Who to notify when someone dies in New Zealand, and how to register the death

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-10-20 · Reviewed quarterly, when the underlying data is restated.

When someone dies in New Zealand, a doctor, nurse practitioner or the coroner confirms the death, a funeral director normally registers it with Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM), and the family then tells banks, Inland Revenue, Work and Income and others. Registering is free. If there is no funeral director, the person arranging the burial or cremation notifies BDM as soon as practicable, and no later than 3 working days after it. An official death certificate costs $35.

Registering a death means recording it on the national register, which is what allows a death certificate to be issued. It is a legal step with a deadline; telling banks and agencies is a practical step with none. The Burial and Cremation Act 1964 says a body may not be buried or cremated without a cause-of-death certificate or a coroner's authorisation, and the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021 (sections 39 and 40) requires the person who decides how the body is disposed of, or who disposes of it, to notify BDM as soon as practicable and no later than 3 working days after the disposal. A funeral director does this as part of the service. The rest of this page lists who needs to know, grouped by when it helps to tell them.

The first hours: who confirms the death

The first calls depend on how the person died (govt.nz, updated 14 August 2026).

• Unexpected death: call 111 and ask for an ambulance and police.
• Expected death at home: call the person's doctor. This can wait until morning if the person died overnight. Health New Zealand says you need not call an ambulance or police for an expected death, and you can keep the person with you for a time.
• Hospital, hospice or rest home: alert the staff on duty.
• Overseas: contact the nearest New Zealand embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Police always inform a coroner when someone dies unexpectedly, violently or in suspicious circumstances, and a doctor who is unsure of the cause reports the death to the coroner (Coroners Court). In those cases the coroner's authorisation takes the place of the doctor's certificate. The Coroners Court says a post mortem is usually the next working day, sometimes two or three days, and release is usually the same day (post mortem page). Community Law says whānau may object to a post mortem on cultural grounds and the coroner must consider the distress or offence (Community Law: Tangihanga). Tell the funeral director as well; either call can wait until morning for an expected death at home.

How a death is registered

1. A doctor or nurse practitioner completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, or the coroner authorises. The doctor or nurse practitioner also sends BDM a preliminary notice within 3 working days of the certificate.
2. With a funeral director: the director registers the death and organises the certificate. The family provides the details.
3. Without one: the person arranging disposal sends BDM the "Notification of death for registration" form (BDM 28) with the certificate or the coroner's authorisation. It must reach BDM no later than 3 working days after the burial or cremation, and before the body is removed from New Zealand.
4. BDM registers the death. Registration is free.

govt.nz's summary page says "within 3 days"; the Act and govt.nz's registering page say 3 working days, so use the Act. Our registering a death page has the form details.

Death certificates: cost, how to order and how long

An official certificate can be ordered once the death is registered, and govt.nz advises not to order until after the funeral. The death must have happened in New Zealand.

(govt.nz: Get a death certificate, retrieved 20 October 2026.)

There is no free official certificate. What is free is registering the death. A funeral director may add the certificate to the bill, and the amount they charge can differ from the Government fee: the Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand (FDANZ) lists $40 (FDANZ: financial matters) and one North Shore director's May 2026 price list shows $38 a copy (Dils). See the death certificate guide before ordering several.

Tell everyone at once: myTrove

myTrove is a free online service for families that sends one notification of a death to many organisations. Its site lists 200 or more participating organisations, including banks, tax, licences, benefits, insurance, councils and utilities. You do not need a New Zealand death certificate to use it, and you can start before the death is registered. It is supported by the Department of Internal Affairs. Not every organisation takes part, so check its list, and keep the executor informed of what you send.

The notification list, in an order that works

This is our grouping, not a legal order. Only registration has a deadline.

(Sources: govt.nz; Inland Revenue; Work and Income; retrieved 20 October 2026.)

The executor or administrator handles the accounts and assets that are part of the estate. Family and friends can help with other accounts as long as the executor is kept informed. An overpayment of NZ Super or a benefit after the 28 days can be recovered from the estate, so telling Work and Income early is worth doing. Inland Revenue says the executor decides whether income received in the 28 days after death goes on the final return or an estate return, and the estate pays any child support debt, which Inland Revenue may write off if the estate has no funds. A KiwiSaver balance goes to the estate on application by the personal representative, so it is handled with the other estate assets; see deceased estate assets.

Questions people ask

Can a family member register the death if there is a funeral director?

The funeral director registers it for you. If you are arranging the funeral yourselves, the person who disposes of the body notifies BDM using form BDM 28.

Is a death certificate needed to notify everyone?

No. myTrove says you do not need a New Zealand death certificate to use it. Individual organisations set their own requirements, so ask each one.

What about a funeral announcement?

Newspaper notices cost, with FDANZ listing $150 to $500 or more, and are optional. They are a way to let people know, not a notification to any agency.

Where to go from here

If the person had funeral insurance or life cover, the claim is made to the insurer that issued it. For a Momentum Life policy, see Momentum Life claims. Cover taken out now would not respond to this death: Momentum Life's Funeral Insurance pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months (any other death in that window pays no benefit and the premiums are refunded), and Quick Life excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide for the first two years. Total funeral insurance premiums can exceed the benefit, and the benefit may not cover the whole funeral. The buttons on this page lead to Momentum's online application, one option among several. Momentum Life is rated B (Fair) by A.M. Best (financial strength). QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission; see how we are paid. Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). Back to the when someone dies checklist, and see the executor guide and funeral grant.

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Cite this page QuoteHub NZ (2026). Who to Notify When Someone Dies NZ: Full List. www.quotehub.co.nz/guides/when-someone-dies/who-to-notify-after-a-death-nz. Updated 2026-10-20.

References

• govt.nz: What to do when someone dies
• govt.nz: Registering a death
• govt.nz: Get a death certificate
• New Zealand Legislation: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 2021
• New Zealand Legislation: Burial and Cremation Act 1964
• Coroners Court
• what happens during a post mortem
• Community Law: Tangihanga
• Inland Revenue: Let us know someone has died
• Work and Income: Payments when a client dies
• myTrove
• FDANZ: Financial matters
• Dils: Standard price list, May 2026
• Health New Zealand: Dying at home
• Momentum Life: Financial strength

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