Notification Process for Death Registration

Additional Information

Registration of death at home
Shall be informed to the Grama Niladhari within 05 days of the death occurred. A report prepared as per Form B24 relevant to each death to be forwarded to relevant Births and Deaths Registrar by the Grama Niladhari. Death is registered by the Births and Deaths Registrar who is relevant to the place which the death occurred.

Form CR02 for the registration of deaths can be obtained by the Registrar

Person Eligible to inform a death

• The next of kin who was present at the time of death
• The next of kin who was given attendance care at last at the time of sick

When there is no such relation

• A relation of the deceased person who resided within the registrar division of which the deceased person resided.
• A person who was present there at the moment of death
• A resident of the building who was present at the time of death

When none of these apply

• The person who is engaged in burial, cremate the dead body or participated in the funeral arrangement in any way.

The Death can be registered free of charge within 3 days of the occurrence of the death. However, the death can still be registered up to 3 months from the death. See the details on registration of past deaths for further information. Regardless, a death certificate will be issued free of charge to the informer.

Hospital death ( Public or private )

If the death occured in a hospital, it should be informed to the Births and Deaths Registrar relevant to that hospital to register the death. The declaration required to inform the death (Registration CR02 Form) should be obtained from the Births and Deaths Registrar.

Eligible persons to inform for registration of the death:

• Relative of deceased person
• A person who was at the place in which the death occurred
• Medical Officer In Charge of the hospital

Documents to be submitted:

• Duly filled Registration CR02 Form
• The report issued by the hospital to confirm the death

Registration of death in an registered estate

The death should be informed by the following eligible persons to the Superintendent of the estate within 24 hours of the death occurring.

Eligible people to inform:

• Relative of deceased person
• Person present in building at time of death
• Resident of the building in which the death occurred
• Person carrying out funeral arrangement

Documents to be forwarded:

• Medical reports of the deceased person if available
• Clinical reports of the deceased persons if available

The death report is recorded by the Superintendent of the estate and forwarded to the Additional District Registrar of the Divisional Secretariat through the District Medical Officer with the certified death report of the superintendent of the estate (Registration CR02 Form) by the Superintendent of the estate. After registration of the death by the Additional District Registrar ,the death certificate is forwarded to the relevant superintendent of the estate. The applicant can obtain death certificate free of charge from the office of the superintendant of the estate.

Registration of Death for a Sri Lankan in another Country

The death of a Sri Lankan or dual citizen at his death, can be registered in a foreign country. The death is registered by the Sri Lankan Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred.. The declaration required to inform the death can be obtained from the Sri Lankan Ambassador/ High Commissioner office

Eligible persons to inform the death for the registration:

• Relative of deceased person
• Person present at time of death
• Resident of building where death occured

Documents to be forwarded:

• Required documents to proof as a citizen of Sri Lanka or a dual citizen (Visa /certificate on dual citizenship)
• Passport of the deceased person (valid as at the occasion of death)
• Death certificate issued by the same country
• Hospital record which the cause of death mentioned
• Certified copy of the birth certificate of the deceased person
• A document to proof the relationship of the declarant (Birth or marriage certificate as required)

The fees prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as government charges should be paid by the valid currency of the relevant country.

Death of Foreign Passport Holder in Sri Lanka

If unable to register the death within the period of one year by paying government fees to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the relevant country , for registration as a past death after elapse of one year, the following documents can be submitted to the Embassy/ High Commissioner office of the country which the death occurred. It shall be forwarded to the central record room at Maligawatta by the relevant embassy for approval. As such the death has not been registered by the Embassy/ High Commissioner office situated in a foreign country , the death can be registered by submitting documents to the central record room at Maligawatta. The declaration required to inform the death shall be obtained from the Consular division of the central record room at Maligawatta. The deceased person should be a Sri Lankan or a holder of dual citizenship. If the spouse, mother , father ,sibling ,child or any of them of the deceased person are not available, the party which is enthusiastic on that matter can be presented as the declarant for the registration of the death.

Documents to be forwarded:

• Duly filled declaration
• Foreign death certificate
• If the cause of death was not mentioned in the death certificate, the report which was the cause of death mentioned.
• Birth certificate of the deceased person
• Passport of the deceased person
• If the dead body has brought to this country, the cargo receipt
• A document to proof the relationship of the declarant( birth certificate ,marriage certificate as required)
• If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka, the transport bills
• The letter issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (If the funeral take place in Sri Lanka)
• Photocopied copy of the National Identity Card of the declarant
• An envelope of 9×4 size with the address of the declarant and prescribed stamps fixed.
• The receipt which was obtained from the Consular division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by paying Rs.8180/- as registration fees.
• Translations of the documents which are in other languages except Sihala, English and Tamil languages.

The required information can be obtained from the Deputy Registrar General of the Central Record Room of the Registrar General’s Department . Telephone No.: +94 112 329 773 or +94 112 433 075/0718255066

Obtaining certified copies of death certificates

The copies of the death certificate shall be obtained from the Divisional Secretariat belonging to the place of death.If the relevant certificate is included in the data system, a certified copy therein can be obtained from any Divisional Secretariat nearby you as well.Copies of certificates from 01.01.1960 to 01. 01. 2020 can be obtained from the system. ( You can confirm whether it is in the data system by checking from your nearby Divisional Secretariat.) The required application can be obtained from the district registrar’s division of any Divisional Secretariat or the web-site of this Department.

Fees Charged

• When the number, and the date registered of the death certificate is known – fees for one copy : Rs.120.00.
• When the number and the date registered of the death certificate is not known (As checking of documents not more than two years is required ) – fees for one copy : Rs.250.00.

Copies of certificates can be applied by making relevant payments to the Divisional Secretariat or forwarding the bank slip which is received by the Bank of Ceylon (Battaramulla Branch) of the Registrar General’s of which payments made to the account No.7039827 and completed application to the relevant Divisional Secretariat.
If you wish to receive the death certificate via post , it should be forwarded a self-addressed stamped envelope with the application and the receipt which fees has paid as mentioned above

If the death has been registered, the number of copies of the relevant death certificate applied will be issued according to the amount paid and if the death has not been registered, it is informed by Form B 38 on that matter.