Getting a death certificate in Ireland is a separate step from registering the death itself, and the two are easy to confuse when you are already dealing with a bereavement. This guide walks through exactly how to get a death certificate once a death has been registered, what happens if a post-mortem delays things, what information you need, and how quickly you can expect to receive it.
Registering the Death Comes First
Before a death certificate can be issued, the death has to be registered. In Ireland this should happen within three months of the death. Registration is usually done by a next of kin, but anyone with knowledge of the death and the required personal details can register it, using a Death Notification Form supplied by the doctor who attended the deceased. Citizens Information explains the registration process in detail, including who is entitled to register a death and what happens if the death occurred outside a hospital setting. There is no charge to register a death at a Civil Registration Service office.
How to Register a Death, Step by Step
- Get a Death Notification Form from the doctor who attended the deceased, or from the coroner if a post-mortem was carried out
- Complete Part 2 of the form with the deceased's personal details
- Bring the completed form and photo ID to any Civil Registration Service office, regardless of where the death occurred
- Sign the register in front of the registrar to complete registration
If There Is a Post-Mortem or the Cause of Death Is Unclear
When a death is referred to the Coroner, for example because it was sudden, unexplained, or happened outside of medical care, full registration can be delayed until the coroner's investigation is complete. While you wait, you can request an Interim Certificate of the Fact of Death directly from the Coroner Service for the district where the person died. This interim certificate confirms that the death has occurred, even though the cause has not yet been finalised, and is generally accepted by banks, insurance companies, the Department of Social Protection, and the Probate Office while you wait for the full certificate.
How to Get a Death Certificate in Ireland
Once a death is registered, a certificate can be requested from the General Register Office (GRO), which holds the national index of all registered deaths. You can apply through any of the following routes:
- In person, at any Civil Registration Service office nationwide
- By post, using the GRO's official application form
- By phone, through most Civil Registration offices, typically processed within about 5 working days
- Online, either directly through the HSE's death certificate ordering service or through a certified processing service such as IrishCerts.ie
You do not need to apply to the office where the death was originally registered. Certificates for any death registered in Ireland can be ordered from any Civil Registration Service office or from the GRO directly.
Information You Will Need to Provide
Have the following details ready before you apply:
- Full name of the person who died
- Date of death
- Place of death, including the street, hospital, home, or town
- Age at death
- Your relationship to the deceased, where relevant
Certificates are available for deaths registered in the Republic of Ireland dating back to 1864, so even older family records can usually be traced and issued.
Who Can Apply for a Death Certificate
Unlike registering the death, ordering a copy of the certificate afterwards is more flexible. Next of kin, executors handling probate, solicitors acting on behalf of an estate, and insurance providers processing a claim can all request a certified copy, provided they can supply accurate details of the deceased and the registered event.
How Much Does It Cost and How Long Does It Take
Fees for a death certificate are tiered rather than a single flat charge. A full standard certified certificate costs 20 euro, and an uncertified copy costs 5 euro. Certificates for the death of an infant are issued free of charge. Postage adds a small fee on top, more for international delivery. Applying through the standard GRO or HSE channels typically takes 15 to 28 working days, phone orders around 5 working days. If you need the certificate sooner, for example to progress probate or an insurance claim, a same day processing service such as IrishCerts.ie will review and dispatch eligible applications the same working day when submitted before 12pm.
Common Reasons You Might Need Extra Copies
It is worth ordering more than one certified copy at the same time, since death certificates are frequently required by multiple organisations at once. Common uses include applying for probate, closing or transferring bank accounts, submitting a life insurance or pension claim, cancelling a driving licence or passport, and settling utility accounts. Banks and insurers will typically want to keep an original certified copy rather than return it, so having two or three on hand avoids delays later.
Ordering Older Death Certificates for Family History
Because the GRO index goes back to 1864, death certificates are also a valuable resource for anyone researching Irish family history. A historical death certificate can confirm an exact date, an address, an occupation, and sometimes a cause of death, all of which can help fill in gaps that parish or census records leave open. The same application process applies whether the death was registered last month or a century ago, though older records can occasionally take a little longer to locate if the registration district is not known with certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a death certificate cost in Ireland?
A full standard certified certificate costs 20 euro, and an uncertified copy costs 5 euro. Certificates for the death of an infant are issued free of charge.
What is an Interim Death Certificate?
It is an Interim Certificate of the Fact of Death, issued by the Coroner Service while an inquest or post-mortem is ongoing. It confirms that a death occurred, without stating a finalised cause, and is generally accepted by banks, insurers, and the Department of Social Protection until the full certificate is registered.
Can someone other than next of kin register a death?
Yes. While next of kin usually handles it, anyone present at the death or with knowledge of the required personal details can register it with a Civil Registration Service.
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