You register a death and obtain the certificate through the Civil Registration System (CRS) portal or your local municipal corporation/Gram Panchayat within 21 days of death, free of cost. The death certificate is essential for settling insurance claims, property transfer, pension closure and other legal formalities.
What you need before you start
Keep the hospital death summary or medical certificate of cause of death, the deceased’s identity proof (Aadhaar), and the informant’s (usually a family member) identity proof. For deaths at home, a local doctor or the attending physician’s certificate is needed.
Step by step
- Visit the CRS portal or the local municipal/panchayat civil registration office.
- Fill the death registration form with the deceased’s details, date, place and cause of death.
- Upload the hospital death summary or medical certificate.
- Submit the application; the registrar verifies and registers the death.
- Download the digital death certificate or collect the physical copy.
Fees and timelines
Registration within 21 days is free in most states. Delayed registration attracts a late fee and needs an affidavit; registration after 1 year may need a magistrate’s order.
What to do if it goes wrong
For a name or date error, apply for correction at the same registration office with supporting documents. If the death occurred long ago and was never registered, approach the local registrar for the delayed-registration process, which typically requires an affidavit and sometimes a court/magistrate order.