Who to notify when someone dies in New Zealand: the full list, in order
If a funeral director is not being used, the death itself must be registered with Births, Deaths and Marriages within 3 working days of the burial or cremation (govt.nz, Registering a death, retrieved 9 September 2026). After that, New Zealand's free myTrove service can notify government departments, banks, insurers and utility companies of the death in one online form, rather than contacting each one separately.
Registering the death comes first
Before any organisation can be formally notified, the death itself needs to be officially registered, and who does this depends on whether a funeral director is involved.
If a funeral director is used, they register the death with Births, Deaths and Marriages using information the family provides; if the family is organising the funeral themselves, they must register it directly, by getting a cause of death certificate from a doctor, nurse or the coroner, completing the "Notification of death for registration" form (BDM 28), and posting it to Births, Deaths and Marriages within 3 working days of the burial or cremation (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). Registration itself is free, though ordering a death certificate carries a fee.
What is the deadline to register a death in NZ?
Where the family organises the funeral without a funeral director, the registration form must reach Births, Deaths and Marriages within 3 working days of the burial or cremation (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). Where a funeral director is used, they handle registration as part of arranging the funeral, so there is no separate deadline for the family to track.
Notify multiple organisations at once with myTrove
Rather than contacting a dozen separate organisations one at a time, New Zealand has a free centralised notification service that several government agencies and private companies participate in.
myTrove is a free online tool, funded by the organisations being notified rather than the person using it, that lets a family notify government departments, major banks, insurance companies and utility companies of a death through a single online form (govt.nz, What to do when someone dies, retrieved 9 September 2026). Inland Revenue confirms it can be notified through myTrove and that no New Zealand death certificate needs to be provided to IRD directly when using the service (Inland Revenue, Let us know someone has died, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Government organisations to notify
Several government agencies need to be told individually, even where myTrove is used for the wider notification, because each has its own proof-of-authority requirements.
| Organisation | What it handles | How to notify |
|---|---|---|
| Inland Revenue | Tax, student loan, child support | myTrove, or directly; see below |
| Work and Income | Benefits, NZ Super, Veteran's Pension | Contact directly to update or stop payments |
| Department of Internal Affairs | Cancelling a passport | myTrove, or the Passports office directly |
| Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency | Cancelling a driver licence | Contact NZTA directly |
| Births, Deaths and Marriages | Registering the death itself | Via the funeral director, or directly within 3 working days if self-arranged |
(govt.nz, What to do when someone dies; Inland Revenue; retrieved 9 September 2026.)
What happens to the Inland Revenue (IRD) obligations when someone dies?
Inland Revenue needs written proof you can act for the deceased, such as letters of administration, a copy of the will, or probate, before it will share information; once notified, IRD can finalise the person's tax affairs and write off any student loan, and processing typically takes up to 10 weeks (Inland Revenue, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Does IRD hold KiwiSaver funds when someone dies?
Not directly. Inland Revenue's own guidance says you should contact the KiwiSaver scheme provider directly to claim KiwiSaver funds it does not hold (Inland Revenue, Let us know someone has died, retrieved 9 September 2026). A KiwiSaver balance forms part of the deceased's estate and is paid out by the scheme provider directly once the right authority is shown. This is a factual note about where the balance goes, not KiwiSaver advice.
Is a New Zealand death certificate always required to notify organisations?
No, not always. Inland Revenue's own guidance states there is no need to provide a New Zealand death certificate when notifying it through myTrove (Inland Revenue, retrieved 9 September 2026). Other organisations, including for a life insurance claim, generally do require an original or certified copy of the death certificate, so it is worth checking each organisation's specific requirement rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere.
Bank accounts: what actually happens
Bank accounts are one of the most misunderstood parts of this process, and the honest position is more flexible than most people assume.
Do bank accounts get frozen when someone dies?
Yes, generally, once the bank is told. But govt.nz is explicit that funds can still be released to pay for the funeral, and you do not need to be the executor or administrator, and do not need to wait for probate or letters of administration, to apply for funeral costs to be paid from the account (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). Contact the deceased's bank directly to apply.
Can I withdraw money from a deceased person's bank account?
Not generally, once the bank has been told and the account is frozen, except specifically for funeral costs, which can be released without probate. For any other withdrawal, the bank will generally require either the executor to show probate, or, where the balance is small, may agree to pay under the Administration Act 1969's $40,000 small-estates provision (New Zealand Legislation, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Should you tell the bank about a death straight away?
Yes, generally, once you are ready to deal with the account, since the bank freezing the account is what protects the estate's money from unauthorised use while the right authority is established. There is no published New Zealand guidance suggesting delay is advisable; on the contrary, govt.nz specifically directs families to contact the bank to release funeral funds early, which requires notifying the bank first (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Other organisations worth contacting
Beyond government agencies and banks, several other categories of organisation typically need to be told, and the executor or administrator is generally the right person to lead this.
The executor or administrator handles accounts and assets that form part of the estate, though family and friends can help with other notifications as long as the executor stays involved and informed (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). Insurance, superannuation, joint accounts, and ongoing bills all fall into this category.
| Category | Examples | Who typically handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance | Life insurance, funeral insurance, health insurance | Executor or administrator, or a life insurance claim started directly |
| Employment | Final pay, superannuation owed | Executor or administrator, contacting the employer |
| Ongoing bills | Power, phone, subscriptions | Family, or via myTrove for participating utility companies |
| Digital accounts | Email, social media, online banking | Whoever holds login access, or the executor if valuable |
| Property | Jointly owned or estate property | Executor or administrator |
(govt.nz, What to do when someone dies, retrieved 9 September 2026.)
Should I arrange for a life or funeral insurance payout as part of this process?
Yes. govt.nz's own checklist for dealing with the estate specifically includes arranging for any life or funeral insurance to be paid out, alongside checking for unpaid wages or superannuation (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). See how a life insurance payout works after death and how to claim life insurance in New Zealand for the process itself.
What if the deceased had digital accounts with no list of passwords?
govt.nz suggests checking whether the deceased left a list of accounts and assets online; if not, the person handling the estate has to work out which platforms to contact individually to close accounts, and notes that valuable digital accounts, such as ones tied to a business, may need to be treated as part of the estate (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026).
More questions about notifying organisations
Does Work and Income need to be told separately from myTrove?
Contact Work and Income directly if the deceased was receiving a benefit, NZ Superannuation or a Veteran's Pension, since payments need to be updated or stopped and any final payment details confirmed (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). Work and Income also administers the funeral grant, so this contact point can cover both at once.
How do I cancel a driver licence for someone who has died?
Contact Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency directly to cancel the deceased's driver licence (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026). This is one of the notifications myTrove does not necessarily cover, so it is worth checking myTrove's current participating-organisation list rather than assuming every agency is included.
Who cancels a passport when someone dies?
The Department of Internal Affairs' passports service can cancel a deceased person's passport, and this can be done either through myTrove or by contacting the passports office directly (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026).
What if the deceased owned property jointly with someone else?
Jointly owned property with survivorship generally passes to the surviving owner outside the estate and does not need probate; where the property is solely owned by the deceased, it forms part of the estate and the executor begins the process of identifying and collecting it as part of administering the estate (govt.nz, retrieved 9 September 2026).
Putting it in order
Combining the registration deadline with the notification process gives a realistic sequence for the first weeks.
| Order | Step | Where covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm the death; involve a doctor or coroner for the cause of death certificate | When someone dies checklist |
| 2 | Register the death (via funeral director, or within 3 working days if self-arranged) | This page |
| 3 | Notify organisations via myTrove | This page |
| 4 | Contact Inland Revenue directly with proof of authority | This page |
| 5 | Contact Work and Income for benefits, and apply for the funeral grant | WINZ funeral grant |
| 6 | Start a life insurance claim and check debts | Cross-referenced pages |
| 7 | Apply for probate if the estate needs it, and settle remaining accounts | Probate in NZ; executor duties |
(govt.nz; Inland Revenue; Work and Income; retrieved 9 September 2026.)
QuoteHub's read is that myTrove is the single most underused tool in this process: it removes the need to separately explain the same death to a dozen call centres during an already difficult week. Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name. For the wider order of tasks, see the when someone dies checklist, and for what the estate still owes once organisations are notified, see what happens to debt when someone dies. Time off work to manage all of this is covered by bereavement leave, and if a life insurance or income protection policy needs reviewing so this process is simpler for your own family later, start a free comparison.
Adviser's view
QuoteHub's take is that the frozen bank account causes more panic than it should: funeral costs specifically can still be released from a deceased person's account without probate or even without being the executor, a detail buried well below the more alarming fact that the account is frozen at all. Knowing which notifications unlock money and which simply record a fact changes how urgent each call actually is.
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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Who to Notify When Someone Dies in NZ: The Full List. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/who-to-notify-after-a-death-nz. Updated 2026-09-09.
References
- govt.nz: What to do when someone dies
- govt.nz: Registering a death
- Inland Revenue: Let us know someone has died
- myTrove
- Administration Act 1969, s65 (Payment without administration)
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