What to do in the first few days after a death in Australia

In the days after someone dies, there is often a feeling that everything has to happen at once. In practice, very little needs to happen immediately, and nothing needs to be rushed. This is a general guide to what typically needs to happen in Australia in the days that follow a death, so you know roughly what to expect, and in roughly what order, wherever you live.

What happens first depends a lot on where the death occurred. If someone dies in a hospital or an aged care facility, staff there will usually manage the immediate steps and can talk you through what happens next. If a death happens at home and was expected, for example following a known illness, you can call the person's regular doctor, or a palliative care service if one was involved, for advice on what to do. If the death was sudden or unexpected, call triple zero. You do not need to contact a funeral director straight away, though you can do so at any point from this early stage simply to have your loved one moved into their care while you take everything else at your own pace.

A doctor needs to examine the body and, in most cases, complete a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. A doctor who attended the person during their final illness, or who examines the body afterwards, is generally expected to complete this certificate within a short period, commonly within about 48 hours, or refer the death to the coroner instead. This is a routine administrative step, not a sign anything unusual has happened, and funeral directors deal with this paperwork constantly.

Not every death goes through a coroner, and most do not. A death is generally referred to a coroner when it was unexpected and the cause is not known, or when it resulted, directly or indirectly, from an accident or injury. If a coroner becomes involved, they may need to make further enquiries, which can include a post-mortem examination, before the body can be released and the paperwork finalised. This can add some time to the process, and a coroner's office or the funeral director you engage can tell you what to expect in your specific situation.

Once the cause of death is certified, the death needs to be registered with the births, deaths and marriages registry in the state or territory where the person died. Registration is usually handled by the funeral director as part of their service, but the exact timeframe differs depending on where you are. In New South Wales, the funeral director generally registers the death within 7 days of the burial or cremation taking place. In Victoria, funeral directors must notify the registrar within 7 days of the disposal of the person's remains. In Queensland, the death needs to be registered within 14 days of the date of death, again usually done by the funeral director on the family's behalf. Other states and territories have their own timeframes and processes, so it is worth asking your funeral director, or checking with the local registry directly, rather than assuming one state's rule applies everywhere.

Once the death is registered, you can apply for a death certificate through the relevant state or territory registry. It is worth requesting a few certified copies at this point, since banks, superannuation funds, insurers and government agencies will often each want to see an original rather than a photocopy.

None of this needs to be worked through alone or in a hurry. A funeral director can talk you through the paperwork step by step, explain what applies in your state, and take care of much of the coordination, which leaves you more room simply to take the time you need.

Frequently asked questions