Find out how to register a death, who can register, what information you need to provide and how to order a death certificate.
When to register a death
The Medical Examiner’s Office or the Coroner will contact you about the cause of death. They will then send the Medical Certificate directly to us at the Register Office.
There is a legal requirement for you to register the death within five calendar days of when we receive the Medical Certificate.
Please only book an appointment with us to register the death once the Medical Examiner or Coroner has told you to do so. You can book an appointment online or by phone – please see contact details below.
If you are unable to attend an appointment within five calendar days, please contact the Register Office to discuss.
Where to register a death
Deaths should be registered in the district in which the death occurred.
If the death occurred in Peterborough, please book an appointment with us at Peterborough Register Office to register the death.
Please note that Whittlesey and Yaxley are not part of the Peterborough district. For deaths that occurred in these towns, you need to contact Cambridgeshire Registration Service.
Who can register a death
Only certain people can register a death. The main categories are:
- A relative of the deceased person
- A person married to, or in a civil partnership with, the deceased person
- A person living as partners with the deceased person, in an enduring relationship, at the time of death
- A person present at the death
- The person responsible for arranging and paying for the funeral
- The personal representative of the deceased person
If you are not sure whether you are eligible to register the death, please contact us before making an appointment.
Book an appointment to register a death
You can use our online system to book an appointment to register a death at Peterborough Register Office. Appointments last about 30 minutes.
If you need to register a stillbirth, please telephone us rather than using our online appointment booking service.
You can also contact the Register Office on 01733 864646 to book an appointment. The phone line is open between Monday and Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Please arrive at the Register Office before your appointment time. If you are running more than five minutes late, you will need to re-book your appointment. Please call us if this is the case.
Information we need to register a death
To register a death, we need the following information:
- Where and when the death occurred
- The full name of the deceased person – including any changes to their name, such as maiden name
- The date and place of birth of the deceased person
- The most recent address of the deceased person
- The most recent occupation of the deceased person
- The full name, date of birth and occupation of the spouse or civil partner of the deceased person (if applicable)
To help answer these questions, you may find it useful to refer to documents such as the deceased person’s:
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Birth certificate
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
We do not need to see these documents at the appointment, but you may wish to refer to them.
If the deceased person was in receipt of a pension from a Government department, such as NHS, Armed Forces, Teacher etc – please let the registrar know at the appointment.
Checking the information on the death register is correct
Before the registration is locked in, we will ask you to check that all of the information recorded in the register is true and correct. By signing the register, you will be confirming that this is the case. Once signed, the register entry becomes a legal document. It is an offence to give false information.
To correct any error(s) discovered afterwards, you will be charged a statutory correction consideration fee. This process can be lengthy. Visit our correct a registration page for more information about this process.
Certificates and documents we will issue
- Death certificate
- Certificate for burial or cremation, also known as a ‘green form’
- Information on accessing the Tell Us Once Service
You can purchase death certificates for £12.50 each. You may need extras when dealing with the financial or property affairs of the deceased person. Some organisations may return a certificate to you which you can use again; others may want to keep a certificate.
We are a cashless office and can only accept card or contactless payment.
After the registration, if you need more death certificates, you can order certified copies from us at £12.50 each. Please visit our certificates page to place an order.