We offer a full-time registration service at Nottingham City Hospital and Queens Medical Centre.  To register a death at either hospitals or at the Register Office an appointment will need to be made.

Where to register a death which occurred within the City of Nottingham

Every death must be registered in the Register Office for the District in which it occurred. The Register Office for all deaths within the city boundary of Nottingham is located at :

50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FP
Telephone (0115) 947 5665

Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 4.30pm
Wednesday from 10.00am - 4.30pm.
Please telephone to make an appointment

Saturday - by prior appointment only

When must a death be registered

A death normally needs to be registered within five days, unless the Coroner is investigating the circumstances relating to the death (an Inquest). The five day period may be extended in certain circumstances.

Who is qualified to register a death (The 'Informant')

The death must be registered by an Informant who has the legal authority and responsibility to do so. This includes:

• A relative
• A person present at the death
• The occupier of the premises where the death occurred if he/she knew of it happening
• The person arranging the funeral (this does NOT mean the funeral director, it means the relative, friend or legal representative who is instructing the funeral director)

What documents does an Informant need to bring when registering a Death

A medical certificate of cause of death will be issued by the doctor who was treating the person who has died. This will normally be handed to you in a sealed brown envelope addressed to the Registrar at the relevant Register Office. You must take this to the Registrar.

In some instances, for example when the death is unexpected and/or the doctor cannot be sure of the cause of death, the Coroner may decide to hold a post mortem to determine the cause of death. You will be informed of this, and the Coroner's Office (rather than the doctor) will issue a certificate and tell you when you will be able to register the death.

The deceased person's birth certificate and medical card, if available, should be taken to the registration.

Car parking and access to the building

There is limited free car parking for customer use (accessible via Shakespeare Villas) at the rear of the Register Office. Adjacent on-street 'pay-and-display' car parking is also available. There is ramped access to the building from the car park area. Visitors should report to the Reception desk on the ground floor. The Registrar's offices are situated on the first floor. Unfortunately the building does not have a lift, so if you have difficulties climbing stairs please ask at Reception for a ground floor registration.

Information which will be needed by the Registrar

The Registrar will interview you in private and will need to know the following information for recording in the Register:

• The date and place of death
• The full name and surname, maiden surname if the person who has died had been a married woman, and any previous names used
• Their date and place of birth
• The occupation and, if the deceased person was a married woman or widow the full name and occupation of her husband
• Their usual address
• Whether the person who has died was in receipt of a pension from public funds.
• Your name and address and relationship to the deceased

Additional information that must be given to the Registrar

Additional details will also be collected by the Registrar. These are not recorded in the Register and will only be used for the preparation and supply of statistical information by the Registrar General:

• The marital status of the deceased
• If the person who has died was married or in a Civil Partnership, the date of birth of the surviving spouse

Additional information which is requested on a voluntary basis

Other particulars are requested by the Registrar on a voluntary basis and again will not be entered in the Register. Any such information collected at registration may be used, in identifiable form, for statistical analysis by the Registrar General and approved researchers outside of the Office for National Statistics:

• If the person died in a hospital or other communal establishment, whether their stay was more or less than six months
• The sort of industry the deceased worked in if they were under 75 years old
• The employment status of the deceased if they were under 75 years old
• The deceased's NHS number (if known)

Checking the information

The Registrar will take down all the details in draft form and will ask you to check that they have been recorded correctly. The non-statistical information will then be copied into the Register book, which you will be asked to check through carefully and sign.

Documents which will be supplied following the registration

On completion of the registration, you will be issued with:

• A 'Green Form' which enables you to arrange the funeral (If the Coroner is involved different procedures may apply). This is issued free of charge.
• A form for Social Security purposes. This is also issued free of charge.
• Certified copies of the entry ("death certificates") may also be purchased at the time of registration at a cost of £3.50 each
• A card for you to complete if you wish the deceased's details to be removed from mailing lists

Giving details by "declaration" when the death occurred elsewhere.

It is possible to make a declaration of the required particulars before any Registrar in England and Wales if (i) you live in e.g. Nottingham and the death you are required to register occurred elsewhere, or (ii) you live elsewhere and the death needs to be registered in e.g. Nottingham.

You must be prepared to answer exactly the same questions as those outlined above but the details will be transferred on to a 'Declaration' instead of being written into a Register. You will be asked to check and to sign the Declaration which is then posted to the Register Office responsible for the area where the death took place. That Register Office will then post to you the documents you need. If you choose to use this method you will therefore not have possession of the documents you need as quickly as if you attend in person at the relevant Register Office and this may delay arrangements for the funeral.

Queries

If you have any further queries regarding registering a death, please do not hesitate to contact Nottingham Register Office. (Details of the emergency service at Bank Holidays are also available on the telephone).