apply for certified copies once the registration is complete.

A death certificate records the fact of death. It does not establish who the legal heirs are, and it does not by itself transfer any asset.

For that, families usually need a legal heir certificate or a succession certificate, obtained from the revenue authority or the civil court depending on the State and the nature of the asset. Where there is a will, probate may be required.

Institutions will ask for the death certificate first and then for whichever of these applies. Knowing the sequence saves a good deal of confusion at an already difficult time.