Deaths

By law all deaths in Northern Ireland must be registered in Northern Ireland.  A death should be registered as soon as possible to allow funeral arrangements to proceed, but no later than five days from the date of death, except where the matter has been referred to the Coroner. You can register a death at any registrar's office in Northern Ireland if the death occurred in Northern Ireland. 

Registrar's offices
The registrar's offices in Ards and North Down are in the council offices at:

• Town Hall, The Castle, Bangor, BT20 4BT, Telephone 028 9127 8003. 
• 2 Church Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AP, Telephone 028 9182 4003  

Opening hours

​Please note that from 1st September 2017 the Registrar’s Office located at Bangor Castle and Church Street, Newtownards will be operating an appointment only system.

• To make an appointment at Bangor Castle please ring 0300 013 3333 ext. 40784
• To make an appointment at Church Street, Newtownards please ring 0300 013 3333 ext. 40720

Registering a death
To register a death, you need to fill in a Death Registration Form with information about the person who died.  This form is available at the registrar's office or to download at the bottom of this page.
 
Information about the deceased
To fill in the form you will need to know certain information:

• the deceased person's full name, surname and address
• their date and place of death (and birth)
• their marital status
• their occupation 
• the full name and occupation of the deceased person's spouse or partner (if they were married, in a civil partnership or widowed)
• maiden surname (if the deceased person was a married woman)
• the full names of the deceased person's father and mother, mother's maiden name and their occupations
• the name and practice address of the deceased person's doctor.

 You will also need to bring a medical certificate, signed by a doctor, showing the cause of death.  If the death was sudden or the doctor treating the deceased is unavailable, it may be referred to the Coroner.

Family members or other people who can register a death
The people listed below can register a death:

• any relative of the deceased person who knows the information needed for registration
• a person present at the death
• a person taking care of the funeral arrangements
• the executor or administrator of the deceased person's estate
• the governor, matron or chief officer of a public building where the death occurred
• a person living in and responsible for a house, lodgings or apartments where the death occurred
• a person finding, or taking charge of the body

Death referred to the Coroner
If a death has been referred to the Coroner, you shouldn't make funeral arrangements without the Coroner's consent.  The death can be registered and a death certificate issued only after the registrar has received the necessary certificate from the Coroner.  When the registrar receives the appropriate form they will contact a relative of the deceased and ask them to register the death.

Death forms issued by the registrar
It is free to register a death. When you register a death, you will receive:

• GRO 21 form which allows a burial or cremation to take place
• Form 36 (certificate of registration of death) for social security purposes if the deceased person received state pension or benefits
• any short or full certified death certificates you buy

Death certificates

At the time of registration, you can buy additional certified copies of the death certificate, for £8.00 a copy. You can pay by credit/debit card, cheque or cash.

Additional death certificates

You cannot buy additional death certificates from the registrar's office at any time after registration.  You can only buy these from the General Register Office in Belfast. An additional certificate costs £15.00.
 
General Register Office
NISRA
Colby House
Stranmillis Court
Belfast
BT9 5RR
Telephone: 0300 200 7890
General Register Office website